GLOUCESTERSHIRE Seniors go into the new cricket season determined to build on a growing reputation as one of the most innovative and progressive set ups in the country.
The county will this summer once again be fielding four Over 50 teams, five Over 60s sides – one more than last year – along with two Over 70s teams and a trail-blazing women’s squad which was launched 12 months ago.
And while a clear aim is to build on the on-field successes of previous years, officials are keen to ensure that 2026 is also a season of careful consolidation.
Chair Razi Ahmed said: “We have made huge progress in terms of growth and increasing the number of teams we run to meet demand for seniors cricket.
“And while we want to continue striving for a competitive edge and winning matches, we also want to enhance what we are offering to our members.
“Many of our players have a mind set of still wanting to improve, and that helped drive our decision to ask Gloucestershire’s Marchant de Lange to provide coaching input at four pre-season sessions in Bristol and Gloucester which were a great success.
“We’re very proud of the fact that, on top of the cricket, we also have padel and golf groups along with social get togethers where players can enjoy each other’s company and have some fun.”
The Gloucestershire success story has not gone unnoticed by national officials who have asked Razi to produce a best practice guide basically covering ‘what we do and how we do it’ which can be shared with other counties who are eager to embrace and grow seniors cricket.
National officials will also be keeping a careful eye on a fledgling new women’s 35-over league involving Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
The counties played friendlies against each other last summer, and have now come together in a more formal format which will involve home and away fixtures along with a final between the top two on August 27.
Razi said: “This is just the start as we’re hoping that counties such as Worcestershire, Devon, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire will at some point also be able to join our regional competition and that, in time, there will be national interest to mirror what the men’s game has.
“We’re very proud to be at the very forefront of the growth of women’s seniors cricket.”
Fresh from a series of warm-up matches, the first men’s league games of the summer take place next week with the 60s – captained by Ian Robson – away to Cornwall while Gloucestershire 60s 2nds launch the defence of their hard-earned national title against Oxfordshire, at Moreton-in-Marsh.
England international Richard Trotman will once again be leading Gloucestershire Over 50s while Keith Daniels is the new skipper of Gloucestershire Over 70s who were national champions in 2023.
TUESDAY APRIL 28
Gloucestershire O60s away v Cornwall
Gloucestershire O60s 2nds v Oxfordshire (Moreton-in-Marsh, 1pm)
Gloucestershire O60s 3rds v Oxfordshire (Stowell Park, 1pm)
WEDNESDAY APRIL 29
Gloucestershire Over 50s away v Worcestershire
