Gloucestershire vs Derbyshire, England Domestic One-Day Cup 2023, Today Match Prediction 01 August 2023

glo vs derby Match Prediction & Analysis

Now that the Vitality Blast and the latest matches of the LV= Insurance County Championship have come to an end, all eyes are on the Metro Bank One Day Cup, England's domestic 50-over competition. Starting from August 1st, the competition will feature a total of five matches on its opening day, each taking place at different venues. Gloucestershire will take on Derbyshire in the Group A clash at College Ground. Both teams had a disappointing last season and will be eager to start on a winning note. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Gloucestershire Preview

Gloucestershire had a below-par season last year, where they finished fifth in the Group A table. Graeme van Buuren will lead the team this year and will have plenty of exciting talents at his disposal. 

Key players to watch out for

Middle-order Jack Taylor was the team’s leading run-scorer last year with 401 runs in 8 innings at an excellent average of 66.83 and a strike rate of 115.22. He also did well with his leg-spin, taking 11 wickets, with an economy rate of 5.97. Taylor’s last match was in the County Championship Division Two, where he scored a fine 98 in the second innings of the match against Worcestershire at Cheltenham.

Australian opening batsman Marcus Harris will play a crucial role for Gloucestershire this year. He was the team’s second-best batter last year, scoring 332 runs in 8 innings at an average of 41.50 and a strike rate of 86.68. 

Joe Phillips, 19, from Truro, recently made his first-class debut against Glamorgan in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Cheltenham. Before that, he hit 63 and 95 in a second XI game for Kent and will no doubt be given plenty of chances in the 50-over championship.

Paul van Meekeren, who finished the previous season with 13 wickets from eight matches, will be the team's key fast bowler once again. 

Zafar Gohar was the standout bowler for Gloucestershire last year. The left-arm spinner from Pakistan ended the season with 13 scalps at an economy of just 4.69.

Gloucestershire Predicted Playing XI:

Ben Charlesworth, Ben Wells, Marcus Harris, Jack Taylor, Graeme van Buuren (c), James Bracey (wk), Zafar Gohar, Tom Price, Tom Smith, Paul van Meekeren, Ajeet Dale

Derbyshire Preview

Derbyshire had a season to forget in 2022. They finished seventh in the Group B table with 3 wins and 4 losses.

Key players to watch out for

Captain Leus Du Plooy has been in amazing form for Derbyshire in the County Championship. He is the season’s second-highest run-getter currently with a whopping 1022 runs in just 15 innings at an outstanding average of 92.90. He has scored 3 hundreds and 4 fifties so far this season. Derbyshire will be hoping that Du Plooy carries over his incredible form to the 50-over competition.

The team will also be counting on Luis Reece to have another good season, both with the bat and the ball. Last year, he was the team’s leading run-getter with 330 runs in 7 innings at an average of 47.14. He also took 6 wickets with his left-arm seam bowling. The lively pace at which he can swing the ball will provide a much-needed boost to an attack suffering from injuries and Hundred call-ups.

Harry Came can be the breakout star for Derbyshire this year. The 24-year-old opener had an average last season but has been in great form of late. In May, he hit his first-class century and contributed to Derbyshire's record T20 opening stand against Leicestershire in the Vitality Blast, with a 34-ball 50.

Sam Conners (12 wickets in 6 innings at an economy of 4.90 in 2022) is Derbyshire’s main bowler to watch out for this year.

Derbyshire Predicted Playing XI:

Leus Du Plooy (c), Luis Reece, Billy Godleman, Harry Came, Brooke Guest (wk), Anuj Dal, Joe Leach, Mattie McKiernan, Mark Watt, Nick Potts, Samuel Conners

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch at College Ground is a really good one for batting and stays true throughout. The ball comes on nicely to the bat but seamers will get their chances when to move the ball around when the ball is new. The pitch has shown a tendency to settle down as the match progresses and become easier for the batter.

The weather during the match is expected to be pleasant with partial sunshine.
 

Venue Details

The only match played at College Ground in Cheltenham in the One-Day Cup 2022 was between Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. Gloucestershire batted first and were bowled out for 264 in 48.5 overs. Warwickshire chased the target with ease in just 38.4 overs with 8 wickets remaining. The team batting first in this game will look to set a target of around 280-290 runs.

Toss: To Bowl

Last season, there was only one match played at College Ground in Cheltenham. It was won by the team chasing quite comfortably. The team winning the toss might be tempted to bowl first here.