Gloucestershire 2026 One Day Cup Preview
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Dan Clark
2025 Review:
League Position: 3rd in Group A (Lost in QFs)
Top Runscorer: James Bracey - 572 runs
Top Wicket Taker: Matt Taylor - 14 wickets
Top Points Scorer: James Bracey - 1468 points
It was a rain-affected and disappointing end to the 2025 ODC campaign for Gloucestershire, losing to Somerset at Taunton after finishing third in Group A. In a game where they were 97/3, Gloucs slumped to 155 all out, and strong knocks from both Thomas and James Rew meant they crashed out. There were certainly positives to take, in a group campaign which saw them win six from eight. These six wins came in a row to begin their campaign, with the momentum lost after three consecutive defeats.
There were contributors all across the board, but none so more than captain James Bracey. The former England wicket keeper led by example, scoring an impressive 572 runs, including a mammoth 186 against Nottinghamshire, the highest individual score of the competition. Elsewhere, Jack and Matt Taylor were the two leading wicket takers with the ball, with solid contributions from van Buuren, Shaw and Ahkter too.
Gloucestershire 2026 One Day Cup Preview - Banker, Wildcard & Young Gun
Gloucestershire are without the aforementioned Shaw and Ahkter heading into this year’s campaign however, with the pace duo having left for Somerset and Essex respectively. However, there is promise at the club, with the likes of Tommy Boorman and Daz Ahmed seeing extended runs across all formats to begin the season, along with Kamran Dhariwal. They also lost Tom Price to Sussex over the offseason, so it could be a revamped squad across all parts for the upcoming campaign.
Gloucs will be looking to avenge their knockout stage defeat last year, and will certainly be relying on the likes of Bracey, as well as overseas Cameron Bancroft to find form and lead them through the group stages. The acquisition of the ever reliable Will Williams to help Taylor in the pace unit could prove vital for this, with the experience across his 59 List A games key, and a very stellar average of exactly 30 with the ball.
Banker: James Bracey
The ever reliable James Bracey looks set to be the anchor once more for Gloucestershire’s batting in the ODC this term. The sharp glovesman is coming off a strong 148* in a recent County Championship game against Northants, and will be looking to lead the way once more with the bat. Bracey’s sharp fielding skills will also lead to a strong volume of points obtained from catches and stumpings, with him currently having 61 dismissals in his 49 career List A games. Look to Bracey as an expensive, but reliable scorer.
Wildcard: Will Williams
Gloucs’ new recruit has continued his steady career form with the ball, following his move from Lancashire this year. However, Williams has also displayed flashes with the bat this campaign, scoring a career best 98 against Derbyshire in April this season. Williams’ high score in List A cricket is only 19 but this could well change as he looks to develop all forms of his game. Williams’ bowling will always be steady, but a new avenue to points with the bat could see him as a true wildcard pick for this format.
Young Gun: Tommy Boorman
The 21 year old Cheltenham born Boorman made his First Class debut this season against Lancashire, and the middle order batter has featured in a total of six County Championship matches this campaign. Gloucestershire have turned to youth a good amount this season, with the likes of Joe Phillips and Luke Charlesworth also featuring for them this term. Boorman could well be the most accomplished of the lot though, with the batter set to build on his current First Class average of 26 through his first eight games. Boorman looks set to be a promising and cheap asset for all managers to consider.
Potential Starting XI:
James Bracey
Cameron Bancroft
Oliver Price
Ben Charlesworth
Jack Taylor
Miles Hammond
Graeme Van Buuren
Daz Ahmed
Craig Miles
Matt Taylor
Will Williams