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FULL TOSS Life in the limelight, Ben Duckett on his hopes for 2018 Gleeson for England? A fans 2018 preview Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine Issue 01 April 18
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Page 1: Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine...preview Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine Issue 01 April 18 T he summer of 2016 was one that will never be forgotten for

FULL TOSSLife in the limelight, Ben Duckett on his hopes for 2018

Gleeson for England?

A fans 2018 preview

Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine

Issue 01April 18

Page 2: Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine...preview Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine Issue 01 April 18 T he summer of 2016 was one that will never be forgotten for
Page 3: Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine...preview Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine Issue 01 April 18 T he summer of 2016 was one that will never be forgotten for

The summer of 2016 was one that will never be forgotten for Ben Duck-

ett or anyone that fol-lows Northamptonshire Cricket. A blistering season with the bat saw Duckett score a monster 2706 runs across all formats which included a call up to the England Lions squad, a Natwest T20 Blast Winners Med-al and a clean sweep of accolades at the PCA Awards. However, since the glory of that a spec-tacular summer, Duck-ett has never quite lived up to the same stand-ards and has become a well known name for all of the wrong reasons.

After a torrid tour of India in the winter of 2016, Duckett returned to Wantage Road where he had a much more average season. With no success in the Royal London One Day Cup and Natwest T20 Blast for the Steelbacks, Northants launched a charge for promotion to Division One of the County Championship and ended up coming third agonisingly just one point off promotion.

As the 2018 season looms, we caught up with Duckett who looked ahead at what promises to be an ex-citing campaign for the Steelbacks. “Its been a frustrating few months

but it’s on the mend and I’m looking forward to the season starting now” said Duckett in relation to the hand injury that ruled him out of the North V South series in Dubai this winter. Duckett is due to miss up to the first 4 weeks of the season which is a pivotal period for Northants with games at Lords against Middlesex before games home and away against Warwickshire. Despite this Duckett said “the op went well and I now have the bat in hand but it is just frustrating.”

“Its been a frustrating few months but it’s on the mend and I’m look-ing forward to the season starting now”

One key element of the hope that is surrounding the County Ground this season is the addition of new signings. Fast bowler Brett Hutton came in from Notting-hamshire as well as all-rounder Luke Procter from Lancashire. Duck-ett told us that “they are settling in really well, they are both very different characters but Proccy (Procter) looks really good with the bat

and Brett we played him last year for Notts and was really good.” As well as that, Northants have secured the services of Sri Lankan leg spinner Seekkuge Prasanna for the Vitality T20 Blast. Prasanna helped Nort-hants in their winning T20 campaign of 2016 before picking up an injury which ruled him out of the 2017 season. His return will not just bolster the squad but the spirit amongst the camp as he was a fan favourite during his time in Northampton. For the first four games of the season, New Zea-land all-rounder Doug Bracewell has signed in the absence of kolpak player Rory Kleinveldt who returns for the start of the Royal London One Day Cup. The final sign-ing is the South African wicket keeper Ricardo Vasconcelos who has signed a two-year deal as a replacement for David Murphy who left at the end of last season to begin a career in Law.

Looking at the season ahead, Duckett said “the squad look really good. Watching the boys play out in Barbados they played some really good cricket.” Duckett also spoke about the fact that Northants have been seen as ‘white ball specialists’ over the last few seasons but said that “a few good sides have come down from Division One this year

which makes it tough but we are definitely going to push for all three trophies this year.” But with such high expectations comes big responsibilities and none come bigger than the expectation on Ducketts shoulders. He has made it clear that he is looking to put the antics in Australia over the winter past him after he was sent home from his England Lions tour for pouring a drink over England’s all time wicket taker James Anderson. However, due to his injury Duckett is yet to play any cricket competitively since the incident and is raring to go again and turn the talking back to his batting.

Personally, Duckett said “I’m not going to put any pressure on myself, I’m gonna try and enjoy my time out there when it comes and yeah try and score as many runs as possible in all three for-mats.” And this seems like the logical method for success for Duckett who needs to be back in the runs if he wants to be wearing the three lions again anytime soon.

So let’s hope for his sake and for Northants and England fans that it is another summer of runs rather than a summer of woe for Ben Duckett.

OUT FOR A DUCKAfter a winter of turbulence, April couldn’t come soon enough for Northants talisman Ben Duckett who spoke to Jack Pinnock about life after that Ashes Tour.

Page 4: Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine...preview Northampton’s only FREE Cricketing Magazine Issue 01 April 18 T he summer of 2016 was one that will never be forgotten for

ONE TO WATCHA remarkable winter leaves paceman Richard Gleeson hopeful for the new season.

A call up to the England Lions, opening the bowling in the North V South and playing in the MCC Champions Match have all been things that have come as some shock to Richard Gleeson. The 30-year old fast bowler has had an exponential rise in just the three years that he has been a professional cricketer which has culminated in him being talked about for England.

Gleeson is one of only a handful of bowlers on the country that can bowl in excess of 90mph alongside Mark Wood, Essex’s Jamie Porter and for-mer Steelback Olly Stone and after England’s disastrous winter with the red ball, Gleeson’s name has been spoken about for the national side.

Sky Sports commentator David Lloyd is keen to see Gleeson with the Three Lions saying “he’s no spring chicken but he’s a big strapping lad and he’s quick: he’s got a brain on him aswell.”

The year of the Steelbacks?As the 2018 season gets underway there are lots of things to keep Northants fans feeling optimistic for the campaign ahead.

The progression in red ball cricket under David Ripley has been phe-nomenal and looks to continue heading upwards in the coming season. This is due to the additions to the squad in Luke Procter, Brett Hutton and Doug Bracewell for the first part.

We are still a side that is feared in white ball cricket. In the T20 we are always there or there abouts and we will always look dangerous when we have Richard Levi, Adam Rossington and Ben Duckett at the top of the order. To add to that a now potent bowling attack led by Richard Gleeson and it could be a successful year for the Steelbacks.

Our Predictions:

Specsavers County Championship Division Two - 4thRoyal London One Day Cup- Semi-FinalsVitality T20 Blast- Winners (why not!)

Richard Gleeson speaking to Jack Pinnock on Press Day

Say Cheese! The new 2018 T20 Kit is revealed


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