New Deals For Four Gloucestershire Youngsters

New Deals For Four Gloucestershire Youngsters

Ian Saxelby will expect to lead Gloucestershire's attack next season.

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Seam bowler Ian Saxelby is one of four Gloucestershire players to agree contract extensions with the county. The others are left-arm quick David Payne, opening batsman Ian Cockbain and seamer Liam Norwell.

Cockbain, who has signed until the end of 2013, became a regular fixture in the Gloucestershire batting line-up in his debut season for the county in 2011, and hit his maiden century against Middlesex in June before ending the year with 542 first-class runs at an average of 27.1. He also averaged 34.33 in the Clydesdale Bank 40, and 25.54 in the Friends Life t20 last season.

The three seam bowlers to have penned new deals can expect an increased workload in 2012 following the departure of Jon Lewis to Surrey; and the attack looks likely to be led by Ian Saxelby, who has signed a three-year extension and took 49 Championship wickets last summer; with Gloucestershire chief executive, Tom Richardson, commenting, “Ian Saxelby has come back from a serious injury (he missed the whole of the 2010 season) to demonstrate his immense potential and is a mature head on young shoulders.”

Of Liam Norwell and David Payne, who have signed until the end of 2013 and 2014 respectively, he added, “David Payne [has] played a lot of first team cricket and is developing all the time, so we are very pleased that he sees a bright future with us, while Liam Norwell made a very impressive start to his career before unfortunately getting injured.”

Norwell took six for 46 on his debut against Derbyshire before suffering a stress fracture in his back, while Payne took 42 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 30.9.

© Cricket World 2011