Fuller sets example for Norwell

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Gloucestershire are hoping Liam Norwell can follow in the footsteps of seam bowling colleague James Fuller by enjoying a successful stint in New Zealand.

Fuller’s Antipodean trip has proved more fruitful than anticipated; the 22-year-old seamer headed to Auckland, where he was brought up, in November to play club cricket for Takapuna, but was soon selected by Otago Volts as an overseas player for New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 competition.

Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell, a Kiwi himself, told the club’s official website: “James has been a bit of a success story for us over the winter.

Gloucestershire seamer James Fuller, pictured here in batting action, has enjoyed a successful winter in New Zealand

“Since he teamed up with Otago they have won all eight games and qualified for the final stages, which is great for them and extremely good for us in terms of the experience James has been getting bowling at the start and end of innings.

“Now, with the Sydney sides being knocked out of the Big Bash in Australia, Brett Lee has been signed up as an overseas player by Otago, so James is getting to practice alongside him.

“If you watch James's bowling action you can tell that Brett is one of his heroes and a player he has either deliberately or accidentally modelled himself on. He is no doubt now finding out that his hero is not a bad bloke as well as being a top bowler.”

Norwell, previously hampered by a stress fracture in his back, is also in New Zealand at the moment, representing Wellington club Karori.

Bracewell added: “Karori are a premier club in Wellington and their ground is a first-class venue so Liam will have the chance to perform on good pitches. He will hopefully get plenty of sunshine and the opportunity to get some conditioning in before reporting back for pre-season with us.

“Liam ticked all the boxes fitness-wise before we let him go to New Zealand and has looked very good in practice. Now we can get him on the park there is every reason to think he will be a very useful performer for us this summer.

“He is still very inexperienced and the more cricket we can get into him this winter, as well as maintaining his fitness, the better.”

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