Kirby named in Gloucs squad

15 April 2008

Steve Kirby is felled by Luke Wright's ball © Getty Images

Steve Kirby has recovered sufficiently from concussion to take his place in the Gloucestershire squad that hosts Derbyshire in the opening game of the LV County Championship.

The fast bowler will be assessed on the morning of the game, just six days after he took a blow to the head from a Luke Wright delivery on Friday, while playing for MCC against Sussex in the domestic season curtain-raiser at Lord’s.

Will Rudge is likely to take his place if Kirby is deemed unfit.

Former New Zealand batsman Hamish Marshall is selected after he was registered as a Kolpak player last week.

Australian overseas player Marcus North will be hoping to repeat the form that saw him plunder 565 runs in just 10 innings for the county.

New captain Rikki Clarke heads the list of four possible debutants for Derbyshire.

John Sadler, signed from Leicestershire, and South African Kolpak player Dominic Telo are likely to come into the middle order, while former Surrey left-armer Nayan Doshi is also named in the 12-man squad.

There are high expectations of Australia Test batsman Chris Rogers, who returns to open the batting after a spell at Derby in 2004.

Derbyshire will miss the reliable left-arm medium-pace of Kevin Dean, who is sidelined with a knee injury.