Lancashire have had a superb start to the season, but the only dropped stitch in an otherwise unblemished record is the defeat they suffered to Gloucestershire earlier this year at Old Trafford.
The Division Two leaders are clear by 31 points ahead of Surrey in second place, but the Red Rose will be out for revenge after they were beaten by 91 runs in the reverse fixture. Gloucester have failed to win a Championship game since this deserved victory, losing by eight wickets at home to Kent in their last four-day match.
Lancashire's most recent LV= County Championship match against promotion rivals Surrey ended in a turgid draw after a combination of rain and superb batting conditions made for a fairly uneven contest in what should have been one of the most entertaining matches of the season.
Nevertheless, the Red Rose remain in a healthy position at the top of the table after seven Championship matches and they will be hoping to increase their lead with a victory at Bristol. Gloucestershire proved that they can also threaten for a place in the top two by inflicting such a humbling defeat over Ashley Giles's men earlier this season, but they will need to find a winning formula again soon in order to launch a bid for promotion.
The home side are fourth in the second division and are without a win in their last two four-day matches since they travelled to Lancashire in early May. But Lancashire's record on this ground suggests that they will be made to work extremely hard for a win after failing to win at Bristol since 1985, drawing five and losing four of the last nine away matches.
Key players:
Liam Norwell has been the pick of Gloucestershire's bowlers this season, claiming 28 wickets at an average of 22.29. In the reverse fixture, Norwell claimed match figures of 6-122 and the 23-year-old seamer is making a name for himself as one of the most consistent performers in the second division. The Gloucestershire seamer has a first-class record of 112 wickets in 35 matches and his best figures of the season so far are 6-33 against Essex.
Jordan Clark has been one of the unsung heroes of the season so far. In the absence of captain, Tom Smith, Clark was given the opportunity to play first-team cricket and he has taken his chance well, delivering with bat and ball. Prior to his time in first-class cricket this season, Clark had been pigeonholed as a one-day specialist, but the exposure into red ball cricket has proven that he can make himself adaptable to all formats of the game.
The Cumbrian-born all-rounder has so far taken 15 wickets in six Championship appearances for Lancashire. Clark has shaken the stigma that he can only play with an aggressive temperament, making a patient 63 as he and James Faulkner made a partnership worth 183 runs against Surrey.
Team News:
Gloucestershire 12-man squad: Geraint Jones (c), Chris Dent, Benny Howell, Michael Klinger, Hamish Marshall, Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, David Payne, Gareth Roderick (w/k), Jack Taylor, Matt Taylor, Will Tavare.
Jos Buttler's fleeting but remarkable appearance in the twenty20 Roses match means that Alex Davies will resume wicketkeeping duties, while Steven Croft continues to skipper the side in the absence of Tom Smith, who has failed to recover from a back injury after playing in Lancashire's second team. 21-year-old Gavin Griffiths could also make his maiden first-class appearance for Lancashire after being handed a List A debut against Northamptonshire last summer.
Lancashire 12-man squad: Steven Croft (c), Tom Bailey, Karl Brown, Jordan Clark, Alex Davies (w/k), Paul Horton, James Faulkner, Gavin Griffiths, Kyle Jarvis, Simon Kerrigan, Alviro Petersen, Ashwell Prince.
Match Information:
Weather and conditions: Bristol looks set for four beautifully sunny and warm days and it appears that the rain will stay away for the entire match. A particularly sunny start to the match tomorrow morning means that whichever team wins the toss will more than likely bat first and look to post a big total. For a full weather forecast click here.
Ground: Bristol
Time: 11.00am
Umpires: Peter Hartley, Ben Debenham.
Match odds (SkyBet): Gloucestershire 11/8, Lancashire 8/15
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