We'll have to win the last three matches now, says Marshall

CRICKET

Hamish Marshall reckons Gloucestershire Gladiators will almost certainly have to win their three remaining matches if they are to qualify for the knockout stages of the Friends Life t20 tournament.

Gloucestershire were again frustrated by the weather as rain washed out last night's home game against neighbours Glamorgan Dragons in Bristol.

A third no-result in seven t20 matches means the Gladiators will need to beat Worcestershire at Nevil Road on Thursday and then win back-to-back away games against Warwickshire and Northants at Edgbaston and Wantage Road on Friday and Sunday respectively if they are to achieve a top-three finish in the Midlands/Wales & West Group.

Gloucestershire have seven points from as many games and still trail leaders Somerset, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Twenty20 captain Marshall conceded: "This means we probably have to win our last three games if we are to get to the quarter-finals.

"It is a tall order but at least we know what we have to do and the situation has become a bit more clear-cut.

"Of course, we are frustrated, because both sides were desperate to play. But the pitch and the outfield were very wet and the umpires had no other choice than to call it off."

Games between the Anglo-Welsh rivals have been bedevilled by bad weather this summer. The LV=County Championship meeting between the two sides in Bristol in April was washed out without a ball bowled and now t20 fixtures at Nevil Road and Cardiff have gone the same way.

"There must be something about this fixture," complained Marshall. "It is crazy to think that we have had six days of cricket totally washed out against Glamorgan."

Umpires Trevor Jesty and Martin Bodenham had hoped to stage a five-over-a-side game, but eventually took the decision to abandon the game at 6.45pm, leaving a crowd of more than 1,000 disappointed.

A point was not enough for Glamorgan, who now have no chance of coming through the group. But Gloucestershire are currently fourth in the table and can still make it to the last eight for the first time since 2007.

Marshall added: "The weather has made this competition a bit of a lottery.

"Looking at the forecast, other games could be affected and the weather could yet work in our favour and prevent our rivals from winning.

"All we can do is hope that the rain relents sufficiently to give us an opportunity to get out there and play in the last three games."

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