Bancroft named Gloucestershire red-ball captain

Cameron Bancroft played for Sydney Thunder in this year's Big Bash League in Australia but did not play in their defeat in the final by Hobart Hurricanes

Cameron Bancroft has been named Gloucestershire's red-ball captain for the upcoming 2025 season.

The Australia batter's appointment comes after all-rounder Graeme van Buuren stepped down from the role in January to focus on his "capabilities as a middle-order batter and left-arm orthodox spinner."

Bancroft, 34, said it was a "real honour" to be asked to skipper the County Championship side and said van Buuren had led "fantastically over the years" and had "built a strong foundation".

"My role now is to see what I can bring as a leader, building on what he's already delivered," Bancroft, who has played 10 Test matches, added to the club's website.

Bancroft played a key role in Gloucestershire's T20 Blast triumph in 2024, scoring a half-century in the final against holders Somerset as he ended the competition with 534 runs at an average of more than 33.

The red-ball season last year was more of a struggle with Gloucestershire finishing next to bottom in Division Two after winning just two of their 14 matches.

But Bancroft still managed 832 runs at an average of 48.94 with three centuries. .

"We would have liked to have performed better last season, but there were still plenty of positives," Bancroft, who also captained Durham and played for Somerset, said.

"If we build on those learnings we'll be in a great position for the season ahead."

Gloucestershire head coach Mark Alleyne believes his new captain's experience leading Durham captain and his international pedigree will pay dividends.

"I love his dedication to preparation and his subsequent transference of that in the middle," said Alleyne.

"His experience of playing Test match cricket and winning four-day titles gives him a broad base of experience which our players can feed off."

Bancroft will lead Gloucestershire for the first time on the 4 April in their opening game of the County Championship season at Derbyshire.