DEPARTING Gloucestershire legend Hamish Marshall has picked Thornbury’s Chris Dent in his all-star county team of the last decade.

And the New Zealander, who has gone home after playing his last match for the county in September, believes the Thornbury-bred ace has Test quality.

Dent, 25, finished off last season with ninety and 55 in the Specsavers County Championship clash at home to Sussex and has scored over six thousand runs in first-class cricket for Gloucestershire, with a career best of 268 scored against Glamorgan in September last year.

Marshall has partnered the Thornbury ace on numerous occasions since Dent made his debut in 2010 and said: “We knew it was there but over the last couple of seasons Denty has progressed and become a consistent run scorer at the top of the order.

“He can score runs in difficult conditions and makes big hundreds. He is also a great slip fielder. He can make something happen from nothing in the field.

“He is a player with international potential.”

Marshall has picked Dent to open his all-star Gloucestershire team with another Kiwi, Craig Spearman, who was with Gloucestershire from 2002 to 2009.

At three, Marshall has chosen Kane Williamson who is, he thinks, ‘one of the greatest batsmen in the world’. And at number four is the hero of the last few years, Aussie Michael Klinger.

Marshall plays in his team at number five, with Ian Harvey at six and all-rounder Will Gidman at seven.

Former England Test star Geraint Jones, who was with Glocuestershire last season, gets the nod as wicket-keeper over Gareth Roderick.

Another Gloucestershire legend, Jon Lewis, who played for the county for 16 years until 2011, is at nine, while the other pace bowler is England Lions cap Steve Kirby is at ten.

And for his spinner, Marshall could not pick anyone else than Sri Lanka star Muttiah Muralitharan who was with the team from 2011 to 2012.