9:16am Thursday 4th February 2010
NEW Gloucestershire chairman Rex Body believes the club has a bright future, both on and off the pitch.
After being deputy chairman and executive board member responsible for ground development for the past three years, Body has taken over from John Light, who stepped down at the club’s annual general meeting last week.
Plans to redevelop the County Ground are set to go before Bristol City Council’s planning committee on March 10 and include proposals to increase permanent seating to 10,000 with the addition of temporary seats making the capacity 20,000 for international matches.
Body said: “Our ground development plans are absolutely central to the club’s future.
“If you look at our financial result last year and some previous years, even when we have done reasonably well, the international game that we host has played a very important part in the figures.
“I believe we must continue to host international cricket to be viable from a financial point of view.
“And that viability will enable us to have the best possible team because anything we do on the financial side is aimed at boosting performances on the field.
“I’ve been involved in the ground development programme for three and a half years and I’m confident it will happen.
“With the new ECB regulations on what is required of a ground to host international matches - and a lot of the requirements are necessary for Twenty20 cricket as well - it is absolutely essential that we provide the right facilities for the new audience, including an increasing number of women, who are coming to games.”
Body also spoke highly of director of cricket, John Bracewell and has high hopes for the future with the likes of Thornbury batsman Chris Dent coming through the ranks.
He said: “I’m convinced we have a playing squad which is an extremely good mixture of experience and up and coming young players.
“You only have to look at what David Payne and Chris Dent have been doing with England Under-19s to see the calibre of player we have coming through.
“Having John Bracewell at the helm for the second year following his return to the club is a huge positive and I am sure he will continue to oversee progress on the field.”
Body travelled the world during a long career with Rolls Royce before retiring in 1996.
He describes himself as a sports enthusiast and turned down offers of football trials with Chelsea and Newcastle United prior to gaining an economics degree at Southampton University.
Roger Cooke has replaced Body as deputy chairman, while Tony Elgood became honorary treasurer.
l Gloucestershire fast bowler Ian Saxelby has been forced to withdraw from the England Performance Squad due to injury.
The youngster had to return early from South Africa after dislocating a shoulder getting out of a swimming pool.
Saxelby is now in a race to get fit for the start of the county cricket season.
He said: "If nothing has to be done, I should be able to take a full part in the build up to the new season and I very much hope to be involved in the first game."
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