Matt Taylor has pressed strong claims to be in Gloucestershire’s team for the opening Specsavers County Championship match against Kent at Canturbury on Friday week.

The 23-year-old left-arm seamer warmed up for the new season with career-best first class figures of five for 15 from 14 overs in the drawn game with Cardiff MCCU at Bristol.

Taylor, whose previous best was five for 75 in a home game against Hampshire in 2014, only played in five Championship matches last season, claiming just ten wickets.

But, with fellow left-armer David Payne expected the to be out for a couple of months, he could hardly be hitting form at a better time.

Head coach Richard Dawson said: “There is an opportunity for Matt and what you want to see in pre-season is players pushing for selection.

“He has benefited from a winter playing club cricket in Australia where he picked up wickets and it’s good to see him fully fit and running in hard.

“Matt didn’t have the best of seasons last year, so it’s an important summer for him and he will gain a lot of confidence from how he bowled.

“Like most young seam bowlers, he has been through several back problems while he matures physically and hopefully he can now stay fit and be an important player for us.”

Benny Howell, Gareth Roderick, Jack Taylor, Graeme van Buuren and winter signing Ryan Higgins all got runs in the first innings of the rain-affected match against Cardiff MCCU.

And when Gloucestershire got to bat for a second time yesterday after the day two washout, new skipper Chris Dent and George Hankins also spent valuable time at the crease.

Dawson added: “In the end we got plenty out of the game after what has been the wettest preparation I can recall.

“The lads put into practice the things we have been working on during the winter and that was very pleasing.”

Gloucestershire are due to play a 50-over white ball game against Somerset at Bristol today (Weds), but Dawson was already concerned last night that the weather would have a say again.

“The outfield has taken about as much rain as it can and the forecast was for more overnight,” he said. “We will field a team of 12 if there is play with similar personnel to the University game.

“It has been very frustrating with the weather so bad, but I guess most counties have been affected the same way.”