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Michael Klinger, Australian under 19s captain the year before Michael Clarke, is still hoping for his first international cap despite his successor having now retired after 115 Tests, 245 one day internationals and 34 international Twenty20s.
Last year Gloucestershire, perennially short of funds and usually towards the tail of the second division of the County Championship, saw two of their best and most experienced players, the Gidman brothers, exit for stronger teams and bigger contracts.
Long-time coach John Bracewell also left to take the Ireland job.
Klinger is a great fit for Gloucestershire. Not too high-profile as to be overly expensive, but as productive as anyone in scoring runs in all formats.
In 2015 Klinger averages 46.80 in the County Championship (two centuries), 81.75 in the T20 Blast (three centuries), and 132.75 in the One Day Cup (three centuries).
Following his 87 to ensure victory in the quarter-finals of the One Day Cup against Hampshire, Klinger returned home to Perth; the prospect of finals progression considered so remote that his contract had already concluded.
Some hasty negotiations saw him flown back in time for the semi against a star-studded, Jason Gillespie-coached Yorkshire at Leeds.
This season Yorkshire won their 32nd County Championship, Gloucestershire have never won one. The last Gloucestershire player to play for England was swing bowler Jon Lewis, almost a decade ago. The last England regular was the great ‘Jack’ Russell in the 1990s.
Ultimate club success has been restricted to the limited overs arena. In the ’70s Mike Procter was instrumental to a couple of one day titles. Season 1999 saw Test legend Courtney Walsh controversially replaced as overseas player by the comparatively little-known all-rounder Ian Harvey. Gloucestershire won both the ‘Super Cup’ and Natwest Trophy one day competitions in Harvey’s first year.
In 2000 they staggeringly won all of the three domestic one day competitions on offer. By 2001 many in the crowd at Bristol were roaring for their man Harvey when he downed England in an ODI.
After years of decline and player exits, a new Gloucestershire team is gradually emerging, with Klinger at the forefront as one day captain. Harvey, who played alongside a young Klinger for Victoria, has returned as assistant coach.
“We have won games without him this year and no one can say we are a one-man team but it is fantastic to have him back,” Harvey said on Gloucestershire’s website of Klinger prior to the semi.
Chasing Yorkshire’s 263, Klinger strode out to open the innings and was still there at the end on 137 not out to complete a momentous upset.
In Saturday’s final, they face Surrey – like Yorkshire a large club, complete with Kumar Sangakkara and plenty of England internationals.
I managed to see a little of Gloucestershire’s visit to The Oval this season in the Championship. They were trounced by an innings and 180 runs. However in their preferred format, Klinger’s men are a chance of another big upset.
Klinger is not just scoring runs but reviving the fortunes of a club. He struggled to break through at Victoria and was seemingly undervalued at South Australia, but is now playing the best cricket of his career with Gloucestershire and Western Australia. In the shorter formats, it’s hard to recall any player having such an impact on a county season.
Another big knock in the final will continue to push his case for Australia’s ODI and Twenty20 teams, and that long-awaited international cap.
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