PURTON bowler Craig Miles is looking to put his injury hit campaign behind him as he aims to lead the line for Gloucestershire this year.

With influential brothers Will and Alex Gidman moving to Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire respectively in the summer, the pressure of taking wickets and scoring runs has been put on some young shoulders.

Twenty-year-old Miles is one of those exciting prospects who will be turned to through-out the course of the season to pick up the wickets left behind by Will Gidman.

After a back injury ruled him out for a large chunk of last season he is looking forward to the added responsibility and made a perfect start to the campaign getting career best figures 6-63 in the first innings of Gloucestershire’s draw with Northamptonshire this week.

“I am just looking forward to another season in what I love doing,” said Miles.

“I came quite good at the end of the season which was quite pleasing and I am looking to build on that.

“With the likes of Will leaving and Ian Saxelby retiring the two more experienced heads in the camp have gone.

“But the group we have got now have played a lot of cricket, especially the bowlers with the likes of David Payne and James Fuller, they are experienced guys.

“Although they are not even in their mid-20s I feel there is a lot of experience amongst a young group of heads.

“I feel as a group of bowlers we can really push and create the chances to win. Ultimately we need to take 20 wickets to win a championship game and I feel we can do that.

“Along with the young batters we have and the likes of Geraint Jones I feel it can be quite a successful season with Gloucestershire.

“I expect us to play some good cricket, some hard and aggressive cricket and sought of have that no fear of losing really.

“I think that is the way you have to play now, looking at the World Cup, the style of cricket that is being played you have to be hard and play some aggressive cricket.

“I think we can push in all formats.”

Miles is also hoping to lean on the experience of Gloucestershire skipper and former England wicketkeeper Jones, a player he remembers inspired him as a child to choose cricket over football.

“His experience is invaluable really,” added Miles.

“In the (2005) Ashes he was heavily involved with that, watching that as a kid it is unbelievable that I am now playing alongside him.

“I would have never of thought that could have been a possibility.

“His experience and his knowledge of the game and the guys he has kept wicket to, even from that point of view, even though he is not a bowler, just the amount of cricket that he has watched and the bowlers he has watched you could pick his brains and chat to him about anything.

“He is such an open guy and his experience will be crucial for us this season.”