Kirby (left) and Lewis have taken over 100 Championship wickets between them

Gloucestershire chairman John Light feels seam bowlers Steve Kirby and Jon Lewis have carried the team in the Championship this summer.

Light told BBC Gloucestershire: "Our five Championship wins are down to our bowling attack.

"Steve Kirby has never been fitter and never bowled better and, with Jon Lewis, we have a new ball attack to be proud of.

"They are second and fourth in the averages and the backbone of the team."

Light was also encouraged by some of the young talent coming through at the club, although he accepted not everything in the garden was rosy.

He added: "We have been poor in the Pro 40 and the Twenty20. We were poor at Cheltenham as well, and too often batting frailties have cost us wins or batting points. The top five hasn't always functioned.

"The other real plus is the development of players before first team level. We have four in the squad preparing for the Under-19 World Cup, two going with the Under-18s, and our age group sides are bursting with talent, better than it's ever been before. That's the way forward."

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