Batty has scored nearly 9,000 runs and taken 500 catches in first class cricket

After a month off, Gloucestershire's players have started their preparations for 2010 - five months before the new season starts.

It also gives the county's new signings including ex-Surrey 'keeper Jonathan Batty plenty of time to settle in.

"With it being such a technical game, it's an ideal opportunity to analyse things you need to improve on," Batty told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"It's good to get a couple of months to break things down and work on them."

Batty's arrival was announced at the end of October, after 12 years with Surrey, including one season as captain in 2004.

He replaces Steve Adshead in the Gloucestershire squad and will compete with Steve Snell for the wicket keeping duties.

Yet despite being an experienced player at 35-years old, Batty does not see himself as the finished article.

"No matter how old you are, you're always striving for perfection," Batty said.

"In terms of batting there's a few little things I want to work on with John and the other coaches.

"That'll be the main focus, along with the fitness aspect - you want to be as fit as you can as early as possible to give you the best chance of doing well from April through to September."

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