Liverpool-born Ian Cockbain has proven himself as a handy middle-order batsman for Gloucestershire in all forms of the game since joining the club in December 2010. Although seen as more of a one-day player, John Bracewell, the coach who supervised his early development, spoke of his potential as captain if he could nail down a place in all three XIs. That honour came when he replaced Geriant Jones, who announced his retirement midway through the 2015 season, only for Cockbain immediately to fracture a wrist fending off a beamer in the nets, leaving Jones to undertake a change of heart in one-day cricket before he had even unpacked his kit bag.

Cockbain arrived in Bristol following three years as an MCC Young Cricketer. He secured a maiden first-class century, 127 against Middlesex at Uxbridge in 2011 and a match-winning 78 off 46 balls in just his second T20. But a year later he was out of the Championship side and only appearing in one-day cricket - where he made modest runs. 2014 brought three T20 half-centuries, a match-winning 98 not out in a 50-over victory at Worcester and a larger role in the four-day side - he played nine matches and made an unbeaten 151 - his third first-class ton - to secure a miraculous draw against Surrey at Bristol

Cockbain first picked up the game at Bootle CC, where his father, also called Ian, spent several seasons as captain after calling time on his first-class career after 47 games for Lancashire. Cockbain junior played second XI cricket for Lancashire before his time with MCC.
ESPNcricinfo staff