David Wade

David Wade swapped bullets for bouncers when he signed a two-year contract with Gloucestershire in December 2010. Wade, a Lance Corporal based near Salisbury with the Royal Signals Corps who had been in the army for six years at the time, was due to return to Afghanistan, where he had seen active service between September 2007 and April 2008, in January 2011 but instead found himself at pre-season training with the county. It was agreed that he would remain in the Army, but continue training with Gloucestershire during the winter and be free to play cricket full time for the whole of the 2011 summer.

Wade was in Hampshire's youth programme until the age of 17 and came to the Gloucestershire's attention playing for Westbury in the West of England Premier League before being invited for a trial in August 2010. Gloucestershire needed to bolster their fast-bowling stocks, having lost Steve Kirby and Gemaal Hussain to Somerset and Anthony Ireland to Middlesex, and were reportedly impressed with Wade's pace, bounce and ability to bowl outswing.

He is yet to make his first-team début, having spent all his time at the club in the second XI, with a second XI Championship best of 2 for 15 against Somerset at Bristol.

ESPNcricinfo staff