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. He is contracted until 2017 and, although seen as more of a one-day player, John Bracewell has spoken of his potential as captain if he can nail down a place in all three XIs.

He arrived in Bristol following three years as an MCC Young Cricketer. He accumulated 749 runs in the second XI Championship in 2010 at an average of 44.20 and scored more than 700 runs in the second XI Trophy. It was enough to attract Gloucestershire and they gave him a good run in the first XI throughout his first two years at the club, Cockbain responding with increasing rewards - 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; 764 Championship runs at 34.72 in 2012.

But a year later he was out of the Championship side and only appearing in one-day cricket - where he made modest runs. Even so, he was awarded a contract extension to the end of the 2015 season. 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