Wicketkeeper Bracey signs for Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire have signed James Bracey until the end of the 2019 season.

Bracey, 20 years old and Bristol-born, impressed at the end of the 2017 season. He made a maiden first-class century - 156 - against Glamorgan in the penultimate round of games and followed it with an unbeaten 82 in the final round against Derbyshire.

He also kept wicket in both games, having made his first-class debut as a teenager at the end of 2016 as a specialist batsmen.

Bracey, who has represented Gloucestershire at age-group level since he was 11 and signed an academy contract in 2015, will join up with the club at the end of his summer term at university. He is in his final year at Loughborough - studying Sports Science with Management - where he has also represented the MCCU at first-class level.

"James had an excellent end to the 2017 season and showed the players and supporters the potential that he has," Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said. "Therefore, I am delighted that he has signed a two-year contract with Gloucestershire where he can continue to improve and build on this talent.

"Keeping our best homegrown young talent is a major goal and doing this will help continue to improve the team over the coming seasons."