Northamptonshire, having proved their ability in one-day cricket by winning the Gillette Cup last summer, must look forward with confidence to a successful season in the John Player League.
The high standard of Gloucestershire batting, including Zaheer Abbas, who twice hit a double century last year, must make this a memorable match.
Introduced by Peter Walker with news of today's other fixtures
Commentators at Bristol John Arlott and Jim Laker