Gloucestershire are considering making a move for Surrey wicketkeeper- batsman Jon Batty.

The Evening Post understands the county are considering possible replacements should current first-choice gloveman Steve Adhead join neighbours Worcestershire during the winter – and 34-year-old Batty is believed to top their wanted list.

Worcestershire are in the market for a keeper to replace the highly-rated Steven Davies, who has agreed to play for Surrey in 2010.

Adshead started his first- class career at New Road and was first linked with a return to the Midlands county in August.

Fearing his first-team opportunities may be limited by the arrival at The Oval of England prospect Davies, the experienced Batty is eager to embrace a new challenge.

Given that his parents live near Bristol, a move to Nevil Road could prove attractive to the Derbyshire-born player, who requires regular first- team cricket at this stage of his career.

Gloucestershire's interest is understandable. Not only would Batty serve as a reliable alternative to Adshead, should he depart the County Ground, but also as a more than useful batsman.

Having released Craig Spearman and Grant Hodnett at the end of last season, Gloucestershire are eager to sign an opening batsman, a role Batty regularly performed for Surrey in recent seasons.

But with Gloucestershire set to announce a significant financial loss for the previous 12 months, money is an issue.

Director of cricket John Bracewell admitted as much this week, warning that the recession will limit the pace of any revolution at Nevil Road.

"When I first arrived, the club had more money in the bank and the ambitions were perhaps a bit loftier," said Bracewell, who won six one-day titles during his first spell in charge between 1998 and 2003.

"We've all had to slow down and, while we are on course a year into our five-year plan, supporters will need to be patient.

With a multi-million pound regeneration of the County Ground in the pipeline, Gloucestershire's financial position has not been helped by bad weather at this year's Cheltenham Festival and falling crowds in the Twenty20 Cup.

However, Bracewell believes the 'silver lining' is the emergence of academy products David Payne and Chris Dent and ongoing improvements at youth level.

"Four of our academy kids were involved in the England Under-19 trials for the World Cup and two of them have made the early cut," he said.

Of more pressing concern for the Kiwi is addressing last season's batting frailties, with captain Alex Gidman the only member of the top six to score 1,000 first-class runs.

Bracewell said: "Certain individuals will have been disappointed with their contributions. We know and they know that they have to improve.

"We have a three-phase programme put in place for the winter. In the first phase we shall be examining the changes our batsmen need to make, the second will involve practising those changes and the third will be testing them out. There is lots of work to be done."