Howell is set to sign two-year contract

Gloucestershire have offered batsman Benny Howell a two-year contract.

Howell, who has made the most of his opportunity since arriving at the County Ground for a trial in April, is set to put pen to paper today.

Cash-strapped Gloucestershire have come up with some money for the 23-year-old right-hander and Howell and club officials spent the weekend thrashing out the details of a deal that will keep him in Bristol until at least the end of the 2014 season.

Released by Hampshire in January, Howell turned to Gloucestershire in search of regular County Championship cricket and was afforded an early opportunity when top-order batsman Dan Housego injured a shoulder two weeks into the season.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Sunday, May 26 2013

Howell made his first class debut for Gloucestershire in a Division Two match against Kent at Canterbury and has not looked back since.

However, it is his form in one-day cricket that has earned him a professional contract and the French-born batsman impressed when making match-winning contributions in CB40 contests against Middlesex and Leicestershire.

Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell said: "We have made Benny a two-year offer and we are just sorting through the details of that now.

"One of the things we need to sort out is what he is allowed to do in the winter. He likes to go down to Australia and play in the winter and we just want to make sure that, medically, he is able to do that.

"There was an issue with his thumb and we thought he might need an operation at the end of the season, but he has been given the all clear by the doctor and we are happy for him to go.

"He looks after himself quite well and we trust him to come back in the right shape."

If there were any lingering doubts over Howell's ability, they were dispelled when he made a superb 55 not out to lead Gloucestershire to a stunning nine-wicket win over Somerset in a Friends Life t20 group game at Taunton on Friday.

Despite suffering from cramps, Howell staged a magnificent opening partnership of 115 with skipper Hamish Marshall as Gloucestershire's underdogs chased down a modest victory target of 141 with 5.2 overs in hand.

Bracewell added: "Benny is a tough kid with some very, very good skills. Eating well is not necessarily one of them and that is why he cramped up. But learning about those things is all part of being a professional cricketer."

Young seam bowler Graeme McCarter has also penned a new two-year deal.