Alleyne confident his squad can cope with raised expectations

>> MARK Alleyne is backing his T20 Blast-winning Gloucestershire squad to cope with added expectation as they start the defence of their title.

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Alleyne is backing his T20 Blast-winning Gloucestershire squad to cope with added expectation as they start the defence of their title.

The county flew under the radar last season, losing three of the first four games before squeezing into the quarter-finals by the back door.

In the last eight, they blew away Birmingham Bears in their Edgbaston backyard, before returning to the second city for finals day, where they dished out comprehensive beatings to Sussex and Somerset to lift the Blast title.

Now they know there will be a target on their backs - but Alleyne says they have the mentality to deal with that pressure.