MATCH REPORT: Lancashire set sights on 202 target as Gloucestershire fight back
A James Bracey century helped Gloucestershire stage a spirited fightback on the third day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
Having already lost seamer Ajeet Singh Dale to a hamstring injury on day one, the visitors had to make a second substitution when Luke Wells suffered a painful shoulder injury diving to prevent a boundary during the morning session.
Harry Singh was introduced in his place, with the go-ahead to bat and bowl, as Gloucestershire advanced their overnight second innings score of 58 for three to 305 all out, a lead of 201. Bracey hit 114, with 16 fours, and Miles Hammond contributed 82, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 148. There were four wickets each for James Anderson (4-51) and George Balderson (4-75).
Lancashire were left with 28 overs to bat in the day and closed on 75 for three, Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 25, needing a further 127 runs to win.
The Wells injury happened with Gloucestershire’s total 124 for three as he tried to prevent a Bracey boundary to fine leg off Anderson. He immediately signalled his distress and team-mates ran to his aid before medical help arrived and he was taken to Southmead Hospital with a suspected dislocation.
The incident compounded a frustrating morning for Lancashire as Hammond and Bracey made steady inroads into their first innings lead of 104, employing sensible shot selection on a placid pitch.
A boundary through the covers from Hammond off Paul Coughlin wiped out the deficit. By lunch, Gloucestershire led by 72, Hammond having gone to a 123-ball half-century with a straight six off Arav Shetty, which also brought up the century partnership.
Bracey followed to fifty off 115 deliveries and was unbeaten on 53 at lunch, with Hammond on 80 and the total 176 for three. That became 180 for four soon after the interval when Hammond drove at a wide ball from Coughlin and was well caught low down at backward point by Singh.
The stand with Bracey had occupied 47 overs. But Gloucestershire were only 76 ahead and required another substantial partnership as Tommy Boorman, making his Championship debut, made his way to the wicket.
The 21-year-old was positive from the start, hitting 6 fours in moving to 38 not out by tea. His exuberance allowed Bracey to go quietly about his business as he completed a rock solid hundred off 200 balls, with 14 fours.
At tea, he was unbeaten on 108 and, at 276 for four, Gloucestershire’s lead had grown to a promising 172. They had added just seven to it in the final session when Boorman, on 42, chased a wide ball from Balderson and edged to Keaton Jennings at second slip.
Anderson had been unable to get much response from the third-day pitch, but his perseverance paid when he pinned Graeme van Buuren lbw for a single to make it 294 for six. With his tail up, the Lancashire captain then bowled Bracey off a bottom edge attempting to pull and followed up next ball by having Henry Brookes caught behind trying to withdraw the bat.
Suddenly, Gloucestershire were 297 for eight. Soon it was 305 for nine when Matt Taylor chipped a high catch to Anderson at mid-on off Balderson, who finished off the innings by bowling Gabe Bell. The last six wickets had fallen for 22 runs.
Lancashire’s second innings began badly when Singh was bowled for a duck by a ball for Will Williams that clipped off stump. But Josh Bohannon soon went on the attack and had hit 6 fours in moving to 31 when bowled middle stump by Bell with the score on 45.
With no addition to the score, Marcus Harris fell lbw to Taylor and Gloucestershire were still in the fight.
