Tons And Victory Not Enough For Gladiators
04/09/2010
Centuries from Chris Taylor and James Franklin led Gloucestershire to victory at Northants, but did not proved enough to earn a place in the Clydesdale Bank 40 semi-finals.
The Gladiators needed Group B winners Yorkshire to get a result against Essex at Headingley, but the Eagles pulled off a seven-wicket win to clinch second place.
That meant Gloucestershire bowed out of the tournament, despite winning nine of their group matches and amssing 18 points - as many as Group C winners Warwickshire.
Taylor (105) and Franklin (108 not out) did their utmost to finish the 40-over campaign on a high note, sharing a partnership of 207 in the Gladiators' total of 268-4 at Northampton.
The home side could manage only 186-9 in reply as David Payne picked up 4-34 from his eight overs and Gloucestershire won by 82 runs.
After the game skipper Alex Gidman told this website: "I think we can be proud of our 40-over campaign and we are gutted not to be in the semi-finals.
"We have peformed consistently well and the three games we lost were certainly not gifted to the opposition.
"If someone had offered me 18 points at the start of the group I would have taken them and expected us to qualify.
"Today we have scored too many runs for Northants, with Chris and James producing a brilliant partnership, and then we have bowled very well in the first ten overs of their innings.
"It was a terrific performance to end with. There were no excuses for what happened against Derbyshire in the Championship during the week and we were all devastated to lose that game.
"But we asked for a positive response and got it."
Once concern for Gloucestershire was that Franklin tweaked a muscle in his back while fielding and will need a fitness check before the Championship visit to Leicestershire, starting on Tuesday.
For a report of the match against Northants click here.
