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    Specsavers County Championship - 20 May 2019

    Gloucestershire won by 6 wickets

    Venue: Emirates Riverside

    Durham v Gloucestershire

    DAY 3

    Gloucestershire have secured their first win of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two season by defeating Durham by six wickets at Emirates Riverside.

    They required only 53 runs to win in the morning after the opening partnership between Chris Dent and Miles Hammond had knocked off over half of their target of 117 the previous evening. Although they lost three further wickets, Gloucestershire were able to ease their way to their maiden Championship victory of the term to move up into third in the table, eyeing a potential charge for promotion.

    Head Coach Richard Dawson said, "It was a pleasing victory. I thought we bowled very well on Tuesday to build pressure on them and get us into a good position. it was a whole-team performance.”

    Beginning the day only one wicket down, Gloucestershire lost their night-watchman Josh Shaw without adding to their overnight total and after a solid knock, Miles Hammond edged a Salisbury delivery behind to Eckersley, finishing on 36.

    Salisbury then bowled George Hankins for 14 just before James Bracey and Gareth Roderick were able to see out the comfortable win.

    The bowlers' clinical edge with the ball and in the field was the difference between the two sides. Gloucestershire capitalised on familiar failings in the Durham batting ranks to surge through the order twice in two days. Ryan Higgins, David Payne, Matt Taylor and Shaw were all on form, posing problems with their accuracy and the ability to find movement off the slow track.

    Graeme van Buuren played a pivotal role in Gloucestershire's victory when he ran out Cameron Bancroft on day two. The Aussie looked well set on 40 not out in his attempt to dig Durham out of trouble. However, Bancroft hesitated after his partner Liam Trevaskis called for a tight single, allowing Van Buuren to collect at cover before connecting with an accurate throw at the stumps.

    “The period in the middle session on Tuesday when Cameron Bancroft was batting with Liam Trevaskis - they batted very well - but each bowler kept coming on and drying up the scoreboard. Then taking the chance for the Bancroft run out was the key moment," said Dawson.

    Gloucestershire now prepare for a showdown against Lancashire at Cheltenham College, beginning on Monday.

     

    DAY 2

    Gloucestershire are on the verge of securing their first Specsavers County Championship Division Two win of the season, requiring only 53 more runs with nine wickets in hand to beat Durham at Emirates Riverside.

    Higgins, van Buuren, Payne and Taylor were only able to add 54 runs to the first innings total, but the Gloucestershire bowlers made light work of Durham’s batsmen on day two, seeing them all out for 132 and leaving Gloucestershire just 117 to win.

    David Payne then made the perfect start to Durham's second innings, dismissing Alex Lees lbw for a first-ball duck and then Ryan Pringle played a loose shot on 30 on the stroke of lunch and was caught at mid-on off the bowling of Shaw.

    The right-arm seamer played a fantastic innings and helped put Gloucestershire in firm control. He removed Gareth Harte and Jack Burnham in successive deliveries. Bancroft and Liam Trevaskis held firm for almost 23 overs, fending off accurate bowling.

    The two players were approaching their fifty partnership, but Trevaskis took on a quick single and a slight hesitation from his partner at the other end broke the stand at 48. A tremendous direct hit from Van Buuren running in from cover dismissed the Durham skipper, which signalled all but the end of Durham's hopes of producing a competitive total.

    Trevaskis fell shortly after his captain for 21 to Payne before Taylor and Higgins combined to take two wickets apiece to wrap up the final four wickets for 35 runs.

    Chris Dent and Miles Hammond were able to see off the threat of the new ball and didn’t rush to end things quickly. A well-made partnership of 50 was reached in 108 balls before the stand was ended by Salisbury, who’s delivery was edged by Dent to Eckersley for 29.

    Shaw stepped in as the night-watchman again and will open the batting on the third day with Miles Hammond (30*).

    Gloucestershire require 53 runs to win with nine wickets in hand. Play resumes tomorrow at 11am.

     

     

     

    DAY 1

    Gloucestershire travelled to Chester-le-Street to face Durham in Durham in four-day cricket for the first time since 2003 and finished the day 38 runs behind after getting Durham all out for 158.

    The toss was uncontested and Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent elected to bowl. A decision that proved to be a fruitful one as the bowlers were in fine form on a day that suited them.

    David Payne took four for 40 including two beautiful deliveries that sent the stumps flying and with-it Gareth Harte out for a duck and Matthew Salisbury out for 23 to end Durham’s innings.

    Loanee signing Josh Shaw featured for the Club for the second time this season and picked up two wickets in the latter stages to help Gloucestershire on their way to getting Durham all out before tea.

    Ryan Higgins and Matt Taylor were as consistent taking wickets as they have been so far this season with two apiece. That brings Taylor’s total wickets in the 2019 County Championship to 10 and Higgin’s total to eight.

    Miles Hammond and Chris Dent opened the batting for Gloucestershire with a stand of 27 before Hammond was trapped lbw by Carse. Matt Salisbury of Durham was as effective as David Payne was for Gloucestershire taking out Dent (23), Hankins (0) and Roderick (1) in an eight over spell.

    But a partnership of 35 between James Bracey and Benny Howell wrestled the initiative back for the visitors before the returning Chris Rushworth dismissed the former caught behind by Eckersley for 35 – the score 102/5. 

    Howell and night-watchmen Shaw dutifully saw out the remaining overs to leave Gloucestershire just 38 runs behind Durham on 120/5 - Howell 27*, Shaw 8*.