Match Reports

Gloucestershire v Essex

Day Two

Overseas signing Ed Cowan issued a powerful message to England’s bowlers as Gloucestershire took charge on the second day of the LV=County Championship Second Division match against Essex at Cheltenham.

While his fellow countrymen were comprehensively outplayed in the one-day international series just concluded, Cowan reminded an enthralled Festival audience of the depth of Australia’s batting, compiling a superb 103 to help Gloucestershire reach 284-4 at the halfway stage of this rain-affected contest.

A regular selection in Australia’s Test squad this year, the 30-year-old Tasmania left-hander will be looking to cement his place in next summer’s Ashes series when he leads the A team against England Lions next month.

Based on the evidence provided by his stubborn performance at the College Ground, he may prove a harder nut to crack than some of those Australian batsmen who have been brushed aside in the past fortnight by England’s formidable pace attack.

Making his Championship debut, Cowan batted for five-and-a-half hours on a pitch rendered less than straightforward by heavy overnight rain, facing 268 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six and sharing in a stand of 104 in 36 overs with fellow Antipodean Hamish Marshall for the fourth wicket.

Resuming on 51 not out, Cowan found runs hard to come by on a drying pitch and, hampered by a sluggish outfield, added just 31 from 100 balls, including a solitary boundary, during an attritional morning session.

But the advent of the new ball hastened the flow of runs after lunch and Cowan moved swiftly to three figures, straight-driving Reece Topley for four and then easing a full-length ball from David Masters through the covers in the next over to register his maiden Championship hundred and fully justify the award of a county cap.

If a sizeable Festival audience expected him to go on and post a really big score, they were disappointed when Cowan was pinned on the front foot next ball by Masters, who was finally rewarded for his nagging accuracy.

Cowan and Marshall staged a match-winning stand of 142 in a Friends Life t20 triumph over Worcestershire at Bristol last week and the former New Zealand Test opener is another man in good form.

Scoring rather more quickly than his partner, Marshall raised 50 from 95 balls, finding the boundary on seven occasions to keep up the pressure on Essex.

He was still there unbeaten on 72, made from 140 balls, when the rain brought a premature end to proceedings shortly before 3pm.

Marshall has scored 8 fours so far and will have his sights set on three figures when he resumes in the morning.

But Gloucestershire skipper Alex Gidman missed out, falling lbw to Topley, who now has figures of 3-70.

Day one

Ed Cowan celebrated the award of his Gloucestershire county cap with an unbeaten half-century as the home side made 147-2 on a rain-affected opening day of the LV=County Championship match with Essex at Cheltenham.

The Australian Test batsman, who will make at most five appearances for the county before leaving to captain Australia A on their tour of England, was presented with his cap before the start of play.

Cowan then hit 51 not out, sharing a second-wicket stand of 109 with Dan Housego, who made a more fluent 60. Reece Topley was the only successful Essex bowler with two for 37 from 14 overs.

After rain had delayed the start until 1pm Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bat first under what were then comparatively clear skies.

They progressed with some alarms from a succession of loud Essex appeals until one was answered in the affirmative with the total on 23, Benny Howell being judged lbw for 18, trying to force Topley through the leg side.

David Masters was his customary model of accuracy and conceded only seven runs from his first seven-over spell from the Chapel End.

Cowan struggled to find his timing and took 57 balls to reach double figures, with the help of an edged four to third-man off Masters.

Housego looked more comfortable and at 63 for one Essex introduced Harbhajan Singh for his first bowl since joining them.

The Indian spinner was welcomed to the game by Housego, who advanced down the pitch to deposit his third delivery over mid-wicket for six.

Cowan finally got into his stride and matched Housego’s maximum with a perfectly timed pull over deep square off Graham Napier.

At tea it was 89-1 with Housego on 39 and Cowan 27. Housego reached his half-century soon after the interval, having faced 90 balls and hit 4 fours and a six.

But with the total on 131 Topley pierced Housego’s defence with a full length ball and bowled him. The young left-arm seamer had given little away and his 14 overs featured four maidens.

Cowan eventually got to fifty off 143 balls, with 7 fours and a six. While it wouldn’t rank among his best innings, it was a very important one for his newly adopted county.

The Aussie played two Friends Life t20 games and is due to feature in two CB40 fixtures at the Cheltenham Festival before being replaced as temporary overseas signing by New Zealand batsman Rob Nicol.

Shortly after Cowan reached his half-century bad light stopped play and the heavens then opened to ensure no more was possible. Harbhajan's six overs cost 15 runs.