Match Reports

Gloucestershire v Lancashire

DAY 4

Matt Taylor claimed career-best figures of five for 57 as Gloucestershire’s County Championship Division Two match against Lancashire at Cheltenham ended in a draw, after days two and three were lost.

Gloucestershire had reached 68 for two by 4.50, when the sides shook hands after an eventful match which will be remembered for the freak storm on the first night.

Gloucestershire’s opening pair, Hammond (80) and captain Chris Dent, who reached 8,000 first-class runs during his innings, had put on 55 in 25 overs on the first day as the home side reached 205 in their first innings. Dent, who compiled a half-century, and Jack Taylor added 83 for the fifth wicket.

22-year old England Lions seamer Saqib Mahmood had been the stand-out bowler on the first day, picking up four for 48, with Hammond scoring 82.

Lancashire had lost Haseeb Hameed and Jake Lehmann, with David Payne conceding just four runs in an eight over spell, meaning they resumed the final day on 47 for two.

They began day four with a flurry, before being reduced to 149 for five at lunch.

23-year old Rob Jones dealt in boundaries, striking a four from the first delivery of the day, as he and Keaton Jennings doubled their side’s score within the first hour, and he brought up his half-century from 70 deliveries, with nine fours.

But they fell in successive Matt Taylor overs, as Jones was caught behind, before Jennings was caught at slip for 52, having just reached his half-century from 141 balls. Dane Vilas gave Roderick a second catch and Taylor a third wicket, as the visitors went from 105 for two to 126 for five in just six overs.

After losing Liam Livingston five balls into the afternoon, Steven Croft and Tom Bailey led the visitors’ recovery as they gained a first batting point before bringing up their fifty partnership.

Taylor claimed his fifth wicket when he had Saqib Mahmood caught behind. Croft then drove at David Payne at mid-off from Ryan Higgins, who almost picked up a second wicket in two balls when a Jimmy Anderson edge fell just short of the slip cordon, surving a similar delivery in the following over before despatching Taylor over the Chapel End boundary for the first and only maximum of the match.

Payne rounded off the Lancashire innings, when he had Richard Gleeson caught at slip, with an early tea taken.

Gloucestershire began their second innings 39 runs adrift, and lost Hammond in the tenth over when he was caught at slip off Bailey. James Bracey, glancing down the legside, was caught behind off Richard Gleeson in the 18th over, by which time the home side were marginally ahead.

DAY 3

No play was possible on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match between Gloucestershire and Lancashire at Cheltenham College.

Umpires Jeff Evans and Paul Pollard inspected the pitch before the scheduled start and reported some, but not sufficient, improvement in the damp area caused by water seeping under the covers during Monday evening’s storm.

That had led to no play on day two and remained a concern. In any case it was soon raining hard and an early lunch was taken at 12.30pm.

With no let-up in the weather, play was abandoned for the day at 2pm.

Lancashire were due to resume their first innings on 47 for two in reply to Gloucestershire’s 205

DAY 2

No play was possible on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match between Gloucestershire and Lancashire at Cheltenham.

The players arrived at the College Ground to find that a fierce storm last night had caused some water to penetrate the covers.

There was a wet area on a length at the Chapel End. Umpires Jeff Evans and Paul Pollard delayed the start and opted to make an initial inspection at 11.30am.

Plans for a further look at 12.30pm were abandoned because of a heavy shower and an early lunch was taken with the intention of another inspection at 1.30pm.

By then more rain had fallen and play was abandoned for the day at 1.45pm amid continued concern that the nature of the pitch had changed.

Lancashire were due to resume their first innings on 47 for two in reply to Gloucestershire’s 205.

DAY 1

A superb score of 82 by Miles Hammond helped push Gloucestershire to a first innings total of 205 all out on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship against Lancashire at Cheltenham College.

Saqib Mahmood finished with four for 48 as Lancashire bowled out Gloucestershire for 205 on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match at Cheltenham College.

The 22-year-old England Lions seamer claimed the first three wickets of the innings to stem a promising start by the hosts. There were two wickets each for James Anderson and Liam Livingstone, while Miles Hammond top-scored with 82.

By the time bad light brought a close three overs early, Lancashire had replied with 47 for two, losing Haseeb Hameed to a run out and Jake Lehmann, bowled by David Payne during an eight over opening spell by the left-armer, which saw him conceded only four runs.

With conditions overcast at the start of the day, Lancashire exercised their right to bowl first on a dry looking pitch, which formed part of a different square to the one used for the annual Festival.

It had some pace in it and provided a good contest between bat and ball. Gloucestershire began solidly with an opening stand of 55 in 25 overs between Cheltenham-born Hammond and skipper Chris Dent, who had made 23 when edging Mahmood through to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.

During his innings, Dent went past 8,000 first class runs for Gloucestershire. Mahmood was running the ball across the left-handers from the Chapel End and James Bracey also fell caught behind for four, having played and missed several times.

Congratulations @Cdent15 who has now passed 8,000 First Class runs👏#GoGlos💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/YbUNFm4nmI

— Gloucestershire Cricket🏏 (@Gloscricket) May 27, 2019

It was 68 for two from 31 overs at lunch and Mahmood continued where he had left off after the interval, bowling Gareth Roderick for ten to make it 77 for three.

That became 85 for four when Benny Howell fell to a poor shot, caught at cover off Tom Bailey. But Hammond went to an excellent half-century off 137 balls, with 10 fours, and found a reliable partner in Jack Taylor, making his first Championship appearance of the season.

Together they added 83 for the fifth wicket before Taylor, on 42, edged a catch to slip off leg-spinner Livingstone, who then clean bowled Ryan Higgins with his next ball.

The double blow saw Gloucestershire go in for tea on 182 for six, with Hammond unbeaten on 80. His major contribution, which spanned 204 balls, ended when Anderson hurried a ball between bat and pad to disturb the stumps.

Graeme van Buuren looked in good touch making 23. But he was bowled off an inside edge by Mahmood with the total on 205 and without any addition Payne was run out by Anderson’s direct hit attempting a quick single, while Josh Shaw was bowled for a duck by Anderson to end the innings.

When Lancashire replied, Keaton Jennings was dropped on five by Dent at second slip off the impressive Payne with the total on 12.

Hameed was run out by Matt Taylor’s throw to the keeper after Jennings delayed a call for a single to mid-off and Payne earned reward for his accuracy when bowling Lehmann on the back foot for a duck.