Match Reports

Gloucestershire v Leicestershire

Day Four

Will Gidman marked his last home appearance for Gloucestershire with a century as the LV=County Championship match with Leicestershire at Bristol meandered towards a draw.

The all-rounder, who is joining Nottinghamshire next season, hit an unbeaten 104 as the hosts batted for the whole of the final day to score 306 for nine in their second innings, giving them a lead of 387.

Charlie Shreck (three for 44) briefly gave Leicestershire hopes of victory, but in the end both sides settled for 11 points from a match dominated by the bat.

Gidman’s hundred completed a storybook farewell home game for him and brother Alex, who is joining Worcestershire for next summer. The elder of the pair added 38 to the career-best 264 he made in the first innings before leaving the pitch to a standing ovation.

A more decisive outcome had looked in store when Shreck found some swing at the start of the morning session to send back Will Tavare and Gareth Roderick, while Rob Taylor removed Alex Gidman.

That left Gloucestershire 89 fo four and leading by only 170. Tavare was taken at second slip by Greg Smith for four, Roderick, on 21, edged to wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien and Gidman was brilliantly caught one-handed at first slip by Jigar Naik.

The 33-year-old Gidman, who made his Gloucestershire debut back in 2001, raised his bat to all corners of the ground in response to the applause as he walked off.

Hamish Marshall and Ian Cockbain added 54 to ease any nerves in the home camp before Marshall, on 32, fell lbw to a full ball from Ollie Freckingham just before lunch, which was taken at 143-5.

That became 143-6 straight after the interval when Cockbain nicked a catch behind off Shreck. Gloucestershire were 224 in front and Leicestershire scented a chance.

But Will Gidman shared a stand of 74 with Tom Smith to ensure Gloucestershire avoided defeat. It ended when Smith was picked up at gully by Taylor for 38 to give Naik his only wicket of the match.

Craig Miles fell to the occasional off-spin of Dan Redfern for ten, but Gidman was still there at tea, unbeaten on 67, with his side 266 for eight.

Redfern picked up another wicket when Liam Norwell was caught by wicketkeeper O’Brien for one in the final session. But by then the only remaining interest was whether Gidman would reach his hundred.

He did so by square cutting Redfern for his 15th four, having face 122 balls and also hit 2 sixes. Soon afterwards the players shook hands, the game ending at 4.20pm.

Leicestershire head coach Ben Smith said: “It was a tremendous fightback by us after the first day, but in the end the wicket had dictated the way the game went.

“It was a very good batting pitch, but there were some very good individual displays in our team and this morning there was a bit of help for the bowlers.

“It was the best I have seen Charlie Shreck bowl all season. His spell first thing set the tone and at one point we were really in with a chance of winning.”

Day Three

Niall O’Brien hit a 100-ball century as Leicestershire extended their first innings total to 565 all out on the third day of the batsmen-dominated LV=County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The left-hander smashed 13 fours and 5 sixes in his 119, sharing a third-wicket stand of 180 with Ned Eckersley, who also made 119, in a spirited reply to the home side’s huge first innings total of 646.

With the pitch showing no sign of deterioration, a draw looks the inevitable final day conclusion to a match that has already produced one double-hundred and four centuries.

Dan Redfearn contributed 60 to the Leicestershire total and, even though their last six wickets fell for only 36 runs, the visitors looked to have done enough to avoid defeat. Gloucestershire closed on 23 for one from 11 overs in their second innings, leading by 104.

Leicestershire began the day on 246-2, still requiring 251 to avoid the prospect of being asked to follow on.

It never looked likely as Redfearn built on his overnight score of 17 to reach a half-century off 90 balls, with 7 fours, before being caught and bowled by Liam Norwell off a miscued pull shot.

Eckersley, also 17 not out overnight, moved to 50 himself, having faced 123 deliveries and hit 5 fours, and lunch was taken at 349-3.

The first ball after the interval gave Gloucestershire hope as Josh Cobb was well caught by the diving Will Tavare at point for 16.

But it proved the hosts’ last success until after tea. Eckersley and O’Brien batted without alarms to take the total to 387 for four by the end of the 110th over, securing four batting bonus points.

Eckersley was first to his hundred with a single to cover off slow left-armer Tom Smith, taking the score to 470 for four in the 123rd over. He had faced 215 balls and hit 8 fours without giving a chance.

O’Brien cut loose after reaching a 64-ball fifty and needed only 36 more deliveries for his century, pulling left-arm seamer David Payne for 3 sixes in an over to bring it up just before tea.

The final session saw O’Brien out attempting another big back-foot shot off Craig Miles and skying to Ian Cockbain at cover. By then Leicestershire were 529-5, with the follow-on saved.

Suddenly wickets tumbled with gay abandon as the later order went on the attack. Smith claimed three of them to finish with three for 138, while Miles took three for 98 and Norwell, the pick of the bowlers, returned three for 131.

Chris Dent fell cheaply to Ollie Freckingham as Gloucestershire looked to build on their lead, but there were no other alarms in the closing overs.

Day Two

Atif Sheik claimed a hat-trick in only his second LV=County Championship game for Leicestershire as they fought back on the second day against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The first of the 23-year-old left-arm seamer’s victims was Alex Gidman, lbw for a career-best 264. The next two deliveries clean bowled Craig Miles and Liam Norwell, to the astonishment of players and spectators, who had seen the hosts romp to 591 for six.

It was the first hat-trick by a Leicestershire bowler in the Championship since 2011 when Matthew Hoggard achieved the feat against Glamorgan at Grace Road.

Sheikh, who recently earned a two-year contract with Leicestershire after a lengthy trial period, was making only his third appearance in a first class game, his debut having been made for Derbyshire back in 2010.

Gloucestershire still went on to post 646. But by the close the visitors had responded with 246 for two, Greg Smith making 103 and Angus Robson contributing 97 to an opening stand of 206.

The day began with Gloucestershire 513 for five and Gidman already on a career-best 221 not out. His brother Will had moved from five to 11 when playing across a ball from Ollie Freckingham and falling lbw.

Alex brought up his 250 with a pulled boundary off Rob Taylor, with the total 570 for six. A further 21 were added before he was dismissed by Sheikh, having faced 274 balls and hit 38 fours and 3 sixes.

After the rapid departures of Miles and Norwell, Tom Smith and David Payne piled on the agony for Leicestershire, adding 55 for the last wicket before Smith was caught behind down the leg side off Freckingham for 49, at which point lunch was taken.

Freckingham finished with four for 138 and Sheikh four for 91. Soon those figures were being put into perspective as, after threatening with the new ball, Gloucestershire’s bowlers found equally little in the slow, unresponsive pitch.

By tea, Smith and Robson had both reached half-centuries in taking the score to 135. Smith was first to the landmark off 80 balls, with 6 fours and a six, while Robson followed off 94 deliveries with eight boundaries.

The final session saw Smith dropped on 85 by Chris Dent at second slip off Norwell with the score on 153, while his 22-year-old partner, younger brother of England’s Sam Robson, reached 1,000 first class runs for the season with a boundary off Payne that took him to 86.

Both looked set for centuries. But Robson perished three runs short, sent back by Smith attempting a second run to third man and beaten by Ian Cockbain’s throw to the bowler’s end.

Smith did reach his ton off 170 deliveries, with 14 fours and a six, but the next ball saw him pinned lbw by Miles.

Talking about his hat-trick, Atif Sheikh said: “The lads were telling me to try a short ball after I got Gidman’s wicket, but I thought I would keep it simple and try hitting the stumps against nine and ten batsmen.

“That’s how it worked out. I have never taken a hat-trick in any form of cricket before, so to do so when I am trying so hard to make an impression with Leicestershire is amazing.

“It took me a long period on trial to earn a contract, but now that I have two more years in which to improve my game I am looking forward to working hard and doing well for the club.”

Day One

Gareth Roderick and Alex Gidman put Leicestershire’s attack to the sword with a record-breaking triple century stand as Gloucestershire ran up 513 for five on the opening day of the LV=County Championship match at Bristol.

The pair came together with the hosts 47 for two, having won the toss, and exploited perfect batting conditions to put on 392 in 66.2 overs, beating the previous highest Gloucestershire third-wicket stand of 336, set back in 1933 by Walter Hammond and Bev Lyon.

Both hit career-best scores. Roderick made 171, off 239 balls, with 15 fours and 2 sixes, while Gidman hammered an unbeaten 221, from 233 deliveries, with 29 fours and 3 sixes. Their partnership was only three short of Gloucestershire’s record for any wicket.

Gloucestershire made a bright start under cloudless skies, openers Will Tavare and Chris Dent taking the score to 39 in nine overs before Atif Sheikh struck with his first ball of the game after replacing Ollie Freckingham at the Ashley Down Road End.

Tavare chased a wide one from the left-arm seamer and edged to wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien, having made 15. Dent followed when Freckingham switched to the Pavilion End and had him taken at second slip by Greg Smith for 24 pushing forward to make it 47 for two.

That was as good as it got for Leicestershire. Alex Gidman looked in good touch from the start of his innings, hitting successive boundaries through the covers as 15 came off an over from Freckingham.

Roderick began watchfully, but gradually started to play his shots. By lunch the pair had taken the total to 137 for two with few alarms.

As the sun continued to beat down, Leicestershire’s bowlers were made to toil in the afternoon session. Gidman was first to his half-century with a square cut boundary off Sheikh, having faced 53 balls and hit 10 fours.

Roderick followed to the same landmark in the next over. The wicketkeeper, who missed much of the season after twice breaking the same finger, had hit seven boundaries in facing 85 deliveries.

Without a semblance of a chance, both batsmen eased their way to three figures. Roderick overtook his partner to get there first, driving Freckingham to long-off for three.

By then the total had reached 275 for two. Roderick’s ton had occupied 152 balls and featured 11 fours. Gidman made batting look equally easy and by the time he reached his hundred, off 114 balls, with 15 fours and a six, hoisted over long-on off Jigar Naik, the stand was worth 246.

On 120, Roderick was dropped by Greg Smith at slip off Naik. It was an error Leicestershire could ill afford as tea was taken with Gloucestershire 342 for two.

It was the same story in the final session, Roderick and Gidman scoring at will. Roderick broke the county’s third-wicket record with a six over long-off, which took the score to 386 for two.

He finally fell in the second over with the second new ball, caught behind by Ned Eckersley, deputising for wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien, off Freckingham. O’Brien had been off the field in the afternoon session, although he did return as a fielder.

Charlie Shreck followed up by pinning Hamish Marshall lbw for 13 with the final ball of the 89th over before Gidman reached his double hundred with 2 fours in the space of three deliveries from Freckingham.

Ian Cockbain fell to Rob Taylor for a duck. But Gidman moved remorselessly to his best ever score, beating the 211 he made against Kent at Cheltenham last season.