Match Reports

Northamptonshire v Gloucestershire

Day 4

Chris Dent hit an unbeaten century as the Gloucestershire opener batted throughout the final day to help his side secure a draw in the LV= County Championship Division Two match at Northamptonshire.

Dent ended the day 104 not out as Gloucestershire lost only two wickets in the day, ending 267-2 with Will Tavare and Gareth Roderick also making half centuries as Northants bowlers offered little threat of forcing victory.

Resuming 35-0, Gloucestershire never serious threatened to attempt to chase the victory target of 454, but on a placid final day pitch at Wantage Road, Dent’s patient innings ensured his side batted out the day with comfort.

The 24-year-old batted for six hours and two minutes and faced 285 balls for his sixth first-class century, and his first in the County Championship since Gloucestershire’s last meeting with Northants at Bristol in August 2013.

His only scares in the marathon innings came on 99, when he survived a big appeal for a catch at cover, umpire Peter Hartley ruling the ball had come off his helmet, and was almost run out the following ball attempting a single that was never on, before completing his century with another quick single.

Starting the day requiring ten wickets to win, Northants would have fancied their chances of forcing a first Championship victory since 2013, but Dent and Tavare looked at ease throughout the morning, the only chance of note coming when Tavare miscued a pull just wide of Rob Keogh at midwicket.

The pair reached their half centuries off successive overs and looked set to bat through the session, only for Tavare to be bowled by Mohammed Azharullah for 66 shortly before lunch.

The breakthrough wouldn’t derail the visitors though as Roderick joined Dent in continuing the serene progress after lunch. Roderick had made 56 in the first innings and after a slow start, looked in good touch once more, hitting seven boundaries in completing a second half century of the match.

The pair added 81 in 30 overs during the afternoon as Gloucestershire decided on the safe approach, Dent in particularly batting in determined fashion to add 21 runs in the session. However just as in the morning, a wicket fell shortly before an interval as Roderick as trapped LBW by Rob Keogh.

Northants took the new ball four overs into the evening session, but Dent and Peter Handscombe ensured there would be no late wobbles for the visitors against a tired looking hosts attack.

After five and a half hours of assured batting, Dent suddenly looked shaky upon reaching 99, but survived a quick single to bring up three figures ten minutes before the sides shook hands on the draw, Northants taking 11 points to Gloucestershire’s 10.

Day 3

David Willey's maiden first-class century put Northamptonshire in full control of their LV= County Championship match with Gloucestershire after day three at Wantage Road.

Willey's century and very important contributions from Rob Keogh, who battled hard for 81, and Josh Cobb, making 58, allowed Northants to recover from 100 for 5, a lead of just 137, to declare on 416 for 8 in the evening session.

Willey, the 25-year old Northants academy product, provided splendid entertainment after tea in going to a century in just 79 balls with seven fours and six sixes to help Northants set Gloucestershire a huge 454 to win.

The hitting was crisp and the ball sailed far and wide as Willey gave the latest reminder of his immense talent after a lean and injury-troubled 2014. But back fit he swung the Gloucestershire attack around Wantage Road to add to his first-innings 62 and exploits with the ball on the second evening, as the visitors wilted on a warm spring day.

But Willey had Keogh and Cobb to thank for digging the hosts out of trouble. The pair batted with great caution and responsibility before accelerating in a partnership of 101 for the sixth wicket.

After lunch Cobb was the aggressor in taking the score from a precarious 138 for 5 at the break to 211 for 6 when Cobb fell trying to lift Kieran Noema-Barnett over mid-off.

Keogh continued to be watchful and reached 19 runs short of a century when he was lbw to the part-time spin of Chris Dent. He peeled himself from the crease very disappointed at not gaining full reward for his efforts.

There was no century for Keogh but Willey found another willing partner in South African overseas player Rory Kleinveldt. He was equally as willing to play strokes and made 48 in 52 balls with nine fours, despite being dropped twice - missed chances from Gloucestershire was another feature of the day.

After tea, with the lead extended over 320, Willey took full licence to play his strokes and lifted Chris Dent for two sixes over the leg side. But recognising he was approaching a major milestone, became becalmed in the 90s before edging Matt Taylor fine of third man to raise three figures.

The day looked very different when Gloucestershire took three wickets in the opening hour to reduce the hosts to 100 for 5. Rob Newton was first to go, having pulled the first boundary of the day, slapping James Fuller straight to point with a loose cut stroke.

Alex Wakely followed by mistiming an attempted clip to leg and presenting a straightforward caught and bowled chance to Liam Norwell. Then Adam Rossington top-edged a pull which looped to point to give Norwell his second wicket. He gave Rossington a little send off.

Things should have got better for Gloucestershire when Cobb, on just 2, edged a drive straight to Dent at second slip but the easy chance was dropped. Later, Hamish Marshall also shelled a straightforward chance, off Dent, but with Keogh on 62 at the time the miss was largely inconsequential.

Gloucestershire were left with 15 overs to survive before the close and successfully negotiated a tricky period unscathed with Chris Dent playing several attractive drives to close 22 not out.

Richard Dawson was at a loss to explain his side's missed chances. He said: "That first session was brilliant bowling, everything we talked about. The bowling was exceptional and we got those three early wickets. Our squad is a good fielding unit but for some reason we put down chances. Myself and Ian Harvey were sat there thinking why would this happen?

"It's a good wicket it's certainly not an April wicket it's more like a July wicket. We're going to have to get through the first hour tomorrow like they did today, is pretty much the same."

Rob Keogh was pleased that his hard work paid off. He said: "When I first went out it was very tough, they came out very hard and it was a tough period but we got through it and now we're in a very good position to win the game.

"I grafted hard and afternoon batting through two sessions it would've been nice to get through to three figures. But we got into into position and hopefully we can get our first win under our belts. A win would give the boys a world of confidence and then we can really kick on from there."

Day 2

Three wickets in four balls from David Willey helped Northamptonshire to a healthy lead over Gloucestershire after day two of their  LV= County Championship Division Two match at Wantage Road.  By close on day two, Northants were 68 for 2 in the second innings, 105 in front.

The visitors lost their last four wickets for no runs to finish on 296 all out but that seemed scarcely possible, when Geraint Jones' (pictured) team moved serenely if cautiously through the morning. Having resumed on 18 for no wicket, Chris Dent and Will Tavare had little cause for alarm as both looked comfortable on a pitch which was expected to be best for batting on the second day.

Northamptonshire's bowlers were largely ineffective early on but Mohammed Azharullah was more probing in beating the bat. It was the 31 year-old Pakistani who induced Dent to edge behind to Rossington for 40 to end an opening partnership of 85. Four overs later, he trapped Tavare LBW for 34, but at 112 for 2 at lunch, Gloucestershire would have been the happier.

Runs flowed after the interval, but Northants were more threatening with the ball in a closely fought afternoon. When Azharullah yorked Gareth Roderick for an impressive 56, Alex Wakely's team looked set for a healthy first innings lead with Gloucestershire 185 for 5.

But Jones in his first game as Gloucestershire captain counter-attacked first with support from Kieran Noema-Barnett and then from James Fuller. Spectators may have been reminded of his exploits for England ten years ago in their famous Ashes win over Australia as several punches through the covers contributed to a valuable half-century.

Jones and Fuller added 82 for the 7th wicket before Willey intervened via his second over with the second new ball.

First Fuller was caught in front of the crease, LBW. Two balls later, Miles chipped to short mid-wicket without scoring, only to watch Liam Norwell's off stump clipped on the very next ball.

While Taylor survived the hat-trick ball, Jones was castled by Rory Kleinveldt for 80 in the next over, meaning that Gloucestershire were all out for 296. four wickets having fallen for no runs in six balls.

Despite Miles removing Levi and Peters inside five balls, Northamptonshire lead by 101 with eight wickets intact and they can thank Willey for his remarkable over which have put them in front at the halfway stage.

Day 1

95 from Adam Rossington helped Northamptonshire reach 333 all out and edge the opening day against Gloucestershire in the LV= County Championship at Wantage Road.

The visitors had Craig Miles to thank for a career-best 6 for 63, while Gareth Roderick's six catches equaled the Gloucestershire record for dismissals by a wicketkeeper in an innings. When bad light halted play, Gloucestershire were 18 without loss.

Put in by Geraint Jones in his first match as Gloucestershire captain, Northamptonshire enjoyed a profitable opening hour although Stephen Peters was dropped in James Fuller's third over by Hamish Marshall. Richard Levi showed the early dominance they enjoyed as he clipped Liam Norwell for two leg-side sixes in his opening over.

The pair put on 59 for the first wicket until Levi edged to Roderick down the leg side off Miles' first delivery for 29. Peters departed in the following over for 27 and when Rob Newton fell cheaply, Northants had lost 3 wickets inside 26 balls for 5 runs.

New four-day captain Alex Wakely and Rob Keogh steadied the innings to Northants at 89 for 3 at lunch.  In all, they added 58 for the 4th wicket before New Zealander Kieran Noema-Barnett removed Keogh for his first wicket in Gloucestershire colours.

Two more wickets soon followed - Wakely for 31 and new recruit Josh Cobb for a second-ball duck - to leave Northants on 162-6 and the visitors on top.

But this was the point where Rossington and new vice-captain David Willey threatened to take the game away from Gloucestershire. In 12 overs before tea, the pair blasted 82 runs with Rossington - signed from Middlesex on a permanent deal in the winter - particularly quick on anything short.

2013 T20 final man of the match Willey began cautiously as if inspired by his new role, but the England Lions all rounder quickened noticeably with 14 taken off one Norwell over. Northants were 244 for 6 at tea and the pair threatened similar in the evening session.

Having added 127 for the 7th wicket, Willey was caught behind for 62 off 57 balls and then Rossington was left five short off his third first-class century when he mistimed to Roderick off Miles for his 6th catch. The 23 year-old would take no more catches but knew of the record now shared by seven wicketkeepers.

It was only appropriate that Miles returned to remove the final batsman Azharullah for 8, having outshone every other bowler.  "I was aware I was on the verge of breaking a club record and I was really hoping the elusive seventh wicket would come my way," he said. "Overall, we hit the deck hard at times, but we allowed them to get around 80 runs. "

With Northamptonshire 333 all out, Will Tavare and Chris Dent calmly negotiated 6.3 overs before bad light intervened to leave this game finely poised, but Rossington believes Northants are in a useful position.

"It was extremely windy out there but once you got used to the conditions, it was a good pitch to bat on. We lost wickets in clusters and that was disappointing but a couple of partnerships have put us in a strong position and if we hit the deck hard first thing on Monday, we'll be looking to get them out for under 300."