Specsavers County Championship - 19 August 2018

Worcestershire won by an innings and 47 runs

Venue: Edgbaston

Warwickshire v Gloucestershire

DAY 2

Warwickshire reasserted themselves at the top of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two by defeating Gloucestershire by an innings and 47 runs inside two days at Edgbaston.

Gloucestershire's were out for the second time in successive days as they followed their first innings 127 with 103 all out.

Ryan Sidebottom led the way for the Warwickshire attack with four for 42.

Will Rhodes struck 137 from 233 balls with 16 fours, a superb innings spanning five and a half hours in overcast, seamer-friendly conditions, to lift Warwickshire to 277.

His third championship century of the season underpinned an important win for the Division Two leaders. 

Gloucestershire improved with the ball on the second day and took four wickets in the morning session. After Warwickshire resumed on 170 for two, Craig Miles dismissed Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott in five balls. It was fine bowling as the 24-year-old jagged one back in to knock out Bell's off and middle stumps then moved one away to find Trott outside-edge.

Sam Hain started with two drives but reached only (25, 51 balls) before lifting Chris Liddle to point. Tim Ambrose sliced Miles to first slip before Rhodes was finally uprooted, bowled on the charge by spinner George Drissell.

Jeetan Patel was bowled by Matt Taylor then Miles completed his 12th first-class five-for by taking a return catch from Olly Hannon-Dalby and having Sidebottom caught in the gully next ball. He finished with five for 69.

Gloucestershire's second innings was soon damaged when Miles Hammond cut Sidebottom to gully. It then lurched from 27 for one to 27 for four as three wickets fell in nine balls. Chris Dent edged Sidebottom to second slip before Keith Barker had James Bracey caught behind and induced Gareth Roderick to play on.

Ryan Higgins edged Sidebottom behind and debutant Ben Charlesworth, having played correctly for five from 31 balls, edged Hannon-Daly to second slip just before tea.

Just before tea, Benny Howell (32, 36 balls) had his off-stump flattened by Chris Wright and the end came quickly in the final session as Sidebottom bowled Miles, Matt Taylor hoiked Wright to long leg and Drissell edged Rhodes to second slip.

Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent said:

"The bowlers showed great character and bowled fantastically well against a good batting line-up. If, as a batting unit, we had done our job better we would actually be in a decent position in the game, having bowled them out for what we did.

"The most disappointing thing about the batting was probably the dismissals that we had. We gave a good bowing unit a lot of wickets with poor shots and, against a side like Warwickshire, you just can't do that.

"At Cheltenham we showed great character with the bat but this game just shows that if we don't turn up with that same intent and that same mindset, good teams are going to turn us over. We have got to make sure we are on it every day of every game, otherwise when you come up against good sides you are going to be put under the pump and have days like this."

 

DAY 1

Gloucestershire ended the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston with the home side 44 runs ahead with 8 wickets remaining.

After winning the toss, Gloucestershire Captain Chris Dent elected to bat first. Gloucestershire got off to a smooth start, with openers Dent and Hammond cruising to 52 without loss.

Experienced seamer Chris Wright had a day to remember for Warwickshire, ending with figures of five for 32. Gloucestershire lost all ten wickets for 75 runs in 27.4 overs.

Warwickshire, The Division One leaders replied well with openers  Will Rhodes and Dominic Sibley took them past Gloucestershire's score.

Gloucestershire openers Miles Hammond and Chris Dent put 50 on the board but then they fell in successive overs. Hammond edged Ryan Sidebottom behind and Dent (35, 61 balls, seven fours) was trapped lbw by Jeetan Patel.

A stand of 49 between James Bracey and Benny Howell took the score to 101 for two but Patel's ended the partnership, trapping Bracey LBW.

The opening pair for Warwickshire added 161 before Sibley inside-edged Higgins on to his pad and was caught at gully. Nightwatchman Wright soon fell lbw to Chris Liddle but Rhodes posted his third championship century of the season in the penultimate over of the day.

Gloucestershire coach Richard Dawson said:

"We didn't play good cricket. Denty made the call to bat first and we batted well for a couple of hours but then there were some soft dismissals against a good bowling attack.

"We have a lot of young lads in the team and they have found out that you can't get away with that type of cricket against a very good side. Then we had another session and a half with the ball and it was the same thing - if you don't stick to a plan and do the   basics well you get punished. We have got a group of lads who are sat in the dressing-room now and realise that.

"They are disappointed, as you would expect, but we have to improve on that tomorrow. We have to reflect on the day and use it as a learning curve and see if we can put some of those things right."