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Benny The Bowler Bites Leicestershire

29 April 2013

Benny Howell claimed career-best figures of 5-57 as Gloucestershire's bowlers enjoyed an excellent opening day of the LV=County Championship match with Leicestershire at Grace Road.

The 24-year-old former Hampshire player, who is much more renowned for his batting, had never before taken more than two wickets in a first class innings.

Benny made a mockery of that statistic by claiming three victims before lunch with his medium pace, helping to reduce Leicestershire to 67-5 at the interval after they had won the toss.

Gloucestershire were then frustrated by a stand of 125 between Matthew Boyce (55) and Shiv Thakor (75), who batted through the afternoon session before Boyce became a fourth wicket for Howell.

Benny later had Jigar Naik caught by Chris Dent to record his first five-for in Championship cricket. And, with Will Gidman (3-65), David Payne (1-46) and Jack Taylor (1-24) also among the wickets the hosts were bowled out for 250 in 85 overs.

Howell sent down 19 overs, including four maidens. His previous best figures were 2-37 against Northants at Bristol last season.

Gloucestershire's day was marred somewhat when they lost Chris Dent and Dan Housego in moving to 31-2 by th close.

The Gloucestershire team is: Michael Klinger (Capt), Chris Dent, Dan Housego, Alex Gidman, Hamish Marshall, Benny Howell, Will Gidman, Cameron Herring (wkt), Jack Taylor, David Payne, Craig Miles. 

For more details of day one at Grace Road click on match reports

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