County Championship Round 14 Gloucestershire v Durham

 

 

County Championship Round 14

Gloucestershire v Durham

 

Preview:

Gloucestershire’s season ends with a game at the Bristol County Ground and a mid-week start. The game ends a rollercoaster season that has seen huge highs and terrible lows, but which could confirm the Shire as the only side to win more than half its matches in the 2021 Championship. The Division 2 title has been all but wrapped up by Essex, who need just 4 points to confirm it but, according to how results fall, Gloucestershire could finish as low as fourth or, if Essex suffer a big defeat, could even still win the Division. In other words, this game is about an end of season ranking between 7^th and 10^th.

As positions will be decided by average points per game, Gloucestershire are effectively 0.33 of a point ahead of Durham, with Northants a further 1.67 points behind. The bottom line is:

·        If Durham get two points more than Gloucestershire in this match, they will finish ahead. In contrast, any result better than two points fewer than Durham will guarantee that the Shire can finish no lower than third.

·        If Gloucestershire and Durham draw, Northamptonshire will almost certainly finish ahead of both with a win against Essex.

Gloucestershire will be led today by James Bracey, who will take on the load of captaincy, wicket-keeping and batting at 3. Chris Dent, who has led Gloucestershire to promotion in 2019 and overseen a huge rise in fortunes, steps back. While not a natural captain, he has led by example and his results have spoken for themselves, with the Shire highly competitive in recent seasons after several years in the doldrums. Chris Dent has finished with the seventh highest win percentage of any Gloucestershire captain.

Some captains, such as Mike Brearley, have such a mystical touch that they can add value to a team even when not worth their place in the side. Sometimes, as when England picked Keith Fletcher, they went for a senior player who commands respect. Often, though, a side picks its best player and hopes that he has the ability to do the job: some, like Michael Vaughan, were very fine leaders, others, such as Ian Botham or Andrew Flintoff, did not have a natural ability to lead, but tried to lead by example, inspiring others with their performances. Chris Dent would place himself in this last category. He has never had the mystical quality that Mike Brearley made his signature, but he has shown an impressive ability to direct comebacks from difficult positions on Days 3 and 4 of a match. The wins against Surrey and Glamorgan this season have shown a happy knack of being able to turn what looked like a rock-solid draw into an eventually comfortable win.

A new captain will not be announced until after the new Head Coach is appointed, but it may not be insignificant that, to the bewilderment of fans and commentators, Graeme van Buuren took over in the field during the Glamorgan game before the official announcement of Chris Dent’s resignation was made.

Gloucestershire include Ben Wells and Ollie Price, giving the option of playing three spinners and also of playing James Bracey as a specialist bat. Some tough selection choices await in the morning, but possibly the simplest option would be for Scott, Wells and Ollie Price to miss out from the chosen 14.

Day 1:

Not too many people called the final XI right. Both Ollie Price and George Scott were in the final XI (replacing Warner and Charlesworth, respectively), giving Gloucestershire three spin and four seam options. The fact that it was a used pitch might well have influenced the choice, even if it had a significant tinge of green to it, although it changed colour abruptly just on the spinner’s length.

Durham won the Toss and decided to bat in front of a sparse crowd. David Payne opening the attack in bright sunshine, but only briefly, as a serious accident nearby obliged an air ambulance to land on the outfield, leading the players to retire to the dressing room after just five balls.

After a delay of some twenty minutes, play resumed and the Durham openers continued, with Lees, in particular, looking in fine form, taking three boundaries in the first seven overs: two from Ryan Higgins and one from David Payne, with Jones more watchful at the other end. It was not long before James Bracey advanced to the stumps to Ryan Higgins, who surprised both batsman and wicket-keeper with a delivery that beat the bat outside off and lifted, James Bracey making an excellent take. It was Jones who was first to go, falling in the following over, as David Payne brought a ball back a long way to get him LBW for 6,: 25-1 in the eleventh over. In came Borthwick and got a big edge to his first ball. Miles Hammond took the catch, even if Borthwick waited to be given. That made it 25-2, with Payne on a hat-trick. From looking comfortable, suddenly batting looked a more difficult proposition and, first ball of Ryan Higgin’s next over Lees survived a loud LBW appeal.

Despite the wickets, there were too many boundary balls: out of the first 43 runs, 36 had come in boundaries off the bat or as leg bye boundaries from misdirected balls down leg. The inevitable result was that different places of protective equipment started to appear preparatory to Zafar Gohar being thrown the ball to bowl from the Pavillion End. In came a Slip and Tom Lace under the lid at Short Leg. Zafar’s first ball turned a lot, albeit going down leg. The next was turned straight to Tom Lace and a Leg Slip was added immediately. It was good to see that on a pitch offering turn, for once Gloucestershire had some firepower. Lees responded though, with Zafar’s over ending with three, consecutive boundaries. It was now 48 of 55 runs in boundaries. Zafar, though, got some revenge when Bedingham edged him to Miles Hammond at 1^st Slip: 72-3 in the 20^th over. Eckersley came in an edged his first ball just short of Price, at Slip. However, the general tonic of the morning continued as two boundaries came off the over as well.

It looked like a deliberate strategy to try and hit the bowlers off their line and make hay before an unplayable delivery arrived.

Lees had reached 40 when he fell in a bizarre way. He swept hard at Zafar. The ball went vertically off a top edge and Miles Hammond pouched the ball. The batsman waited. The umpires conferred and, finally, Lees walked, apparently without waiting for the finger: 77-4. Wicket-maiden for Zafar. It later transpired that Zafar was appealing for LBW. That the ball had hit the boot and then the back of the bat as Lees tried to sweep so, when it was decided that there was an edge and that the ball had not bounced, Lees accepted that he had to go.

So, 78-4 from 23 overs at Lunch. A most un-Bristol-like pitch. And a game moving along apace.

Although the batting was not so frenetic after Lunch, four-balls continued aplenty and the Durham hundred came up in the 32^nd over. Finally, on came Graeme van Buuren for the 33^rd over and Gloucestershire had spin at both ends. It seemed as if the pitch had calmed and the batsmen were seeing off the storm when Eckersley drove a fairly inoffensive ball from Graeme van Buuren straight to Chris Dent at Extra Cover: 109-5 in the 35^th over. He then bowled a beautiful delivery that pitched middle and bowled middle and off: 118-6 in the 39^th over. Coughlin swept Zafar. The ball went high into the Deep Mid-Wicket area where David Payne ran in and took a comfortable catch: 124-7 and Durham subsiding. In came Trevaskis, who swept massively, first ball and sent the ball high to George Scott at Deep Square Leg: 125-8 and two in three balls for Zafar. More sweeps and then Potts pushed Graeme van Buuren straight back to the bowler: 140-9. Raine then came down the pitch to Zafar and chipped tamely to David Payne at Point: 140ao and Durham had lost 8 wickets for 68 from 72-2 and their last five wickets for 22

It took just five balls for Rushworth to hit back. Chris Dent edged very low to Borthwick’s left and was beautifully taken. Gloucestershire 0-1. However, Miles Hammond and James Bracey batted nicely and, at 21-1 after 5 overs, on came Slow Left Armer Trevaskis, very much an occasional red-ball bowler this season. James Bracey, who looked in excellent form, greeted him with a splendid Cover Drive for four. Meanwhile, at Chelmsford, Essex had bowled out Northamptonshire cheaply and were closing in on the Division 2 title. Miles Hammond tried to hit Trevaskis over the top and, having not got hold of the ball properly, perished to a catch by Potts, who was just tall enough to reach it: 30-2 in the 10^th over. James Bracey had reached 27, batting beautifully, but left disastrously the last ball before Tea and was judged LBW to Rushworth: 42-3 at Tea and not looking so healthy for the Shire.

Up came the 50 with the last ball of the eighteenth over, with the Shire needing a partnership to ensure a first innings lead. Tom Lace and Graeme van Buuren supplied it, adding 51 in 17.4 overs. On came Borthwick for the 28^th over and van Buuren on-drove him imperiously to the boundary. 81-3 at the end of the over and the batsmen getting on top but, could they stay there? Coughlin bowled down leg, Tom Lace tried to flick the ball, it glanced off the pad and went between the wicket-keeper’s legs for four leg byes. After 32 overs it was 93-3, just 47 behind and Durham needed a wicket desperately. Trevaskis provided it in the next over, in which he had had Tom Lace in trouble and got his man LBW. So, in came George Scott. At the other end, Graeme van Buuren took Borthwick to task, taking eleven off Borthwick’s fifth over, starting with consecutive boundaries and a two that took him to 50 (60 balls, 8x4). The score started to advance rapidly. At 127-4 in the 42^nd over, the deficit was just 13. Had he been able to continue in this vein to the Close, Durham’s position would have been desperate. Raine, though, ended his innings, bowling him for 62.

George Scott and Ryan Higgins set out to carry the innings through to the Close. A boundary for George Scott off Raine took the Shire into the lead. With the batsmen shutting up shop for the night, four overs produced just a single. Gloucestershire had lost a wicket to the last ball before Tea, they now lost one to the last ball of the day. As Lady Bracknell might have said: “to lose one wicket to the last ball of a session is unfortunate, to lose two smacks of carelessness!” Higgins bowled by Trevaskis for 10 and the score 146-6 at the Close, the lead just 6.

Gloucestershire need to increase the lead in the morning and to get at least one batting point. A lead of 60 would be worth triple that on a normal Bristol pitch.

Day 2:

So, the season ends positively with an eighth win and for the second week running a side narrowly escaped an innings defeat. Gloucestershire will finish second in Division 2 and thus ranked 8^th in the country, which most fans would have settled for before the season started.

Bright sunshine and blue skies to greet the players. Two Slips very close and a Short Leg to Ollie Price, who was beaten three times in the first five balls as Trevaskis turned the ball away from him. To put the pitch in context, Tresvaskis had taken just 10 First Class wickets at 61 apiece in thirteen matches before this one and had already taken three wickets in an innings for the first time. He did rapidly and inevitably for Ollie Price, who finally did hit one, edging straight to Second Slip: 148-7. In came Tom Price, taking a Leg Stump guard and could easily have fallen first ball to an edge that ballooned over the Slips. How many could the tail increase that lead? George Scott turned a single to leg to bring the lead up to 10: everything indicated that the lower order was going to try to grind it out, as they had against Glamorgan.

It took Tom Price the best part of half an hour to get off the mark, which he did with consecutive Cover Drives for two and for four off Rushworth who, hitherto, had been conceding less than a run per over. An edge that was a difficult chance to Trevaskis went for four, taking Tom Price to 10 and the lead to 23. Then Tom Price cut him between the two Slips, who were both standing very close, for another boundary, taking the lead up to 30; it was starting to become really useful now. George Scott then glanced Rushworth for another boundary: more runs had come in twelve balls than in the previous forty minutes of graft.

By now the news had come through that Essex, despite scoring only 170, had won by an innings and 44 – interesting pitch that one.

Finally, Trevaskis got one through Tom Price and and was rewarded with an LBW and a 5-for. Price out for a valuable 16: 174-8. Rushworth then pinned George Scott LBW for 21. It was 174-9 and the end was nigh. Zafar, though, did not plan to die wondering and hammered Trevaskis, first back over his head and then through Cover for consecutive boundaries, taking the lead past 40. He then hit consecutive boundaries off Coughlin, before being dropped badly in the deep next ball: 194-9 and the lead now 54. Back came Trevaskis into the attack and David Payne ran out to him and clipped him beautifully to the Square Leg boundary, the Shire now on the cusp of a batting point. A reverse sweep brought up the 200 and the batting point and yet another misfield – of which there had been a number in the last 15 minutes – allowed him another couple. Zafar hammered Couglin back over his head for four more and then tried an outrageous reverse pull shot and got hit by the ball. The lead was now 68 and Durham heads were dropping visibly.

David Payne added a straight drive for four and the partnership had reached 42 in 39 balls. Finally Zafar tried one shot too many and was caught at Deep Square Leg for 30, having added 44 in 45 balls with David Payne for the last wicket. 218ao. The lead 78. And four overs to face before Lunch.

As in the first innings, Durham started positively against David Payne and Ryan Higgins. 17-0 at Lunch, 61 behind. The batsmen having no difficulties against the New Ball.

Zafar came on immediately after Lunch and took Lees, LBW, with the first ball of his second over. Durham 22-1. He thought that he had Jones too in his next over as the opener jammed down on a floated up delivery and James Bracey claimed a reaction catch behind: the umpire ruled that there was no bat involved. What Durham did not need in these circumstances was a suicidal runout. Jones tried to flick David Payne, the ball went to Short Fine Leg as the batsman advanced half way down the pitch. James Bracey chased, took off a glove, threw and ran out the batsman by a distance as his dead-eyed throw cartwheeled the Off Stump: 30-2, still 48 behind. That became 30-3 immediately when Borthwick tried to play Zafar to leg, next ball, missed completely and was pinned in front. The cheekier local supporters were starting to think of the innings victory.

Back came Ryan Higgins and was cut for four by Eckersley first ball. The second was a perfect line and length and edged to James Bracey. The score was now 39-4, 39 more needed to avoid the innings defeat. It should have been 42-5 as Bedingham edged Ryan Higgins very low to James Bracey’s right: the ‘keeper took a brilliant catch, only to see the umpire’s outstretched arm for a No Ball. It was not costly: Zafar trapped him LBW to make the score 49-5. The Durham 50 came up when Clark edged Higgins just short of the diving Bracey and the ball skid away to the boundary.

Couglin tried to remove some close fielders by attacking Zafar, but only found Graeme van Buuren at Extra Cover: 59-6, Zafar 13-6-18-4. There was a small rush of runs as batsmen tried to take scoring chances where available before Clark missed a straight one from Zafar and was bowled: 71-7, still 7 behind. Zafar now with 5-25. A pull to leg by Raine off Ollie Price, finally given a chance to show what he could do in helpful conditions, brought the scores level, ensuring that Gloucestershire had to bat again. After this nervous first over, his second was much better and had Raine playing and missing.

85-7 at Tea, the lead 7. Surely Gloucestershire would wrap this up in the final session?

Initially, it was plain sailing. The light faded rapidly, but with Zafar bowling and two spinners available play could continue. Zafar made the breakthrough when Trevaskis swept powerfully (and painfully) into Tom Lace’s helmet at Short Leg and James Bracey took the re-bound with Lace prostrate on the ground: 87-8, Zafar 6-33. Tom Lace eventually got up and hobbled round to Short Leg for the new batsman, earning a loud round of applause.

Briefly Raine and Potts raised Durham hopes with a stand of 38 in ten overs. Initially runs came at a trickle but, later, Raine started to tuck in, first to Zafar and then into Ryan Higgins. When the lead reached 50, James Bracey brought on Graeme van Buuren to try to restore some order before dark imaginings raised themselves  of a difficult chase. It took him just five balls to end the troublesome ninth wicket stand, removing Potts LBW, pushing forward: 125-9.  Just four balls into his second over he bowled Rushworth, who swung wildly across the line, to give him a spell of 1.4-0-1-2!! Durham 131ao, a lead of 53.

The danger in a chase of 54 was of poking around and losing several quick wickets. Chris Dent and Miles Hammond decided to be positive. Chris Dent drove the second ball of the innings straight past the bowler to the boundary. Trevaskis was given the New Ball at the other end and was roughly dealt with by the same batsman, who despatched his third ball for a lofted four over Long On and the fourth for another through the Covers: 12 off the over, 19-0 from two overs. Miles Hammond joined the party, crashing Rushworth over wide Long On for six: 25-0 and a real nerve-settler of a start. Another Cover Drive from Chris Dent off Trevaskis who then bowled a delivery down leg that beat everything and went for four byes: 33-0 from 4 overs. When Miles Hammond drove Rushworth through Mid-Off for a boundary from the first ball of the fifth over the Shire were racing to their target.

Such profligacy could not last. Rushworth hit Miles Hammond painfully amidships and Chris Dent wandered down the pitch to pat down something and give his partner a few seconds to recover. The next ball Hammond tried to launch into Somerset and only succeeded in edging it into orbit, the ball finally being caught by the wicket-keeper, behind the batsman. James Bracey swept Trevaskis to the boundary to open his account and bring the runs needed down to 12. Rushworth was still charging in, believing in the miracle. He caught Chris Dent on the crease and had him judged LBW for 22: 42-2, 12 needed. Zafar was sent out to finish the game off quickly. He swept Trevaskis hard, third ball and was taken brilliantly by Lees at Square Leg for a duck: 45-3. Enough messing around. Out came Tom Lace. Eight off the next Rushworth over, including a Cover Drive for four by James Bracey brought the scores level. A push into the Covers. A quick single and James Bracey had scored the winning run. The final margin, seven wickets.

An eighth win in the season for the Shire. The only side to win more than half their games. Second place in Division 2 and a final ranking of eighth: not a bad haul for the season. This Gloucestershire could really make some waves next season if Zafar Gohar can somehow be convinced to stay.  

Day 2:

So, the season ends positively with an eighth win and for the second week running a side narrowly escaped an innings defeat. Gloucestershire will finish second in Division 2 and thus ranked 8^th in the country, which most fans would have settled for before the season started.

Bright sunshine and blue skies to greet the players. Two Slips very close and a Short Leg to Ollie Price, who was beaten three times in the first five balls as Trevaskis turned the ball away from him. To put the pitch in context, Tresvaskis had taken just 10 First Class wickets at 61 apiece in thirteen matches before this one and had already taken three wickets in an innings for the first time. He did rapidly and inevitably for Ollie Price, who finally did hit one, edging straight to Second Slip: 148-7. In came Tom Price, taking a Leg Stump guard and could easily have fallen first ball to an edge that ballooned over the Slips. How many could the tail increase that lead? George Scott turned a single to leg to bring the lead up to 10: everything indicated that the lower order was going to try to grind it out, as they had against Glamorgan.

It took Tom Price the best part of half an hour to get off the mark, which he did with consecutive Cover Drives for two and for four off Rushworth who, hitherto, had been conceding less than a run per over. An edge that was a difficult chance to Trevaskis went for four, taking Tom Price to 10 and the lead to 23. Then Tom Price cut him between the two Slips, who were both standing very close, for another boundary, taking the lead up to 30; it was starting to become really useful now. George Scott then glanced Rushworth for another boundary: more runs had come in twelve balls than in the previous forty minutes of graft.

By now the news had come through that Essex, despite scoring only 170, had won by an innings and 44 – interesting pitch that one.

Finally, Trevaskis got one through Tom Price and and was rewarded with an LBW and a 5-for. Price out for a valuable 16: 174-8. Rushworth then pinned George Scott LBW for 21. It was 174-9 and the end was nigh. Zafar, though, did not plan to die wondering and hammered Trevaskis, first back over his head and then through Cover for consecutive boundaries, taking the lead past 40. He then hit consecutive boundaries off Coughlin, before being dropped badly in the deep next ball: 194-9 and the lead now 54. Back came Trevaskis into the attack and David Payne ran out to him and clipped him beautifully to the Square Leg boundary, the Shire now on the cusp of a batting point. A reverse sweep brought up the 200 and the batting point and yet another misfield – of which there had been a number in the last 15 minutes – allowed him another couple. Zafar hammered Couglin back over his head for four more and then tried an outrageous reverse pull shot and got hit by the ball. The lead was now 68 and Durham heads were dropping visibly.

David Payne added a straight drive for four and the partnership had reached 42 in 39 balls. Finally Zafar tried one shot too many and was caught at Deep Square Leg for 30, having added 44 in 45 balls with David Payne for the last wicket. 218ao. The lead 78. And four overs to face before Lunch.

As in the first innings, Durham started positively against David Payne and Ryan Higgins. 17-0 at Lunch, 61 behind. The batsmen having no difficulties against the New Ball.

Zafar came on immediately after Lunch and took Lees, LBW, with the first ball of his second over. Durham 22-1. He thought that he had Jones too in his next over as the opener jammed down on a floated up delivery and James Bracey claimed a reaction catch behind: the umpire ruled that there was no bat involved. What Durham did not need in these circumstances was a suicidal runout. Jones tried to flick David Payne, the ball went to Short Fine Leg as the batsman advanced half way down the pitch. James Bracey chased, took off a glove, threw and ran out the batsman by a distance as his dead-eyed throw cartwheeled the Off Stump: 30-2, still 48 behind. That became 30-3 immediately when Borthwick tried to play Zafar to leg, next ball, missed completely and was pinned in front. The cheekier local supporters were starting to think of the innings victory.

Back came Ryan Higgins and was cut for four by Eckersley first ball. The second was a perfect line and length and edged to James Bracey. The score was now 39-4, 39 more needed to avoid the innings defeat. It should have been 42-5 as Bedingham edged Ryan Higgins very low to James Bracey’s right: the ‘keeper took a brilliant catch, only to see the umpire’s outstretched arm for a No Ball. It was not costly: Zafar trapped him LBW to make the score 49-5. The Durham 50 came up when Clark edged Higgins just short of the diving Bracey and the ball skid away to the boundary.

Couglin tried to remove some close fielders by attacking Zafar, but only found Graeme van Buuren at Extra Cover: 59-6, Zafar 13-6-18-4. There was a small rush of runs as batsmen tried to take scoring chances where available before Clark missed a straight one from Zafar and was bowled: 71-7, still 7 behind. Zafar now with 5-25. A pull to leg by Raine off Ollie Price, finally given a chance to show what he could do in helpful conditions, brought the scores level, ensuring that Gloucestershire had to bat again. After this nervous first over, his second was much better and had Raine playing and missing.

85-7 at Tea, the lead 7. Surely Gloucestershire would wrap this up in the final session?

Initially, it was plain sailing. The light faded rapidly, but with Zafar bowling and two spinners available play could continue. Zafar made the breakthrough when Trevaskis swept powerfully (and painfully) into Tom Lace’s helmet at Short Leg and James Bracey took the re-bound with Lace prostrate on the ground: 87-8, Zafar 6-33. Tom Lace eventually got up and hobbled round to Short Leg for the new batsman, earning a loud round of applause.

Briefly Raine and Potts raised Durham hopes with a stand of 38 in ten overs. Initially runs came at a trickle but, later, Raine started to tuck in, first to Zafar and then into Ryan Higgins. When the lead reached 50, James Bracey brought on Graeme van Buuren to try to restore some order before dark imaginings raised themselves  of a difficult chase. It took him just five balls to end the troublesome ninth wicket stand, removing Potts LBW, pushing forward: 125-9.  Just four balls into his second over he bowled Rushworth, who swung wildly across the line, to give him a spell of 1.4-0-1-2!! Durham 131ao, a lead of 53.

The danger in a chase of 54 was of poking around and losing several quick wickets. Chris Dent and Miles Hammond decided to be positive. Chris Dent drove the second ball of the innings straight past the bowler to the boundary. Trevaskis was given the New Ball at the other end and was roughly dealt with by the same batsman, who despatched his third ball for a lofted four over Long On and the fourth for another through the Covers: 12 off the over, 19-0 from two overs. Miles Hammond joined the party, crashing Rushworth over wide Long On for six: 25-0 and a real nerve-settler of a start. Another Cover Drive from Chris Dent off Trevaskis who then bowled a delivery down leg that beat everything and went for four byes: 33-0 from 4 overs. When Miles Hammond drove Rushworth through Mid-Off for a boundary from the first ball of the fifth over the Shire were racing to their target.

Such profligacy could not last. Rushworth hit Miles Hammond painfully amidships and Chris Dent wandered down the pitch to pat down something and give his partner a few seconds to recover. The next ball Hammond tried to launch into Somerset and only succeeded in edging it into orbit, the ball finally being caught by the wicket-keeper, behind the batsman. James Bracey swept Trevaskis to the boundary to open his account and bring the runs needed down to 12. Rushworth was still charging in, believing in the miracle. He caught Chris Dent on the crease and had him judged LBW for 22: 42-2, 12 needed. Zafar was sent out to finish the game off quickly. He swept Trevaskis hard, third ball and was taken brilliantly by Lees at Square Leg for a duck: 45-3. Enough messing around. Out came Tom Lace. Eight off the next Rushworth over, including a Cover Drive for four by James Bracey brought the scores level. A push into the Covers. A quick single and James Bracey had scored the winning run. The final margin, seven wickets.

An eighth win in the season for the Shire. The only side to win more than half their games. Second place in Division 2 and a final ranking of eighth: not a bad haul for the season. This Gloucestershire could really make some waves next season if Zafar Gohar can somehow be convinced to stay.

County Championship Round 13 Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

 

 

 

County Championship Round 13

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

 

Preview:

An unchanged squad for the trip to Sofia Gardens and a game against a side beaten by an innings in their first two Division 2 games. Late drama, though, as Ben Wells replaced James Bracey in the final XI, making his First Class debut in the process after Bracey suffered concussion in training.

Day 1:

No Report

Day 2:

A grey and sparsely attended morning at Sofia Gardens. A brown pitch, with no hint of green. Gloucestershire needed a fast start and got one. It took David Payne just three balls to break the stubborn seventh wicket partnership of 73 as Salter left a delivery that came back a long way and was bowled: 264-7. This still left the Shire with thirteen and a half overs to take two more wickets for full bowling points. The first of them came in Ryan Higgins’ second over when Smith prodded outside off and Tom Lace took a superb, low chance, diving full length at Third Slip: 279-8. Batting was certainly interesting as Byrom first tried to uppercut a Payne bouncer, without making contact, seeing the ball fly way over Ben Wells’ head for four byes. The second ball of the over was edged short of Miles Hammond at 1^st Slip and the third was nudged for a quick single, with the batsman struggling had Chris Dent’s throw hit. The third Glamorgan batting point which, at start of play, looked like a banker, was looking a much more iffy proposition. Byrom, though, showed a great trust in #10, van der Gugten, being willing to take a single even from the first ball of the over.  Five overs left for bonus points and van der Gugten, who averages 16 in FC cricket, was doing more than just survive: one wicket needed by the Shire, four runs for Glamorgan. And up came the Glamorgan 300 in the 106^th over, with the ninth wicket stand at 22 and growing. Now, it was just a matter of whether or not Gloucestershire could take a wicket in the next four overs.

Chris Dent asked for – and got – a change of ball. Not for the first time it did the trick: first ball with the new nut Byrom cut, got an inside edge and saw his stumps re-arranged. David Payne had ended a fine innings of 78 and obtained the third bowling bonus point. Van der Gugten then offered a wild, head up slash at Ryan Higgins and edged through to Ben Wells: 309ao. Glamorgan would not be unhappy with that after being put in. However, after an opening stand of 136, only the seventh wicket partnership offered much.

Out came Chris Dent, restored to opening, with Miles Hammond. The good work of Hogan’s opening spell – 6 overs for 7 runs – was somewhat wasted as Smith, playing his first Championship game of the summer, was pressing too hard and inaccurate, going for 32 in his first five overs. Up came the fifty in the 15^th over, from the last ball before Lunch, as Miles Hammond cut Smith savagely for four. Dent 22*, Hammond 27*, 32 of the 53 runs so far in boundaries.

On came Salter, the spinner and Miles Hammond sent him way back over his head for a lofted boundary that bounced into the public. Unfortunately, he did not get much further, as he then edged Hogan and Cook, the wicket-keeper, took a magnificent one-handed catch in front of Slip. The ball would not have carried and Cook’s effort was superb: 63-1, Miles Hammond 35. In came Tom Lace at #3 in a re-jigged batting order. After a good start, Lloyd came on to bowl some gentle medium pace with the batsmen seemingly in no difficultly. Tom Lace drove hard at two that he missed but, the third tempter outside off took his edge and Cook made another, tremendous catch. 90-2, some of the shine going off the start. Tom Lace out for 12 just when he looked in prime form and set for a score. Two boundaries in an over set Graeme van Buuren on his way and brought up the 100 in the 32^nd over. All the while, Chris Dent was accumulating quietly and reached his fifth 50 of the season with a clip to leg for two from a misdirected ball from Lloyd (108 balls, 5x4).

On came Douthwaite. His first ball was called a wide. His second, which was actually slightly wider still but not called by a benevolent Umpire Blackwell: when Graeme van Buuren finally got a ball that he could reach… just… an edge raced down to the Third Man boundary. Up came the fifty partnership  in the 43^rd over. 166-2 from 50 overs at Tea. Chris Dent 67*, Graeme van Buuren 44*, the partnership 76, made in good time. With the likelihood that much or all of Day 3 could be lost to rain, it would be imperative for the Shire to push on after Tea; similarly, Glamorgan needed wickets.

The strong impression was that the support bowling offered little threat, an impression reinforced when Douthwaite’s first over after Tea offered two boundary balls. Chris Dent was possibly lured into a false sense of security when, with the partnership approaching the century, he tried to ramp Salter and was bowled round his legs. 184-3, Chris Dent 75 (153 balls, 8x4). Ryan Higgins lasted just three balls and was pinned LBW on the back foot to Salter: 184-4 and two wickets in the over, just when Glamorgan were starting to wonder where a wicket might come from. This brought in Ben Wells for his debut innings, in place of the injured Ben Charlesworth who, having been off the field for an extended period, had to bat down the order. Ben Wells has a 50 for the 2^nd XI in 2021 and, unusually, a century in 2021 too, in a T20 for Somerset 2^nd XI. Salter dropped short to van Buuren and the ball vanished to the boundary to bring up his 50 (87 balls, 10x4). A controlled edge for four by Ben Wells brought up the 200 and a batting point.

It became a matter of just how many overs would be bowled after Tea before the light went. Twelve overs were lost at the end of the day but, in the time before the umpires brought a halt, Ben Wells showed that he is a capable bat, reaching 23* and playing some pleasing shots. As is his wont, having started with a big crash of runs – scored initially at almost at a run-a-ball – Graeme van Buuren slowed as his innings advanced and he finished on 65*. 224-4 from 70 overs at the Close, 85 behind. The chances of a result will depend on how much play is possible on Day 3 and which of the two sides manages to take best advantage of it.

Day 3:

Astonishing events at Cardiff. After starting Day 3 with the first innings lead still in dispute, the day ended with Glamorgan facing a third consecutive innings defeat. Only bad light has saved them for this possible humiliation.

On a wet day around the country, play only started on time at Taunton and Cardiff, with 104 overs scheduled, but no confidence that they would be possible. Everywhere else there was a delayed start due to rain. The on-time start did not do Graeme van Buuren any favours as, second ball of the morning he missed one from Lloyd that hit him in front of middle, although the ball may have been heading led-side. No addition to the overnight score: 224-5, Graeme van Buuren 65 and not the start the Gloucestershire needed. Even so, Ben Charlesworth showed no signs of discomfort when he came out . He played positively, with 20 of his first 24 runs coming in boundaries. Ben Wells continued to bat well and brought up the 250 and second batting point in the 77^th over. Hogan and van der Gugten took the New Ball, needing a wicket with it. The first three overs with the New Ball brought eight runs, including a Charlesworth boundary but, in his second over with the New Ball, van der Gugten had Ben Wells in a lot of trouble and, finally, got his reward with an edge to 2^nd Slip: Ben Wells out for a very competent 40 (94 balls, 7x4).

For Zafar, this was the first time that he had batted for the Shire in a situation other than one of deep crisis and he responded by getting off the mark first ball. The mission for this pairing was to get up to parity and, if possible, start to build a lead before the tail was exposed. However, the seventh over with the New Ball saw Zafar fishing outside off and Cooke taking another wonderful catch with a swan-dive in front of Slip: 279-7 and hopes of a significant lead fading. Tom Price was greeted with a short ball from Hogan and was unconvincing in playing it but, as the Sun tried to poke through the cloud, van der Gugten offered him something to drive and he responded with consecutive boundaries. At 288-7 from 90 overs, a third batting point was certainly expected and a fourth, not impossible. Much depended on Ben Charlesworth if a significant lead were to be established and a possible tilt at a fourth batting point. Tom Price, once again, offered solid support and, together, they put on 31 and brought up the 300 and the third batting point, as well as getting into the lead before Smith, who was a lot more accurate today, bowled Ben Charlesworth.

316-8 at Lunch. Five overs left for bonus points, with the third Glamorgan bowling point looking a lot more likely than the fourth Gloucestershire batting point. The lead just 7. How many could the tail add to that, with Tom Price 16* and David Payne 5*?

With the light gloomy again, Tom Price came out aggressively, seemingly looking at that fourth batting point. A couple of lofted shots suggested that a real attempt would be made to get quick runs. Glamorgan reacted by adding a couple of boundary fielders. A quiet over from Salter followed and, with 25 needed in 12 balls to reach 350, it seemed more likely that it would be more a matter of denying Glamorgan a bowling point.

So, after 110 overs, Gloucestershire 327-8 and the bonus points split 6-5 in favour of the Shire.

There then followed a period of phoney war. Gloucestershire scored but slowly, while Glamorgan were being frustrated not to able to finish off the innings. When he puts his mind to it, David Payne can be a tough nut to crack and he demonstrated it by not flinching at a short ball and running the “head bye” enthusiastically as it caroomed off his helmet to Fine Leg. It was all the more surprising when Payne advanced down the wicket to Salter and lofted him high into a ground, where a helpful patron threw it back, leading to an unscheduled ball sanitisation break. Tom Price took his lead from that and helped himself to a boundary from the first ball of the next over from Smith, who then bounced David Payne and saw the ball hooked confidently to the man on the Square Leg boundary. Salter landed one in David Payne’s hitting zone and watched the ball fly back over his head, dropping just short of the rope to bring up the 350 in the 116^th over. 21 from the last three overs!

With the lead approaching fifty, on came Douthwaite with his “variations”, this time favouring leg side. He opened with a No Ball. A couple of singles brought up the 50 lead and another, next delivery, brought up the 50 partnership. The fun ended when David Payne, who had been playing some shots more associated with the Blast, edged a ball from Douthwaite that was outside off and Cooke took a routine catch. 379-9, Payne 34 (72 balls, 3x4, 1x6), the stand 69 and the lead, 70. It was David Payne’s best innings of the season, valuable runs for the Shire and the total was already the highest of the season of the Shire by some distance. And still the innings continued. Douthwaite gave Tom Price width and Price went to his 50 with a flashing Cover Drive (127 balls, 7x4). Another very wide ball followed and was cut hard for the second boundary of the over, taking the score to 396-9. You could start to dream of a first innings of 400 and a lead of 100 and Glamorgan’s body language really started to droop at the prospect… A runout chance was missed as Tom Price set off for a single that was never there, but the throw missed by a distance. Price then brought up the 400 with a cut for two off Salter and took the lead to 91. Byrom dropped Price – a difficult chance – off a hard-struck shot. However, with Tea approaching, the game was meandering, with neither runs coming, nor the last wicket: would the strategy of keeping Glamorgan in the field lead to wickets when they batted on what seemed to be an increasingly flat pitch?

With Tea delayed, Tom Price cut van der Gugten for the four that took the lead over 100. Ten came off the over and Jared Warner, not so subtly, called for a drink, the standard way of getting instructions on tactics. Whatever the message was, the score continued to crawl along. Finally, in the 141^st over of the innings, Hogan produced a ball too straight for Tom Price, who missed and was LBW for 71 (165 balls, 9x4). 419a0, the lead 110 and Tea could finally be taken.

Glamorgan were now facing a large first innings deficit for the third consecutive match. The previous two had ended in innings defeats. Here, they would have to bat out the best part of three sessions to save the match, knowing that Gloucestershire would chase any realistic target but, surely, the innings defeat was impossible?

When Glamorgan were 39-0 in the seventh over, little could the full horror of what was to come be imagined. With the ball doing little for Salter, the Glamorgan spinner, you would have got good odds had you bet on Zafar as the destroyer but, a spell of 5-3-3-3 broached no arguments. It was astonishing.

The primary incision, as surgeons call it, was made by David Payne, whose first three overs had gone for 21, with the last ball of the seventh over. Lloyd edged and Miles Hammond accepted the catch. Graeme van Buuren, who was acting as captain on the field, even though Chris Dent was fielding, brought on Zafar and, first ball, he induced an edge from Rutherford, Miles Hammond accepting another catch at 1^st Slip. Both openers had gone in consecutive balls, 39-2 and the floodgates had opened. Zafar started with a wicket maiden. David Payne supported him with consecutive maidens. Zafar had new batsman, Selman, in his sights, still on a duck and put him out of his misery as Ollie Price, on a substitute for Ben Charlesworth, took him at 2^nd Slip. 42-3 and, in just 27 balls, the match had turned.

Things only got worse. In Zafar’s fourth over, Carlson also went for a duck to the Zafar/Ollie Price combo: another catch at 2^nd Slip and, at 46-4, horrible imaginings must have been rising in Welsh hearts. Back came Ryan Higgins, out went Byrom, bowled, leaving disastrously. At 48-5, Gloucestershire were preying and praying for the light to hold a little longer. Ryan Higgins’ spell lasted just two overs as Graeme van Buuren brought himself on as the light faded. With probing spin like this at both ends you do wonder if the Surrey or Leicestershire games would have been lost: Graeme van Buuren showed how much his bowling has advanced by doing immediately for Cooke, the Glamorgan captain, caught by Chris Dent at Mid-Wicket, albeit not off a great shot. 57-6, still 53 behind and Glamorgan facing an innings defeat. With the last 23 balls of the day after the wicket all scoreless, Glamorgan closed on 57-6 and will need a huge effort in the morning to get Gloucestershire to bat again.

In the end, just 7 overs of play were lost when the umpires finally decided to bring the players off due to the encroaching darkness. It has been another remarkable Gloucestershire third innings performance on a pitch that, at Tea, had looked totally lifeless.

Day 4:

Tales of the unexpected. With Gloucestershire 316-8 at Lunch yesterday, you would have got very good odds on them chasing an innings victory on the final morning. That they did not get it was largely down some fairly desperate hitting from the Glamorgan tail and some lucky deflections, but the win came soon enough anyway.

You could argue that the Somerset game early in the season, in which a Gloucestershire surge on Day 3 led to the opposition being bowled out cheaply and leaving a small target, or the sudden Surrey collapse from 318-5 to 333ao were better wins against far stronger opposition but, for sheer cheek, the ruthless despatch of Glamorgan from a position when a draw looked by far the most likely result, takes some beating. With Essex struggling to beat the rain and take the win against Surrey and Northants in a mess against Durham, a little window of hope was opening that Gloucestershire could even go into the Durham game with an outside chance of winning Division 2.

Could the ruthless streak carry through on the final morning? Yes, it could!

Sunshine and a brown pitch greeted the players as, increasingly, blue sky started to appear. Zafar, on figures of 10-6-7-3. A wonderful moment at the start of play when Zafar prepared to bowl the first over before the umpires realised that he had bowled the last over last night and stepped in. So, instead, two Slips and a Silly Point for Ryan Higgins.  Zafar’s first ball turned and beat everyone and everything, going for four byes. The second was swept, went high off a top edge and Miles Hammond could not quite get to it. A more conventional sweep third ball for four and ten had come from Zafar’s first three deliveries in what looked like a slightly panicky start by Salter. Runs were coming in a ridiculous rush, as if Glamorgan were aiming for a declaration. Twenty-four runs from the first four overs of play. The deficit down to 27 with a Ryan Higgins No Ball from the first delivery of the fifth over.

Zafar to the aggressive Salter. Graeme van Buuren came over to him and had a word: Zafar floated it up, Salter missed and was given LBW: 84-7, 26 behind. Still the runs came in a rush as the eighth wicket partnership maintained the run-a-ball progress. Smith aimed a massive, reverse sweep at Zafar and was bowled: 94-8, 16 behind and Zafar on 5-25. It was madcap, frenetic stuff and Zafar was closing in on a career best.

Ryan Higgins swung a ball into Douthwaite and castled him, leaving Glamorgan 102-9, 8 behind, with only Hogan to come. It was also his fiftieth wicket of the season. What a signing Higgins has been. And what a way to get to fifty wickets, the batsman thinking that he had everything covered and still Ryan Higgins got the ball through him.

The last two batsmen conferred, presumably agreeing which of the two would swing like hell. Hogan came down the pitch to Zafar and just about cleared Graeme van Buuren as the ball dropped and plugged. Back came David Payne and Hogan lofted him more successfully, bringing the scores level. Van der Gugten edged Zafar just short of Ollie Price and then launched him far over Long On for six. The batting seemed to be by numbers: block, block, block, SMASH! Block, block, block, SMASH! Against canny bowlers who were persistent and a very fine spinner, it was collective suicide. Zafar should have picked up van de Gugten when the batsmen did not quite get hold of a wahoo over Long On, but Ryan Higgins carried the ball over the boundary in taking the catch. Four balls later, van der Gugten tried again, this time Ryan Higgins pushed the ball back into play and Graeme van Buuren took a magnificent relay catch. 124ao, 15 to win and 6-43 for Zafar.

It took Miles Hammond and Chris Dent just nine balls to knock off the runs. Salter took the New Ball and was lofted back over his head, first ball, by Miles Hammond. Nine off that over of spin. Carlson was given the New Ball at the Taff River End, bowling occasional off-spin. A short ball was hammered through Mid-Wicket to bring the scores level and a cut for four – only given as one run because the batsmen had crossed before it passed the boundary – from Chris Dent finished it off. Twenty-two points for the Shire.

With Essex looking unlikely to be able to force victory against Surrey on the last day, they will go into the last round of matches needing seven points against Northamptonshire to guarantee them winning Division 2. An Essex defeat combined with a big Gloucestershire win against Durham could though see the Shire pip them. 

County Championship Round 12 Essex v Gloucestershire

 

 

County Championship Round 12

Essex v Gloucestershire

 

Preview:

Against Northamptonshire, once again, Gloucestershire took a beating for seven sessions before starting a fightback in the eighth and surging to victory in the last. It was the “Gloucestershire Edge of the Seat Brigade”, as Brian Brain called them back in the early ‘80s.

Of the squad picked for the Northamptonshire game, Jack Taylor, Ian Cockbain and Matt Taylor drop out and David Payne and Ollie Price return. Thus the final XI is likely to be the same save for the Taylor/Payne swap, although the option is there to pick three spinners (Zafar, van Buuren and Ollie Price) if the pitch is tailored to the needs of Simon Harmer, in which case presumably it would be Jared Warner who would make way for Ollie Price.

This is the top of the table clash between the two sides that won in the first round. A win for either team would put it in prime position to win Division 2 and some significant prizemoney with just two games left to play.

Day 1:

There was an experiment with 2-day Championship matches after the First World War: this game bears all the marks of a modern attempt to bring 2-day cricket back.

Essex won the Toss in a match-up that has produced a result in the last five meetings, with each side winning one of the two games in 2015 and in 2016, the last time that the sides met. And, surprise, although Gloucestershire elected to play three spinners, with Jared Warner dropping out, Essex inserted on winning the Toss. With bright sun, but also a pitch that looked pretty green, the chances were that the first hour would be interesting until the sun burnt off some of the moisture.

With a 1030 start, losing an early wicket or two is always a risk and Porter took one in the fifth over, pinning Miles Hammond LBW for 5: 13-1. Worse was to follow in Porter’s next over as Ben Charlesworth fell in identical fashion: 20-2 and the Shire in trouble. In came Chris Dent and counter-attacked with fours from his first two balls. Next over, Sam Cook got into the act and first had James Bracey caught behind for 3, then he bowled Tom Lace first ball. Three wickets had fallen in just 7 balls. Graeme van Buuren kept out the hat-trick ball, but this was a nightmare start. When Chris Dent edged Porter to 2^nd Slip, 20-1 had become 28-5. Graeme van Buuren then left a ball on 5^th or 6^th stump line from Cook, expansively, only to see it jag back in a long way and bowl him neck and crop middle and off: 32-6. Welcome to a 1030 September start against an excellent seam bowling unit!!

28 of the first 40 runs had come in boundaries as Ryan Higgins opened his account with a straight drive past the bowler and then ran out to pull the next ball through Mid-Wicket for another. As counterattacks went, it was as brief as they come as Ollie Price then edged Porter to 3^rd Slip for 3 to make the score 47-7 and signal that the end was nigh. However, the ball did start to soften and, as the sun did its work, conditions started to ease slightly. Once again, though, Zafar was batting in a massive crisis, but gave sensible support to Ryan Higgins for a time. Essex obviously expected the pitch to turn because Harmer was on as early as the 25^th over, bowling with a Slip, a Short Leg and a Short Forward Square Leg and it was he who ended the growing partnership as Zafar offered a huge slog-sweep that was top-edged to Square Leg. 74-8. It was not a great way to get out on the first morning of a game. Then Ryan Higgins turned one from outside off to Short Forward Square leg, where Pepper made a brilliant, flying, reaction catch: that was 76-9 and the batsmen were reading Harmer no better than they could read Linear B. In came last man, David Payne, who somehow survived four balls before being bowled by his fifth. 76ao. Carnage. Harmer finished with the remarkable figures of 3-1-2-3 and was already turning the ball.

And so to an only slightly delayed (by 10 minutes) Lunch. It might be slim consolation, but Somerset, Glamorgan and, to a lesser extent, Hampshire, we also in pretty dire straits at Lunch of Day 1.

Essex came out to bat and it took just seventeen balls for David Payne to remove Browne with an edge to James Bracey: 10-1. Batting was turning into a short term occupation. Even a knighthood did not make it a more long-term proposition: Ryan Higgins pinned Sir Alastair Cook and it was 22-2. With scoring at a crawl, Essex were barely making inroads into the Gloucestershire total. When Tom Price had Westley LBW the score had inched to 28-3 after 17 overs and the match, remarkably, was evening-up. Back came David Payne for a second spell and induced an edge from Pepper to the ‘keeper: 32-4 and Gloucestershire getting back into the game. On came Zafar for the 25^th over with two slips and a Short Forward Square Leg and one wondered if he would get the sharp turn that Harmer had managed. While he was imposing respect and went for just three runs from his first five overs, Walter took three fours off a Ryan Higgins over as the deficit narrowed. With runs flowing from Ryan Higgins, on came Ollie Price.

71-4 at Tea. The partnership 39. And it needed to be broken quickly if Gloucestershire were not to be batted out of the match. Zafar and Ollie Price had conceded just 6 runs between them in eight overs so far.

However, Zafar’s first ball after Tea was cut hard to the boundary and Essex were just one run behind. Rymell’s satisfaction with the stroke did not last long: two balls later Zafar gave one some air on Leg Stump and Miles Hammond took the edge at First Slip… it was that sort of pitch – 75-5. Wheater came in and his response was to paddle-sweep for four to take Essex into the lead. Tom Price came back at the other end and was gloriously Cover Driven for another four: three boundaries and a wicket in seven deliveries. The batsmen were clearly going to take any runs on offer. Zafar was causing problems and Walter turned him of the full face of the bat to Tom Lace at Short Forward Square could not quite scoop up a very low chance. Then Zafar had a very loud shout for LBW that was turned down. It was to prove a very expensive miss. The partnership grew and started to prosper and, for the first time in the day, bat was dominating ball.

By the Close the partnership had reached 75, with Walter 71* and Wheater 30* and the lead 74. It was not evident where another wicket might come from. Gloucestershire are facing a big deficit in a low-scoring match.

Day 2:

Gloucestershire needed a fast start and got one. After an initial Zafar maiden, it took Tom Price just 3 balls to make the breakthrough as Wheater edged and gave a catch to brother Ollie, departing for 34 and leaving the hope that the lead might yet be contained. Such hopes vanished though in a hail of boundaries, mostly by Harmer, who hit three from a single Zafar over. The hundred lead came up in the 74^th over as Harmer scored at better than a run-a-ball. Walter, who had been grinding along through most of the Essex innings accelerated through the 70s and 80s as the score rattled along before the New Ball. Up came the 200 in the 78^th over with yet another boundary from Harmer. Ryan Higgins took the New Ball along with David Payne and, finally, with the partnership between Walter and Harmer at 71, Walter edged to Tom Lace at 3^rd Slip, who juggled and caught it at the second attempt. Walter had fallen for 96, an innings that had turned the knife in the Gloucestershire jugular and had deserved to get a century. One wicket quickly became two as Ryan Higgins induced an edge from Harmer and Tom Lace took another catch at 3^rd Slip, this time a very low one that Lace held very well. The batsman asked if it was clean, Tom Lace said that he thought that it was and, showing good sportsmanship, Harmer walked. Still the Essex score mounted. Snater laced into Payne and lofted him way back over Long On for six, which brought back Zafar into the attack after an animated discussion with Chris Dent. It took him just two balls to remove Snater, who took a wild slash and almost cleared Miles Hammond at 1^st Slip, but Hammond took a really reaction good catch, high over his head.

At that point the score was 244-9 and the lead 168. If Gloucestershire thought that their travails were over, they were wrong. Sam Cook and Porter produced a merry partnership of 32 for the last wicket. Up came the 250 and the second batting point in the 99^th over as the last pair took the attack to the bowlers. The final indignity was when Porter launched Zafar into the crowd over wide Long On to cheers from the public who, like all crowds, love to see the last pair swinging away successfully. Next ball he tried again and launched the ball high towards Cover where David Payne took the catch. 276ao.

The net result was a 200 run lead for Essex. With eight sessions to go, Gloucestershire faced batting for two days to save the match.

The innings started with mercifully few alarms and very few false shots. Such was the lack of excitement that the commentators were able to pay tribute to Sir Robert and how he would have livened-up the commentary. On came Harmer and immediately got big turn while, at the same time, the ball sometimes kept low. Still, it was not until the last ball of the thirteenth over that Snater got the breakthrough, with a straight ball that Miles Hammond just seem to miss: Hammond LBW 17, 35-1. Up came the 50 in the 19^th over, albeit with an involuntary edge wide of the Slips and, like England at the same stage, Gloucestershire were looking fairly solid. 73-1, from 29 overs at Tea, Charlesworth 36*, Bracey 20*.

A cut past Slip by Charlesworth gave him a boundary off Harmer and took Gloucestershire past their first innings total and Charlesworth onto 40*. The pitch was playing better and better although when Harmer beat the bat it was actually because the ball did too much, although it was noticeable that, as the ball got softer, he became steadily easier to play. As the score closed in on 100, the calls for a change of ball started… as it happened, successfully. By coincidence, or otherwise, a wicket fell straight afterwards as Harmer turned a ball slightly past Charlesworth’s push forward and hit the pad right in front: 93-2, Charlesworth 49.

It is fair to say that before Charlesworth fell the batsmen were in charge and you could see Gloucestershire batting through the third day and setting a target. Once he fell, the rot set in and, sad to say, some of the wounds were self-inflicted.

A run-out from what proved to be the last ball of the day was an unnecessary piece of hari-kiri. As was a double nightwatchman policy. David Gower tried it at Lord’s in 1985, with disastrous results. Chris Dent tried tried it here. Worse still was that both nightwatchmen – the Price brothers – fell (in 1985, John Emburey at least survived overnight). The score was 123-2. James Bracey was batting nicely, while Chris Dent was bedding in. Essex had brought on Westley to bowl in a sign that that that they thought that it would be a long haul. Bracey clipped him to leg to bring up a fine 50 (118 balls, 7x4). It was the 54^th over. Just seven overs remained in the day. From nothing, James Bracey edged Sam Cook and was taken by Harmer at 2^nd Slip without adding to his score. Harmer to Tom Price, with five men round the bat. A loud appeal for a bat-pad catch was turned down. Next ball, almost identical, save that, this time, there was an edge and Browne took it at Leg Slip. 124-4 and the Shire’s good position had melted away. Out came Ollie Price. Oh dear! Last over of the day, Sam Cook bowling. Chris Dent facing. He took a single off the first ball. Ollie Price saw off the next two without problems and took a new guard for the fourth, which he clipped nicely to Deep Square Leg. The captain called for a second and Ollie Price was just short when the bullet throw came in. The Essex delight was unbounded. 123-2 had become 132-5 and the match now looks set to finish possibly as early as tomorrow morning.

Gloucestershire will start the third day 68 behind and now with no other aim than to avoid the innings defeat.

Day 3:

Blue skies, bright sun: perfect for batting. When, six overs before the Close, the opposition bowlers are contemplating a long, hard day on the ‘morrow and the opposition batsmen, a chase of some sort on the last day, you hardly expected the game to end well before Lunch on the 3^rd day and with an innings defeat. Officially, the thinking was that a lead of 130 might be enough even to win the match, with Zafar potentially spinning the Shire to the win.

The double nightwatchman decision did not look any better for a night’s sleep and, the best that can be said for it is that the two nightwatchmen, by scoring a single run each, outdid the two batsmen that they were meant to be protecting. That the match ended with another runout, just as the innings defeat was about to be avoided, also speaks volumes. However, at least Ryan Higgins was trying to protect the #11 by taking a quick second run. And that the action happened in silence because the commentary stream had failed… again… only added to the feeling of a slightly botched job all round.

Really, the match had been decided in a catastrophic few overs the previous night. When three wickets fell in 21 balls at the start of play, it looked as if the game might be over inside half an hour. Sam Cook finished his over and Harmer then bowled a quiet over, even if there was a suspicion that the umpires should have stepped-in to enforce COVID social distancing rules as he placed his field: Chris Dent has rarely been so popular, with Essex fielders crowding around him. Three balls of Sam Cook’s first, full over were enough to remove Tom Lace, who fished and edged to 2^nd Slip for a duck: 134-6 and any illusions of setting any kind of lead were disappearing. In came Graeme van Buuren, one of the batsmen that you could imagine, with Chris Dent, in batting for a full day. Chris Dent played a maiden from Harmer. Next ball was a nip-backer from Sam Cook and Graeme van Buuren also departed for a duck. Chris Dent then left the first ball of Harmer’s next over, the ball turned away slightly and took middle and off: 134-8. Six wickets had fallen for eleven runs.

So far Zafar Gohar has played three innings for Gloucestershire, all in collapses and in crises and has batted well each time, although his highest score so far is only 24. Again, he provided solid support for a while, this time in partnership with Ryan Higgins. The two added 54 in 22 overs, adding some respectability to the scorecard. The first sign of aggression was when Zafar came down the wicket to Harmer and lofted him for four to make the score 154-8. Ryan Higgins took his cue from that and cut Snater powerfully for four. Mostly, though, it was slow accumulation and sensible play, Zafar using his feet well to Harmer to disrupt his rhythm. The New Ball was taken and the two continued there serene way, which made what had preceded this partnership even more unfortunate. Harmer came back quickly and Ryan Higgins hit a Cover Drive for two off a very wide delivery, which brought up the 50 partnership. The deficit was now just 15 and, astonishingly, just six overs into the New Ball, Essex were starting to go on the defensive and removing most of the close fielders. Finally, Harmer bowled one outside off that turned too much for Zafar and he could only edge it to Slip, out for 24: 188-9 and the end of a very fine partnership of 54. With only the last man for company, Ryan Higgins unleashed a massive slog-sweep into the far distance, bringing the arrears down to just 5. Could Gloucestershire avoid the innings defeat? Payne edged the ball just over Leg Slip who dived for it and just failed to bring off a tremendous catch. No matter, next ball, with the change of over, Ryan Higgins turned to Square Leg and set off back for two. Snater was fast running in and throwing and surprised him with a direct hit.

Gloucestershire 197ao. The margin, an innings and three runs. Gloucestershire, thoroughly outplayed in the end, had shown flashes of really fine play, but had never quite sustained them for long enough.