Attritional opening day in Bristol

Gloucestershire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE 

INTERVIEW | Gavin Griffiths spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day are available HERE

REPORT | Will Tavare and Graeme van Buuren made scores in the 70s on an attritional opening day of the Specsavers County Championship game at the Brightside Ground, Bristol.

Gloucestershire closed at 236-4 from 88 overs after Mark Cosgrove exercised his right to bowl first with Gavin Griffiths (20-6-47-2) the most successful of a hard-working Foxes attack.

Tavare (73 not out) and van Buuren (79) guided their team to 200-2 at tea as part of a 127-run stand but Leicestershire fought back to restrict their hosts to 36-2 in 24 overs after the break before bad light brought about an early close.

Ben Raine (21-5-41-1) and Richard Jones (16-4-44-1), who returned to the Leicestershire XI along with Neil Dexter following respective foot and hamstring injuries, were the other wicket-takers. All-rounder Raine took a career-best 6-66 against Notts in round one and bowled just as well today without much luck.

Leicestershire had the opportunity for an early breakthrough but Chris Dent received an early reprieve as Paul Horton put down a catch at first slip off Clint McKay before the left-hander had scored.

Dent went on to frustrate the Foxes alongside free-scoring Australia overseas batsman Cameron Bancroft, who raced to 32 with a number of fine strokes, including several boundaries through the off side.

The openers registered their 50 partnership inside 14 overs but it was broken by Griffiths. The seamer claimed his maiden Specsavers County Championship wicket by bowling Bancroft with a terrific in-swinging yorker.

It helped to stem the run rate and Raine created another chance as Dent edged towards Colin Ackermann at second slip but the chance went to ground.

Leicestershire did, however, dismiss the opener before the interval as Jones returned to bowl the opener for 20 off an inside edge, leaving Gloucestershire at 74-2 at the end of the 27th over.

Another stand developed along the same lines of Dent and Bancroft with Tavare dropping anchor and van Buuren happy to play his strokes.

The number four batsman struck four early boundaries as he moved to 18 and Tavare was 13 not out as Gloucs went in at 93-2 after 30 overs, and the pair continued their alliance after the interval.

County’s bowlers kept the ball in good areas with Raine beating the outside edge on several occasions but the stand passed 50.

van Buuren posted a punchy 65-ball half-century, moving to the landmark in the 47th over with two fours in the space of three deliveries. Those strokes, a powerful hook and well-timed cut, took his boundary account into double figures.

Number three Tavare slipped out of watchful mode momentarily in clipping McKay away for six at the end of the 49th over. van Buuren then took the partnership into three figures when nicking the final ball of the 55th over of the innings from Jones agonisingly wide of third slip.

Tavare joined van Buuren in posting 50 (114b, 4x4, 1x6) before Jones suffered more misfortune. van Buuren was dropped in the cordon before Tavare drove back to the bowler, who couldn't quite cling on to the chest-high chance in his follow through.

Gloucestershire recorded their first batting point in the tea over but despite their hosts having a great platform, Leicestershire excelled in the final session. The team took two wickets and conceded only 19 runs in the 16-over period before the new ball was due.

van Buuren had 79 when resuming at the crease but was not to add any further runs to his tally, Raine picking up some deserved reward in his second over after tea as the batsman nicked to Eckersley.

It was a first bowling point for County and a fourth wicket followed shortly afterwards as Griffiths extracted the edge of George Hankins (1) and Harry Dearden took a good catch in the slips.

The new ball was taken immediately by McKay and Raine and although no further wickets were taken, just 17 runs were taken from the next eight overs to ensure Leicestershire kept Gloucestershire in check before the premature close.

TEAM | Horton, Dearden, Dexter, Cosgrove (capt), Ackermann, Pettini, Eckersley (wk), Raine, McKay, Jones, Griffiths.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire | McKay 18-3-54-0, Jones 16-4-44-1, Griffiths 20-6-47-2, Raine 21-5-41-1, Dexter 2-0-14-0, Cosgrove 7-1-15-0, Ackermann 4-0-15-0.