Gloucs take control at halfway stage

Gloucestershire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 2:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE 

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

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the second day are available HERE

REPORT | Gloucestershire put in a strong performance with both bat and ball to seize control of the Specsavers County Championship game at the Brightside Ground, Bristol.

Gavin Griffiths doubled his wicket tally to end with 4-101 but Will Tavare posted his second first-class hundred of the season and Phil Mustard, Jack Taylor and David Payne all scored fifties to allow Gloucestershire to declare at 466-8.

County slipped to 14-3 in reply and although Mark Cosgrove (48) and Mark Pettini (54) steadied the ship with a fourth wicket alliance worth 102, both set batsmen were dismissed in the space of twelve deliveries.

There were another couple of blows before stumps. Colin Ackermann came to the crease already hampered by a hand injury and was forced to retire hurt after taking another knock, and Ben Raine became the sixth wicket to fall. County ended proceedings at 165-6, still trailing by 301 runs. 

The first hour of play continued the theme of the opening day with the home batsmen generally being watchful and Leicestershire’s attack striving for breakthroughs but seeing the ball avoid the outside edge when movement was extracted.

Tavare came out of his shell to hit a couple of beautiful straight drives for four and he completed his hard-earned century in the 105th over, the landmark coming from 271 balls and including eight fours and a six.

His long stay came to an end shortly afterwards though as Griffiths claimed his third wicket by hitting the stumps with a full delivery. Tavare (101) had shared 89 with Mustard, a stand that saw off the second new ball.

The race for bonus points was a close run thing with Taylor fresh at the crease. Gloucestershire registered a third batting point as the new batsman slashed the penultimate delivery of the 110th over the slips. With the score at 302-5 by the end of the over, Leicestershire ended with a solitary bowling point.

Mustard and Taylor were looking to capitalise on Tavare’s hard work by upping the rate. The captain recorded 50 before lunch from the 131st ball of his innings (4x4) and Gloucs went in at 332-5 after 118 overs.

The pair, who went in on 51 and 22 respectively, continued to accelerate after the interval. A flurry of boundaries arrived - five in the space of seven deliveries -with Mustard striking a trio off Richard Jones and Taylor adding a brace from the bowling of Neil Dexter as 23 runs came off the first two overs of the afternoon session.

Leicestershire responded with a couple of wickets; the alliance between Mustard (72) and Taylor ended at 78 as the skipper was deceived by a Dexter delivery that swung back to disturb the stumps, and Craig Miles (5) then fended Jones to Harry Dearden at short-leg.

Taylor played an improvised shot over the slips to register his lively half-century with a maximum, the 65-ball landmark also containing six fours.

Payne struck a four through the covers to take the score beyond 400 and went on to contribute 33 in a quickfire stand of 55 with Taylor, including three fours off Cosgrove in the 136th over.

Griffiths broke the alliance by having Taylor (60) caught at the wicket by Eckersley but Payne continued to go for his shots and registered his sixth career first-class 50 from just 48 balls (8x4, 1x6).

Mustard called in his troops to leave Leicestershire 47 overs to bat on day two, including a tricky half hour before tea. County lost both openers in that time, Paul Horton (6) and Dearden (8) being trapped lbw by Payne and Liam Norwell respectively to leave Leicestershire at 14-2.

There had been no further addition after tea when a third wicket was claimed, Dexter (0) edging Payne’s left arm seam to Dent, who took a sharp catch above his head in the slips.

With Ackermann not able to bat until number seven after being off the field today, Pettini joined Cosgrove. The batsmen both scored freely in an attractive partnership; whenever one batsman nudged ahead in terms of runs, the other caught up quickly.

Cosgrove looked equally at ease either cutting the ball or working it through mid-wicket as he scored eight fours while Pettini found the fence nine times in the partnership. 

The right-hander was tested early on but used soft hands to frustrate the seamers. The ball not only failing to go to hand in the cordon but also ran down to the third man boundary on several occasions.

Pettini settled quickly and played some glorious strokes, with a drive through mid-on being the best shot of the day. Unfortunately for Leicestershire, the stand was ended shortly after reaching three figures as Cosgrove drove back to Taylor.

Pettini moved to 50 from 77 balls (9x4) by steering a two at the start of the 35th over and the next ball was also sent down to third man, this time for four.

The batsman was looking in fine fettle but the over continued to be eventful, and this time Gloucestershire profited. Norwell found an edge as Pettini looked to leave to give Mustard a catch behind the wicket and Leicestershire were now struggling again at 127-5.

Ackermann (8) tried his best to fight through the pain barrier but had to retire hurt, and Miles then enticed Raine (0) to nick through to Mustard. Eckersley, who struck four boundaries in posting 25 not out, guided the team to stumps alongside Clint McKay, who will resume on 8.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire | McKay 24-5-69-0, Jones 27-5-86-2, Griffiths 34-7-101-4, Raine 29-7-63-1, Dexter 8-0-40-1, Cosgrove 14-1-59-0, Ackermann 4-0-15-0, Dearden 3-0-19-0.