Green Takes Five Again And Handscomb Hits Hundred But Foxes Beaten In Bristol

By ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay

18-year-old Alex Green claimed his second successive five-fer, while Leicestershire captain Peter Handscomb notched his ninth List A hundred but Gloucestershire won a close contest by three wickets at the Seat Unique Stadium.

Rookie Tommy Boorman compiled a superb match-winning innings of 38 not out under intense pressure to seal the victory after Green had turned the tide back in the Foxes’ favour.

Handscomb can count himself unlucky to finish on the losing side, Leicestershire's skipper raising a brilliant 107 from 125 balls with nine fours and a six, sharing a substantial partnership of 115 for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox, who contributed a run-a-ball 61, as the Foxes recovered from 76-4 to post 285-7.

Gloucestershire's decision to bowl first was justified when Shaw claimed 3-20 with the new ball to reduce the Foxes to 22-3. The Yorkshireman bowled Rishi Patel between bat and pad without scoring, had Sol Budinger held at deep third man via a top-edged cut and then had Lewis Hill caught at the wicket in the act of cutting.

Shan Masood and Handscomb effected a partial recovery, staging an important alliance of 54 in 13.3 overs. The fourth wicket partnership was beginning to flourish when Ben Charlesworth made a breakthrough with his first ball, persuading Pakistan Test captain Masood to top-edge a pull shot to deep fine leg and depart for 35 with the score 76-4 in the 19th.

That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. New batsman Cox looked to disrupt the home side's smooth progress from the outset, clearing the rope behind square for the first six of the innings when Matt Taylor dropped short as the Foxes reached halfway on 113-4.

The pair managed to get on top for the first time against spinners Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, Handscomb and Cox combining excellent running between the wickets and clever placement in raising a 50 partnership from 57 balls.

Averaging a half-century every four innings in List-A cricket, Handscomb went to his 42nd 50 from 76 balls, while Cox attained the same landmark via 45 deliveries with 5 fours and a six.

Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Akhter obliged, bowling Cox to terminate a partnership that had served to revitalise Leicestershire. Cox had scored a run-a-ball 61, accruing 6 fours and a six, and helped establish a platform from which the visitors could launch a late assault.

Matt Taylor removed Ian Holland cheaply, but there was no shifting Handscomb, the Australian going to his ninth List-A hundred in the grand manner, launching Akhter over long-off for six. He received staunch support from Liam Trevaskis, who weighed in with a quickfire unbeaten 30 from 22 deliveries in a valuable seventh wicket alliance of 51 in 35 balls as the Foxes smashed 61 runs in the final five overs.

Gloucestershire openers Bracey and Bancroft were initially circumspect in the face of the new ball threat. But Bracey soon warmed to his task, greeting Tom Scriven with a pick-up for six over mid-wicket as the home side advanced to 47 without loss at the end of 10 overs. So dominant was Bracey, that Bancroft contributed just seven runs to the 50 partnership.

The opening partnership had realised three figures before the Foxes made the breakthrough they so desperately needed, Bancroft edging a catch behind off Chris Wright and departing for a 49-ball 40 in the 20th over.

Ollie Price proved adept at rotating the strike thereafter and Gloucestershire were well-placed on 134-1 at the halfway stage, requiring a further 152 at 6.1 an over. These two posted a 50 partnership from 65 balls, but Price fell for 29, hitting Green straight to Handscomb at mid-wicket with the score 166-2 in the 33rd.

Green then struck a telling blow, having Bracey held at deep square leg just four runs short of a hundred, at which point Gloucestershire still needed 108 to win with two new batsmen at the crease. Charlesworth hit a quickfire 19, only to succumb to a leg-side strangle as Green made another important intervention to sow an element of doubt in Gloucestershire minds.

Sensing an opportunity, Leicestershire kept up the pressure and Trevaskis dismissed Joe Phillips for 14 to further reduce the home side to 225-5, still 61 short of their target with nine overs remaining. Gloucestershire's task was made harder when Green accounted for Jack Taylor and Akhter with successive deliveries in the 46th over with the score 251-7.

New batsman Miles hit a straight six off Green and Boorman repeated the feat at the expense of Trevaskis as the eighth wicket pair held their nerve to keep Gloucestershire on track. Miles hit the winning six in the penultimate over as Gloucestershire reached their target with nine balls to spare.