Griffiths digs in but County suffer tough day
Thu 30 Aug 2018
SCORE | Day 2 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Gloucestershire CCC 202 and 152-1 v Leicestershire CCC 111
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Gavin Griffiths spoke to BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae at stumps
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
REPORT | Gavin Griffiths came close to posting a career-best first-class score on a day where Gloucestershire CCC came out on top at the Brightside Ground, Bristol.
The hosts claimed a first innings lead of 92 after bowling the Foxes out for 111, and extended that to 243 by stumps for the loss of one second innings wicket as Chris Dent (61*) and Miles Hammond (68) shared an opening stand of 107.
Nightwatchman Griffiths, who came in with the score at 10 for one yesterday evening, batted with admirable guts and determination to end unbeaten on 36 from 144 deliveries.
Griffiths was hit on a number of occasions by the home attack but dug deep to take his tally in the last four Specsavers County Championship innings to 81 undefeated runs from 254 balls.
Leicestershire CCC resumed at 11 for one and there was an encouraging start as Horton and Griffiths played a number of impressive strokes.
Both batsmen steered deliveries in the arc between cover point and third man with Horton collecting four boundaries and Griffiths two.
The duo settled in impressively, seeing off a probing spell of left arm seam bowling from David Payne, and looked to be taking the team into a decent position.
However, the introduction of Ryan Higgins, who would go on to claim four for 26, brought the first breakthrough of the day with the score at 48. Horton (27) offered a defensive stroke but nicked to ‘keeper Gareth Roderick to end a stand that yielded 38.
That brought Ackermann (11) to the crease, and he sent his first delivery racing through extra cover for four while also flicking a boundary down to fine-leg.
But the batsman, in at No.4 this innings, became another victim of Higgins when a ball nipped back to clip the off stump, leaving Leicestershire CCC at 62 for three in the 26th over.
Mark Cosgrove (4) played a beautiful stroke down the ground before being bowled by an excellent delivery from Craig Miles that shaped away just enough to clip the off stump.
Despite losing three partners, and taking several painful whacks on the gloves, Griffiths continued to battle hard and made it through to lunch on 24* (96b).
The Foxes had 78 on the board at that point and had not added to their total when losing a fifth wicket. Neil Dexter (2) nicked Miles to Roderick, and when the ‘keeper pouched Ned Eckersley (6) off the bowling of Payne three overs later, the Foxes was at 86 for six.
Leicestershire CCC moved into three figures as Raine pulled through mid-on and Griffiths used soft hands to play to the vacant third man boundary.
But Higgins and Matt Taylor combined to good effect, the former Middlesex all-rounder doubling his tally while Matt Taylor claimed a brace as Griffiths held firm at the other end. Both Raine (8) and Dieter Klein (1) got leading edges, and Parkinson (2) and Abbas (0) fell leg before.
Tea was taken, and Dent and Hammond then shared a solid partnership in an extended final session of 47 overs.
Hammond flicked a four off his pads in the early exchanges but generally looked strong driving through the off-side, while Dent was happy to drop anchor for his charges.
The young opener picked up the first six of the game after a top-edged pull sailed over Eckersley’s head, and then moved to 50 from 76 balls (7x4, 1x6).
Runs were now arriving at a brisker pace with Dent producing a cut and pull to collect a pair of fours in the space of three balls in the 27th.
Hammond then sent two deliveries through cover at the start of the next over as the stand moved to the cusp of 100.
The duo reached their milestone before Hammond pushed at a Dexter delivery that took the edge and was taken by Ackermann at second slip.
Dent and James Bracey (17*) guided their side through to stumps, with the captain reaching 50 from 107 balls (9x4).
Although it was a tough day for Leicestershire CCC, the team has responded well this season and will come back looking for early wickets tomorrow.
TEAM | Horton (capt), Dearden, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Dexter, Eckersley (wk), Raine, Parkinson, Klein, Griffiths, Abbas.
FIGURES | 1st innings: Abbas 20.3-11-30-5, Raine 22-9-44-3, Klein 10-4-20-0, Griffiths 16-3-37-1, Parkinson 11-2-32-0, Dexter 5-2-16-0, Ackermann 3-0-3-1.
2nd innings: Abbas 11-6-11-0, Raine 11-3-28-0, Griffiths 4-0-18-0, Klein 5-0-36-0, Dexter 7-0-25-1, Ackermann 4-0-7-0, Parkinson 5-0-21-0.
PHOTO | Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Gavin Griffiths batting.
* This Friday sees the stars from the smash hit musical ‘Mamma Mia!’ come together to perform a dazzling concert of ABBA’s sensational music at the Fischer County Ground. There are limited tickets available which can be bought HERE
