Raine & Robson excel at Cheltenham

Gloucestershire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

INTERVIEW | Ben Raine spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day are available HERE

REPORT | Ben Raine and Angus Robson played the Leicestershire lead roles on a Specsavers County Championship opening day that generally belonged to the seamers at Cheltenham.

Raine finished with four for 57 while Clint McKay, Richard Jones, Charlie Shreck and Neil Dexter shared the other wickets as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 183 before tea.

The Festival hosts struck with the first ball of the reply and soon had County at 86-5 with 17.2 overs of a fascinating day still to come.

Robson batted through for 49 valuable runs compiled off 136 balls in just under three hours at the crease. Vital support came from Ned Eckersley (16 not out) as Leicestershire recovered to 122-5 at stumps.

Gloucestershire went into the game without skipper and wicket-keeper Gareth Roderick, expected to be out for up to six weeks with a broken finger. Chris Dent was named as keeper, with Tavare coming in as an opener.

Leicestershire, on the other hand, were able to call on their experienced keeper Niall O’Brien, making a Championship return from injury in place of Rob Taylor.

Mark Cosgrove opted not to have a toss and that decision was a shrewd one as his seamers made the absolute most of hot and humid conditions at the College Ground. It was reminiscent of the first day at Hove earlier this campaign – another occasion where Raine claimed a four-for.

By lunch Gloucestershire had been reduced to 104 for five from 29 overs. Raine claimed two of the wickets and there was one each for McKay, Jones and Shreck.

The Victorian struck in the first over, having Dent caught behind for a duck with the fifth ball and Jones soon followed up as Tavare (7) was caught by Cosgrove at second slip in the fourth over.

It was 24 for three when in-form Graeme van Buuren departed leg before wicket to Raine for ten. Michael Klinger and Hamish Marshall then added 43 before key man Klinger, captaining the side in Roderick’s absence, edged a second catch to Cosgrove off Raine and departed for 25.

Marshall had reached 19 when Shreck beat his defensive stroke and bowled him with the total on 69.

Taylor and Benny Howell counter-attacked in an alliance worth 53 either side of the interval but Raine went on to dismiss both batsmen in the afternoon session.

The Sunderland-born seamer pinned Howell with one that hooped in sharply for 27, and 122 for six quickly became 123 for seven as Craig Miles (0) looped a quick Jones delivery through to O’Brien.

Taylor progressed to an 59-ball 50 as part of an eighth wicket stand of 44 with David Payne but when he dragged Raine on to his wicket, the end was nigh.

Neil Dexter claimed the last two wickets, enticing Payne (16) to edge to Angus Robson at first slip before Norwell was held by Jones.

Leicestershire suffered a tricky start to their reply as Paul Horton fell lbw to the very first ball of the innings from David Payne and fellow experienced batsman Dexter was bowled by Liam Norwell in the tenth over for 15.

By tea, the visitors had reached 34 for two off 12 overs, and Gloucestershire continued to chip away in the final session.

Skipper Cosgrove (9) was caught behind by stand-in ‘keeper Dent, driving at Shaw with the total on 41.

It was 63 for four when Marshall took a brilliant one-handed catch above his head at mid-wicket to dismiss Mark Pettini (1) and 86 for five when O’Brien (6) was pinned lbw by Payne.

Opener Robson played the anchor role for Leicestershire, hitting eight precious boundaries in all. He escaped on 38 when edging Payne between first slip Klinger and wicketkeeper Dent but had earned his slice of fortune.

Robson and Eckersley came through unscathed and with 26 extras also helping the cause, County had the deficit down to 61 by stumps to set up an intriguing second day.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire: McKay 11-1-42-1, Jones 13-3-41-2, Raine 14-0-57-4, Shreck 7-0-26-1, Dexter 4.5-1-11-2.