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Bad light halts Gloucestershire progress as Leicestershire match ends in stalemate

25 August 2024

By Richard Latham

Peter Handscomb’s rock-sold half-century against his former club foiled a spirited last day effort by Gloucestershire’s bowlers and earned Leicestershire a comfortable draw from the Vitality County Championship Division Two game at Bristol.

The experienced Australian made 63 not out as the visitors reached 304 for five in their second innings from an overnight 41 without loss, a lead of 162, by the time bad light ended play with a possible 27 overs left. Rishi Patel hit 75 and Ian Holland 56.

In the end the only winner was a typically placid Seat Unique Stadium pitch, which made it hard work for seamers and spinners alike over the course of four bat-dominated days. Gloucestershire took 16 points from the game and Leicestershire 13.

It said much about the pitch that with the new ball only ten overs old at the start of play, Gloucestershire chose off-spinner Ollie Price to open their attack from the Ashley Down Road End. He gained precious little more assistance than the seamers as Patel and Holland set about building on their opening partnership.

There was a sense of inevitability as Patel progressed serenely to a half-century off 79 balls, with 8 fours, making good use of the sweep against Price, who he lofted over long-on for six in the 33rd over.

Two overs later Patel perished attempting a repeat of that shot, this time failing to clear Dom Goodman on the boundary. But the stand of 142 in 34.2 overs with first innings centurion Holland had wiped out Gloucestershire’s sizeable first innings lead.

With 21 added, Marchant de Lange was rewarded for bending his back from the Pavilion End when Lewis Hill, on 11, could only fend a lifting a delivery to Chris Dent at short leg. By lunch, Leicestershire had reached 169 for two, with Holland one short of his fifty.

Gloucestershire hopes were briefly raised when Zaman Akhter took a brilliant catch at backward square, holding onto a pull shot from Ajinkya Rahane off de Lange. Akhter then induced an inside edge onto his stumps from Holland, who had reached a painstaking half-century off 127 balls.

At 180 for four, Leicestershire were just 38 runs in front. But Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed calmed any nerves in the visiting dressing room with a stand of 63 in 13.3 overs, ended when Rehan edged a delivery from Price through to wicketkeeper James Bracey and departed for 23.

Handscomb went to an untroubled half-century off 73 balls, with 7 fours, and was unbeaten at tea, with Louis Kimber 29 not out in a Leicestershire total of 286 for five. The lead was 144 and barring a collapse the Foxes were safe.

The curtailed final session offered more of the same with Handscomb and Kimber having few alarms, despite Price getting some slow turn. At soon after 4.15pm, with the floodlights shining brightly, the umpires decided the light was too poor.

Only six wickets had fallen in two days and the draw, which had long seemed the only likely outcome, was confirmed at 4.30pm with rain falling. Kimber was unbeaten on 38 at stumps.

DAY FOUR HIGHLIGHTS

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