Bowlers capitalise as Tavare leads strong batting day
15 April 2017
Four significant contributions with the bat - including a second hundred of the season by Will Tavare - pushed Gloucestershire into a dominant position against Leicestershire on an increasingly sunny day at the Brightside Ground.
Resuming on 236-4, skipper Phil Mustard kept Tavare company as he added a Championship century to the one he made against Durham MCCU before the Gloucestershire skipper, partnered by Jack Taylor, accelerated the first innings either side of lunch. Both made fifties, as did David Payne as Gloucestershire plundered 134 runs in 25 overs before the declaration came at 466-8 40 minutes before tea.
Leicestershire's response stuttered against the new ball, Payne taking two wickets and Norwell one to leave the visitors at 14-3. A century stand between skipper Cosgrove and Pettini repaired some of the damage until both fell in quick succession, and Leicestershire closed 301 behind on 165-6.
Listen to centurion Will Tavare's thoughts on the day here :
Saturday's play began with Gloucestershire in the ascendancy, but not by much. Will Tavare and skipper Phil Mustard still had 22 overs available to add to the one batting point already secured, but more importantly the target was a big first innings score on a day set fair for play.
Initially, against a ball only eight overs old, Gloucestershire's fifth wicket pair were circumspect, respecting McKay's accuracy and some early bounce for Raine. Gradually though, the cloud broke and the shackles were loosened, although the clock on Tavare's innings had ticked around close to six hours by the time he took seven runs off an over from Griffiths and steered a single past gully off Raine to reach his century, made with a six and twelve boundaries from 271 balls.
CENTURY! The moment @wtav90 got his 💯 during the morning innings.
👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/PvYvA7nL7W
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) April 15, 2017
Tavare's stand with Mustard had been worth 89 when Griffiths finally squeezed a full length ball past his previously solid defence, but his job was done. With a desire to accelerate the score, Jack Taylor's arrival was timely, and a thick edge through the clip cordon brought up Gloucestershire's third batting point in the last of the allotted overs.
Phil Mustard had earlier skied Cosgrove in the leg side - the ball fell safe - and the Gloucestershire captain completed his half century just before lunch, made from 131 balls with four boundaries.
96 runs had been added in the session as Gloucestershire reached 332-5, and they looked to hold all the cards against a tiring Leicestershire attack. Tactical progress in the game hinged on their ability to raise the run rate, a point that was emphatically answered in the afternoon session.
Mustard despatched Jones to the rope three times in the first over, and his stand with Taylor had been worth 78 in 18 overs when he drove hard at a ball from Dexter and was bowled for 72. Craig Miles went cheaply, fending a short ball from Jones to short leg, but a scoop by Taylor over the third man boundary completed the second Gloucestershire fifty of the day, made from 65 balls with four fours and a six.
The licence to bat freely was also subscribed to by David Payne, who punched Griffiths past point to bring up the 400 and proceeded to crack five boundaries in two overs. The loss of Taylor - caught behind off Griffiths for 60 - was only a minor inconvenience as Payne rattled up a 48 ball half century, and he and Norwell both cleared the boundary before skipper Mustard called in the ninth wicket pair at 466-8 to leave Leicestershire an awkward stint to bat before tea.
It was a test they failed to negotiate without damage as first Payne trapped Horton lbw and then Norwell sent back the left handed Dearden. Skipper Cosgrove joined Dexter at the start of a long final session (39 overs remained to be bowled) and Dexter's swift departure, courtesy of Chris Dent's catch at second slip, left Leicestershire at 14-3.
Payne and Norwell went on to share the first 14 overs before a double change brought Miles and Liddle into the attack, although they were unable to maintain the earlier threat. Cosgrove, especially off the back foot, and Pettini punished any variation in line and length and it took Jack Taylor's introduction to provide a further breakthrough.
Cosgrove, needing two for his half century, clipped a return catch to the off spinner, and as often happens, one wicket brought another soon afterwards as the recalled Norwell had Pettini caught behind by skipper Mustard three balls after completing his fifty, made from 77 balls with nine boundaries.
Ackermann, who came in down the order after injuring a finger while fielding, was in further discomfort before the close and had to retire hurt, and Leicestershire's troubles didn't end there. Raine edged Miles to Mustard for a duck, and they'll resume on Sunday still needing 152 to avoid the follow-on.
