Bowlers make up for lost time
22 May 2016
Less than half a day's play was possible at the Brightside Ground on the opening day of this Championship match with Northants, but Gloucestershire's bowlers made the most of a truncated day with five quick wickets as Northamptonshire - who had surprisingly decided to bat - were reduced to 59-5 at one stage.
The first bowling change brought a wicket for Josh Shaw in his first over, and thereafter it was a procession as the Northamptonshire top order, Rob Newton apart, successively perished to a series of edges to the Gloucestershire close fielders.
A lively sixth wicket stand between Richard Levi and Steven Crook halted their progress for a while before Shaw picked up two more wickets shortly before play was abandoned for the day after a second interruption for rain. At stumps, Northants had reached 134-7, with Crook 43 not out.
Listen to Josh Shaw's thoughts on the day's play here :
Michael Klinger's inclusion at the expense of Cameron Bancroft was the only change to the team which had beaten Glamorgan in the previous Championship game, although the team sheet submitted to the umpires suggested he would bat at number four, with Gareth Roderick moving up to open the batting alongside Chris Dent.
As it was, both men would be busy in the slips alongside Roderick after Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely declined the offer to bowl first, won the toss and decided to bat.
The first nine overs were deceptive, as the visitors proceeded to 22-0 with few alarms for opening pair Ben Duckett and Rob Newton, but the introduction of Josh Shaw and a switch of ends for Craig Miles changed all that.
First the left handed Duckett was caught behind by Roderick for 11, and then in Shaw's next over he bowled a beauty which hit the middle of off stump to remove Newton for 18.
After six economical overs at the pavilion end Payne made way for Miles, who beat Wakely through the gate almost immediately. The Northamptonshire skipper looked uncertain, and he was missed by Roderick - a difficult low chance down the leg side off Shaw - before Rob Keogh (5) attempted to force Miles through the off side and was caught at third slip by Klinger.
The same combination ended Wakely's uncomfortable stay in Miles' next over, and although Adam Rossington deposited Noema-Barnett into the stand in front of the Graveney apartments, the bowler had his revenge almost immediately as Chris Dent snapped up another edge to leave Northants at 59-5. all five wickets having gone down inside an hour.
Richard Levi and Steven Crook survived until tea, and after it tried to disrupt the line and length of the Gloucestershire bowlers with some aggressive stroke play.
They were particularly severe on anything short from the pavilion end, with Craig Miles conceding 37 runs in four overs, chiefly towards the short boundary on the off side.
Together, Levi and Crook added 51 in 10 overs before Levi was bowled by Shaw for 23, a dismissal which brought in Sri Lankan leg spinner Prasanna. He was nearly bowled by Miles before he had scored, but under darkening skies, and after a cleanly hit straight six off Shaw, he top edged a short ball to Payne at long leg, who took a well judged catch.
Gleeson saw out the over, at which point umpires Burns and Saggers took the players off because of light rain, and with the light closing in, play was called off for the day with Gloucestershire well on top despite losing the toss.
Northants will resume on Monday at 134-7, and with the responsibility for a respectable score firmly in the hands of Steven Crook.
Josh Shaw is sponsored by The Drapers Arms
