Bowlers set up Festival fascinator after Finch flourishes
18 July 2018
Sussex batsman Harry Finch must have a love-hate affair with the College Ground. Three times he's made half centuries at Cheltenham, but in all of those innings a century has eluded him.
In 2016 he was left unbeaten on 87 in a Royal London Cup game which Gloucestershire won. A Gloucestershire victory in this Championship match will depend on how they respond to a Sussex second innings in which Finch - who made 76 first time around - reached 98 before edging Craig Miles to 'keeper Roderick. Personally it was a chance missed, but for his team it was an essential contribution.
His departure was typical of a day on which Gloucestershire repeatedly broke partnerships which threatened to put Sussex in tactical control. Their start was flaky - both openers had gone with the lead still in single figures - and the biggest stand, 81 between Finch and Wright, was ended in the first over after lunch.
Useful contributions down the order took them well into the evening session, but four wickets for David Payne and two each for Ryan Higgins, Matt Taylor and Craig Miles - who also took an oustanding catch - left Gloucestershire with a victory target of 276. By the close they were 30-2, needing a further 246 to win on the final day.
Watch David Payne's thoughts on the match position here:
CLOSE OF PLAY REACTION: David Payne assesses the match as @Gloscricket chase 276 to beat @SussexCCC after he took his 200th first class wicket. pic.twitter.com/loKb3UUMtF
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 18, 2018
A day on which 14 wickets fell began with Gloucestershire 17 runs ahead, and their first innings was to last only a further 17 balls as Payne and Matt Taylor were bowled by Robinson and Archer respectively leaving Gareth Roderick 50 not out. Gloucestershire's lead was 20, but the last seven wickets had contributed only 11 runs.
One supporter called for five Sussex wickets before lunch if Gloucestershire were to win, and early successes for Higgins and Payne, who shared the new ball, fuelled hope his wish might be granted. Salt was bowled playing inside a ball from Higgins, and Wells' edge to Roderick gave Payne his 200th first class wicket.
It left the door open for someone to grasp the initiative, and until lunch Finch and Wright adopted an attacking strategy, Wright pulling Matt Taylor to square leg for six and scoring heavily down the ground between mid on and mid off. Finch, sketchy to begin with, survived a confident lbw appeal by Miles as Sussex ended the morning 83 runs in front.
The match position created an attentive atmosphere from another good Festival crowd, and anyone late to their seats after lunch missed Wright's departure, caught at mid off by Higgins for 48 as he tried to force Payne's second delivery. Burgess also went cheaply and if Gloucestershire could have split the Finch-Brown stand early who knows what their target might have been.
The pair added 61, Finch reaching his half century with ten fours and tightening up his technique as his score grew. He used his feet against Drissell and the Sussex lead was 160 when Matt Taylor caught Brown on the back foot to get an lbw decision against him.
The tall figure of Wiese maintained Sussex's momentum and as the potential target grew Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent had to balance the need for wickets against containment. Finch edged through a vacant second slip on 92, only to misjudge another Miles delivery before tea and see Roderick hold the catch.
It meant Gloucestershire had taken four wickets in the afternoon's play, and the last four added 55 runs during an evening session in which any thoughts of Sussex needing to declare disappeared. Miles' catch to dismiss Wiese for 40 was an excellent effort, retreating towards the chapel with the ball coming over his shoulder, and Jordan (31) added runs which may yet prove important. When Robinson was last out, Gloucestershire had a tense hour ahead of them.
Dent and Hammond had negotiated a similar period successfully on the first evening but here both fell to Archer before the close, wicket keeper Brown taking both catches. George Drissell and Matt Taylor combined in a dual role as night watchmen and they'll resume with 246 needed on the final day knowing that any runs they can add will ease the challenge for those that follow.
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