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Bowling Not Up To The Mark - Bracewell

25 April 2013

John Bracewell admitted that Gloucestershire's bowling had contributed to Northants building a first innings lead of 212 on the second day of the LV=County Championship match at Bristol.

The visitors ran up 404 all out, having begun the day on 107-3, and by the close had their opponents 34-1 in the second innings.

That meant Gloucestershire still trailed by 178 and Director of Cricket Bracewell was far from impressed by some of the bowling.

He told this website: "We have allowed the Northants batsmen to play well by not being consistent with our lines and lengths.

"We didn't hit the right areas for long enough and that made it very difficult for the captain to set fields, which would contain the scoring.

"We had good little spells where we took wickets, but then tended to drift off line again. Whether that is fatigue I am not sure, but our skill execution wasn't up to the mark.

"Inexperience has been an excuse in the past, but a number of our guys are now into their third or fourth season of first class cricket, so it no longer applies.

"They know what is expected on our home pitches and it's about maintaining their skills, which they were unable to do today.

"With three seamers out injured, this is our A team. We showed in the first Championship game that we can perform, but we need to be consistent."

Will Gidman finished with 4-109 as half-centuries from Alex Wakely (88), James Middlebrook (62) and Steven Crook (53) put Northants in control.

For full details of day two click on match reports.

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