Bracey's vigil ends with narrow Sussex win
19 July 2018
An innings of 87 by James Bracey, and a stand of 138 between Bracey and Gareth Roderick, who made 66, promised to bring Gloucestershire a second Championship win of the season before Sussex worked their way through the lower order to secure a tense win by 28 runs in an enthralling match at the Cheltenham Festival.
Chasing 276 for victory, Gloucestershire began the day at 30-2, and perhaps predictably were soon four wickets down with the early departure of night watchmen George Drissell and Matt Taylor, but Bracey and Roderick stayed together for 38 overs, and the target was down to exactly 100 when Roderick was bowled by Danny Briggs.
Only 34 runs were needed when Noema-Barnett was the eighth man out just before tea, but Olly Robinson removed Craig Miles and finally Bracey to decide a game which had kept the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout.
Watch James Bracey's thoughts on the final day here:
MATCH REACTION : James Bracey reflects on his 87 which almost pulled off a win against @SussexCCC - he was last out, Sussex winning by 28 runs. pic.twitter.com/NkgD39Aag3
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 19, 2018
A match played almost exclusively under blue skies and on an excellent Cheltenham pitch had left Gloucestershire with a teasing final day target. 246 runs on a ground renowned for fast scoring promised little time pressure, although they had to be prepared for the potential early loss of night watchmen George Drissell and Matt Taylor without much progress on the scoreboard.
Both were out within half an hour for the addition of only eight runs, Sussex wicket keeper Ben Brown taking his tally of catches in the innings to four off Robinson and Archer respectively. At 38-4, the true duel began.
Bracey's two unbeaten centuries this season against Glamorgan and Middlesex had both come in the second innings whilst in defensive situations, so his potential reward here was different. Not that it changed his approach, the 21 year batting in his usual unflustered manner against a Sussex attack that struggled in the morning session to bowl a consistent line on one side of the wicket. When Wiese strayed well outside off stump, Bracey stylishly depatched him through the covers.
Roderick's run of recent scores had included four ducks but having made an unbeaten half century in the first innings he looked in good touch, straight driving Jordan twice in the same over during a fifty partnership which took 81 balls.
Spinners Briggs and Wells had fleeting spells before lunch - Bracey pulling the leg spinner behind square for four - and Sussex's concerns over the progress of Gloucestershire's fifth wicket pair was shown in that Archer was brought back with only one slip.
95 runs had been added in the morning session without losing a main line batsman, and with an almost equal share of the strike it was Roderick who brought up the century partnership by working Wiese to square leg. His fifty, with eight fours, was only marginally slower than Bracey's, whose seven fours included some cover drives with impeccable timing.
Sussex's increasingly optimistic appealing showed their desperation for a wicket as Gloucestershire passed 150, Roderick pulling Wiese towards the Members stand for six. Drinks were taken with 100 runs needed for victory, and only Roderick will know if the break disrupted his concentration.
Briggs was brought back when play resumed and attempting a sweep, he was bowled behind his pads for 66. Graeme van Buuren edged the next ball close to Jordan at slip, and when the England one day international was thrown the ball shortly afterwards, he hurried van Buuren and Finch took a looping catch at slip.
Even with an old ball, Sussex recalled Archer knowing that any further delay might be too late. Higgins became another victim of a leg side catch by 'keeper Brown to give Archer his 100th first class wicket, and in the last over before tea the bustling Robinson also had Noema-Barnett caught behind.
It left Bracey to try and fashion the remaining 34 runs with Miles and Payne, only for Miles to be adjudged lbw to Robinson with only two runs chalked off, and the match was decided when Briggs dived forward to take a low catch after Bracey pulled Robinson's third delivery with the second new ball to deep square leg. He'd made 87 out of 247 in just over four hours, and the sporting way in which the Sussex players applauded him off suggested they knew he'd taken Gloucestershire close to a notable victory.
