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Cockbain and Dent threaten before Henry strikes

26 April 2016

Five wickets split between Worcestershire's opening bowlers Joe Leach and Matt Henry - the first ones to fall after tea in the entire match - have thrust the outcome of this game back in the balance with one day remaining.

A stand of 108 for Gloucestershire's second wicket between Chris Dent (81 not out) and Ian Cockbain (67) mirrored the pattern on the first two days when the batsmen got on top as the day progressed, but a clatter of dismissals in the final hour left Gloucestershire on 217 for 6 in their second innings, a lead of 186 with four wickets in hand.

Hear Ian Cockbain's analysis of the third day here ....

Threatening weather was around the ground for much of the day and unseasonally chilly conditions brought a flurry of hailstones shortly before play began. There was also a stoppage after one delivery as Ben Cox broke his bat when playing a forward defensive shot to Kieran Noema-Barnett's first ball of the day. Matters after that were more of what the sparse crowd would have expected.

Gloucestershire captain Gareth Roderick had pinpointed the importance of the second new ball and although Worcestershire had added 13 runs before it was taken, three quick wickets followed.

In the first of a seven over spell from Liam Norwell, wicketkeeper Ben Cox edged to Gareth Roderick for 69, his dismissal ending a stand of 155 in 43 overs with Ben Clarke. Joe Leach shouldered arms to his first ball from David Payne and was clean bowled, and then Norwell removed Ed Barnard for nine after inducing another edge, this time take by Chris Dent at second slip.

At 331-8 Gloucestershire might have hoped for a first innings lead but Clarke continued to show an impressive range of shots, picking up three boundaries all round the wicket off successive balls in one Shaw over.

Finally, having reached a career best 135, he played one expansive shot too many and lost his off stump to Norwell, leaving last wicket pair Henry and Shantry to nudge Worcestershire ahead of Gloucestershire's first innings score.

The visitors were 394-9, 14 runs ahead when another hailstorm swept across the ground and forced an early lunch. Worcestershire had scored 97 runs in the session at virtually a run a minute, and a straight six by Matt Henry secured maximum batting points shortly after the resumption.

The lead had reached 31 when Shantry holed out to Noema-Barnett at mid wicket off Payne for 13, but the last two Worcestershire wickets had added 80 runs with Henry contributing 42 from only 40 balls. His bowling was to similarly destructive later.

With 70 overs - weather permitting - left in the day, Gloucestershire had the chance to build a sizeable lead, and Bancroft in particular set off with a positive mindset. Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell went looking for early wickets and Bancroft capitalised on the gaps. The Australian, along with Chris Dent, had erased the deficit when Bancroft (29) was the first to go, edging Barnard to wicketkeeper Cox.

Ian Cockbain's season began with him making over 200 runs against Durham MCCU, and although he'd not made a significant Championship score since, his confidence soon returned as he punished Barnard with a series of quickfire boundaries into gaps in the covers and at mid wicket.

He passed Dent on the scoreboard having faced only 21 balls, although it was the left hander who profited from a loose spell by Henry when he returned just before tea, the best shot being cracked fiercely to the backward point boundary.

At the interval, Gloucestershire's lead was 98, and after it Cockbain was first to reach his fifty, working away a tenth boundary in the first over after tea having faced only 65 balls.

Dent cut Shantry to backward point to bring up his own half century, a more sedate affair from 102 deliveries with eight fours, and both were relatively untroubled until Cockbain got a leading edge to a ball from Joe Leach and the bowler took a tumbling return catch.

Not content with breaking the second wicket stand, Leach also removed Gareth Roderick lbw for a duck in the same over, the first time any bowler had taken wickets after tea in the match.

The board read 157-4 when Hamish Marshall walked out to join Dent, and the lead was 126 with 26 overs left on the day. Common sense batting was called for and both men displayed it as Shantry and Leach both toiled away for long spells.

They had added 33 when the recalled Henry, coming round the wicket to the right handed Marshall, bowled the first innings centurion with a ball which seemed to keep low. It was to prove a significant moment, as Henry followed it up by bowling both debutant George Hankins for five and then Kieran Noema-Barnett first ball for nought.

Jack Taylor was able to keep Dent company until stumps, by which point the left hander had batted for more than four and a half hours for his unbeaten 81. Gloucestershire's overnight lead is 186, a figure which could yet lead to a teasing target for Worcestershire on the final day.

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