Pre season friendly against Somerset ends in draw
21 March 2017
Day 1
Somerset’s Peter Trego and Steven Davies shared a century partnership for Somerset on the opening day of Gloucestershire's second pre-season friendly of 2017.
In reply to the hosts 268 all out by the time the game came to a premature end Gloucestershire trailed Somerset by 242 runs with all wickets remaining.
Gloucestershire decided to bowl first in Taunton and their decision was rewarded with David Payne taking the early wicket of Adam Hose.
Payne went on to take two more wickets throughout the day, including the wicket of Somerset’s former captain Marcus Trescothick (37), caught at second slip by Chris Dent.
It was Benny Howell who took the crucial wicket for Gloucestershire. Peter Trego was looking comfortable at the crease, but Howell bowled him for 78 with Somerset 201 for 5 after 46 overs.
Watch Benny's wicket of Peter Trego here:
[video width="960" height="540" mp4="/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Benny-Wicket.mp4"][/video]
Chris Liddle, who took three wickets in the first pre-season fixture of the season, took three more on day one at The Cooper Associates County Ground.
There was also contributions from Craig Miles and Ollie Currill, with the pair taking one wicket each.
Somerset's innings came to an end with the home side all out for 268.
There was enough time left in the day for Gloucestershire to take to the crease and it was Tavare and Dent who opened the batting for Gloucestershire.
The pair scored 26 runs in 8 overs, including three boundaries from Dent. The pair will resume at the crease on Tuesday at 11.00am.
Day 2
The second day of Gloucestershire's pre-season friendly against Somerset was limited to 26 overs due to the weather.
During the day Gloucestershire added 72 for the loss of one wicket and by the close, trailed by 170 runs.
Rain prevented play getting underway until 4pm but when it did, openers Chris Dent and Will Tavare resumed the visitors innings on 26 without loss after seven overs.
With the total on 51 in the 17th over, Chris Dent was well caught at first slip by Jim Allenby for 25.
Play continued until 5.45pm at which point the players left the field for bad light.
By the close of play Gloucestershire had moved onto 98 for one off 34 overs, Graeme van Buuren unbeaten on 34 and Tavare not out 24.
Day 3:
Gloucestershire's three-day match against Somerset ended in a predictable draw when bad light brought the game to an end.
The day began with Gloucestershire on 98 for one off 34 overs and the second wicket pair of Will Tavare and Graeme van Buuren looked quite comfortable from the start.
Van Buuren went to his half century and shortly afterwards retired on 51 which brought George Hankins to the wicket to join Tavare. The pair took the score onto 148 until Trego, with his third ball had Hankins trapped LBW for 17 and next ball he had Phil Mustard caught down the leg side by ‘keeper Steve Davies.
Jack Taylor survived the hat trick ball but soon after he became Trego’s third victim, caught at second slip by the ever reliable Marcus Trescothick and by the time rain stopped play and an early lunch was taken, the visitors had moved onto 166 for 4.
After lunch Gloucestershire lost Tavare for 76, LBW to Roelof van der Merwe, and took the total onto 245 for eight, shortly declaring afterwards, 23 runs in arrears.
Somerset’s second innings didn’t start well when Trescothick was run out for five, Tom Abell was bowled for five shouldering arms to Craig Miles who then bowled Adam Hose for the same score.
When Davies joined Hildreth the situation looked precarious, however, the fourth wicket pair quickly made a stand with attacking shots that gave the Somerset fans who were present something to cheer about.
The match came to an end in Taunton with both sides taking positives from the fixture.
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