Gloucestershire dismissed in two sessions despite Handscomb half century
18 May 2015
A third Championship half century by Peter Handscomb wasn't enough to stop Kent bowling out Gloucestershire in two sessions on a truncated day at the Bristol County Ground.
Rain prevented any play until 2.00, but when Kent skipper Sam Northeast won the toss he had no hesitation in fielding first. Gloucestershire captain Geraint Jones confirmed he would have done the same, and his bowlers will hope the second day brings similarly helpful conditions after Gloucestershire were dismissed for 193 just before the close.
Click here to listen to Peter Handscomb's thoughts on the day here...
Gloucestershire were forced to change the side that won so impressively at Old Trafford against Lancashire, Will Tavare reporting in unwell and Ian Cockbain, who had been scheduled to play for the second XI in two back to back 20 over matches against Essex at Bishops Stortford, being recalled to Bristol. Gareth Roderick was promoted to open the batting with Chris Dent.
Matt Coles and Ivan Thomas shared the new ball, although Thomas had only three overs before switching ends. The first hour was a mix of solid defence and the occasional boundary, Roderick steering Coles along the ground through the slips before clipping Thomas confidently through mid wicket. Dent had found the fence off both the Kent opening bowlers but when Calum Haggett was introduced at the Ashley Down Road end, he got squared up to a ball from around the wicket and edged to Coles at second slip.
Cockbain, having cracked an unbeaten 91 in the T20 win over Middlesex at the Bristol County Ground on Friday night, showed intent straight away with two boundaries off Haggett as Roderick continued to accumulate in his usual measured fashion. He'd made 28 when veteran all rounder Darren Stevens induced an edge which was easily pouched by Sam Billings.
Peter Handscomb joined Cockbain until tea when Gloucestershire were 87-2 although Coles had extracted some extra bounce in his second spell from anything pitched short. It was a warning to the troubles Gloucestershire found batting after tea.
In his second over Coles got through Cockbain's defences and just removed the off bail for 24, possibly with the help an inside edge, before taking an easy caught and bowled to send back Hamish Marshall without scoring.
His confidence clearly up, Coles drew further edges and false shots without success from both Handscomb and Geraint Jones, who found himself batting earlier than he would have wanted. The Gloucestershire skipper survived for nearly 50 minutes but struggled for any fluency before Haggett, in the first over of a new spell, bowled Jones for 11 as he played inside a ball that hit middle stump.
Handscomb reached his fifty off 85 balls with seven fours, but the thin edge to long leg that brought up his half century typified an innings that had been far from plain sailing. He continued to chance his arm after Noema-Barnett was lbw to Stevens for 8, but eventually Coles got his man with Billings taking his second catch of the day to remove the Australian for 69. The tail then folded quickly, as Miles edged Stevens to Denly in the slips, and Ivan Thomas returned to remove Norwell and Matt Taylor in the same over.
With a solitary over from off spinner Adam Riley, Kent's four seamers shared the work, the wickets and the honours on what was very much a bowlers day.
Peter Handscomb is sponsored by Finders-Keepers Sports & Marketing Ltd
