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Gloucestershire & Northants promoted on final day of the season

26 September 2019

Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire both clinched promotion to Division One of the Specsavers County Championship without even taking to the field on the final day of the match at Bristol.

Their elevation was confirmed when news broke that play had been abandoned for the day in the match between Durham and fourth-placed Glamorgan at Chester-le-Street, denying the Welsh county the victory they needed if they were to retain any hope of overhauling either of their rivals.

Umpires Mike Burns and David Millns then took the decision to abandon play for the day at the Bristol County Ground after heavy overnight rain again left the outfield under water. 

Northants claimed seven points from a drawn match to finish second behind Lancashire, one place ahead of Gloucestershire, who took six points. And players from both sides then celebrated together in the dressing rooms.

"I've never seen anything like this in my career," revealed Northants batsman Alex Wakeley. "We get on really well with the Gloucestershire boys and for us both to be promoted on the same day while playing one another is a great feeling.

"There was no hesitation. Even before we knew our game was off, we went into their dressing room to congratulate them on being promoted. Once our game was also abandoned, we all mixed together and shared a few beers. 

"It's a great atmosphere in there, something really special, because we're two teams that nobody really expected to do this well."

Having finally lead Gloucestershire to Division One after five years in charge, head coach Richard Dawson admitted: "This has been my aim all along, since I first arrived here from Yorkshire.

"I remember playing just half the season when Yorkshire won the Championship in 2001 and I remember how difficult that was. To be able to put it together on a consistent basis over the course of an entire season is something else, and that's the message I've had to try and get across to the players here.

"They were playing well for a session or two, then having a poor session and wondering why they were losing games. You need to be at it all of the time, you cannot afford to drop off for even a single session if you want to win games.

"They now know just how much work needs to go into winning a four-day game. The big difference this year, is that they have been able to maintain the levels required for much longer."

He added: "Nobody outside of Gloucestershire gave us a chance of doing this at the start of the season. It's a special kind of achievement and I make no apology for finishing third and going up. 

"You have to play the hand that is given you and it's the top three that go up this season. We'll take it.

"I've not allowed myself to think too much about Division One, in case it brought us bad luck. But I'm now looking forward to the challenge and I know the players are excited about that.

"We've played the best sides in one-day cricket and matched them and that will now be our aim in four-day cricket. It's about having the ability to play good cricket day in and day out."

Gloucestershire won four of their last six games to advance from a mid-table position at the start of July, while Northants surged into second place courtesy of four straight wins in August and September.

Experienced batsman Wakeley paid tribute to Northants captain Adam Rossington, saying: "He's brought us all together and given us the confidence to win matches and believe in ourselves.

"When you're on a losing run, you tend to over-analyse things and it's hard to snap out of it. But when you're winning, you just rock up to the next game and keep doing the same things.

"We were unable to turn good situations into wins during the early part of the season, but then it just clicked for us. I think it was a confidence thing. All of a sudden, we went into games believing we could win them, and that's made the difference."

Gloucestershire all-rounder Ben Charlesworth was left high and dry on 77 not out as the game was abandoned with the home side on 220-7 in their first innings. Despite needing just one more run to establish a new career-best score, he was philosophical, saying: "It's about the team, not me. We're delighted to have got the job done."

Persistent rain meant only 73 overs were possible in a match which saw two complete days washed out. 

Put into bat in damp conditions on the opening day, Gloucestershire collapsed to 80-6, Ben Sanderson taking two wickets to advance his tally for the season to 60.

Any nerves were dispelled when Charlesworth and Graeme van Buuren (93) joined forces in a seventh-wicket stand of 151 on the third day to carry Gloucestershire to the very brink of promotion.. 

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