Gloucestershire's response to Leicestershire's innings hampered by rain
28 June 2016
In-form Gloucestershire openers Gareth Roderick and Chris Dent had compiled an unbroken partnership of 69 when rain brought an early end to play with 48 overs remaining on the second day of their match against Leicestershire.
Dent, who came into the match having already scored 547 championship runs this season, hit five fours in going to 34. Roderick was undefeated on 23, though both batsmen were made to work hard for their runs by accurate bowling from the Leicestershire seam attack.
Earlier, an eighth wicket partnership of 86 between Neil Dexter and Clint McKay had seen the Foxes secure a third batting bonus point before being bowled out for 334.
Leicestershire had resumed on 252-7, and McKay, 8 not out overnight, immediately took the initiative by hitting David Payne’s first two deliveries to the off-side boundary. The Australian also hit two sixes, the first sweetly picked up over midwicket off Liam Norwell, the second straight over long-off off the bowling of Kieran Noema-Barnett, before going to his half-century off 47 balls.
Dexter, 107 not out overnight, was able to continue in the same vein, but having passed his previous best score of 131 for Leicestershire, drove at Norwell and edged to second slip where Chris Dent took a good catch diving to his right.
McKay was caught by Craig Miles running back from mid-on as he flat-batted a Norwell bouncer back over the bowler’s head, and the persevering Norwell picked up his fourth wicket of the innings when he had Richard Jones caught behind to end the Leicestershire first innings.
Gloucestershire captain Gareth Roderick: “In an ideal world we’d have rolled them over for less than 300, but some guys batted well and we didn’t hit our straps as well as we did yesterday.
“It’s now the job of the batters to get us back into the game. Every point counts with the way the table is shaping up, we’ve talked about that.
"The pitch is going to get a big more variable as the game goes on, so if we can get a big score we might be able to put them under pressure in their second innings.”
