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    Hankins and Roderick excel in Oxford MCCU examination

    6 April 2019

    Gareth Roderick and George Hankins both completed centuries as Gloucestershire batted deep into the second day against Oxford MCCU at the Bristol County Ground.

    Resuming as the overnight pair, Hankins (118) and Roderick (115) took their stand to 224 for the fourth wicket before Hankins retired, and later Roderick also walked off without being authentically dismissed to allow the remainder of the Gloucestershire batting line up some time in the middle. 

    It was Benny Howell (87*) and Ryan Higgins (74*) who made the most of their opportunity, adding 131 together for the eighth wicket before Gloucestershire declared at 466-7, leaving Oxford MCCU half an hour to bat before stumps.

    At the close they were 21 without loss.

     

    With the Championship season less than a week away, head coach Richard Dawson will have been heartened that two specialist batsmen played long innings in a red ball game. True, the runs won't count in any first class records and the Oxford MCCU attack lacked experience but both Roderick and Hankins showed the concentration they'll need if selected against Derbyshire next Thursday.

    The tempo initially was measured, Hankins bringing up his own fifty with a low edge past slip off Wilkinson. It had taken 90 balls, and the same shot also saw the fourth wicket pair complete a century stand from 31 overs.

    Roderick punched Ackter pleasingly through the off side when he had his first bowl of the day, and a shot whipped through mid wicket off Murphy brought up his half century in a session with few false strokes.

    The wicket keeper did however have the one escape, being dropped on 65 at deep square leg off Wilkinson, the fielder spilling a low catch after appearing to misjudge the flight of the ball. That apart, both batsmen scored steadily, forcing effectively through the covers off the back foot against a seam attack that bowled all but one over in the pre-lunch session.  113 runs were added with 16 boundaries, and it was no surprise that there were two hundreds on the scoreboard soon after the resumption.

    Hankins reached three figures first, working leg spinner Harrison into the off side. He had hit 14 fours, and a wide arc of the bat outside off stump saw him send the same bowler over the rope in front of the apartments before making way after more than four hours at the crease. 

    Roderick's century ticked up after a push into the covers off Murphy, the 27 year old having faced 227 balls and struck 10 boundaries. An hour before tea and with 115 against his name, Roderick was replaced by Jack Taylor, only for the all rounder to be caught behind off Zamar Ackter before the session was out. 

    Graeme van Buuren also went cheaply but Benny Howell, striving for a place next week in a competitive area of the side, will have pressed his case with a steadily compiled half century, which included a spell batting against the second new ball. 

    He was 87 not out when the declaration came but having made nearly 30 of his first 60 runs in singles, there was some late acceleration alongside Ryan Higgins, who added 131 with him in 17 overs for the eighth wicket. Batting in a manner which would have been welcomed in the imprending white ball cricket, Higgins took 20 runs off one over from spinner Scott and struck four sixes and five fours against a tiring attack on his way to an unbeaten 74.

    With a total of 466-7 on the board, Chris Dent gave Matt Taylor and debutant Harry Hankins the new ball. Both had attacking fields against Oxford MCCU openers Heathfield and Seward, but neither could secure a breakthough in the final eight overs of the day.

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