Miles breaks whirlwind stand on route to half century
19 September 2018
Fast bowler Craig Miles experienced all the emotions of a County Championship bowler on a truncated second day of the game with Northamptonshire at the Brightside Ground.
After an economical first spell, Miles returned just before lunch to become the third bowler on the day to take a wicket in their first over of a new stint. The 24 year old then conceded 33 runs in 5 overs as Richard Levi and Adam Rossington blasted a stand of 72 in only 53 balls before dismissing both to take his tally of first class wickets for the season to 50.
Miles finished with 3-52 and David Payne 3-29 as Gloucestershire dismissed Northants for 173, a lead of 48 on first innings.
49 overs were left on the day as Gloucestershire prepared to bat again, but gloomy light and subsequent rain delayed a resumption and ultimately forced the umpires to call off play for the day at 4.40pm.
Watch Craig Miles' thoughts on achieving 50 first class wickets for the season here:
CLOSE OF PLAY REACTION: Craig Miles reflects on his 50 first class wickets in 2018 and the match position against @NorthantsCCC who lead by 48 on first innings. pic.twitter.com/RYidyhd7Ri
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) September 19, 2018
Gloucestershire's bowlers began the second day looking to make early inroads into the Northants batting in order to restrict any potential advantage on first innings, but for almost an hour the overnight pair of Ben Curran and Rob Newton survived against a ball still moving around despite much brighter skies than 24 hours earlier.
The slips were much closer to the batsman than usual, but still early edges were dropping short so it was with some relief that after both batsmen had enjoyed moments of fortune Matt Taylor, having replaced David Payne, trapped Newton lbw for 8.
Payne's return saw Ricardo Vasconcelos also depart cheaply, comfortably caught in the gully by Ian Cockbain, and Craig Miles introduction from the Pavilion End accounted for Curran - brother of England's Sam and Tom - Miles Hammond taking the catch at third slip after the left hander had struck five fours in an innings of 30.
Benny Howell's removal of Alex Wakely, caught at the wicket by James Bracey, came with Northants still 49 runs behind, but nine overs either side of lunch proved the difference between them having a first innings deficit and a useful advantage.
Wicket keeper Adam Rossington, batting at number seven, faced only eight balls before the interval but drove five of them for four, all off Howell. Re-fuelled at the interval, Richard Levi added three further boundaries off Miles before getting tucked up by the same bowler and seeing an attempted cut fly to Ben Charlesworth on the third man boundary.
The sixth wicket pair had added 72, and two overs later Miles spread Rossington's stumps to take his fiftieth first class wicket of the season. Rossington's innings of 43 was the highest of the match, but his depature checked Northants' possible lead as their lower order once again found batting an awkward exercise.
The last three wickets added only a further 12 runs, Ryan Higgins, Matt Taylor and David Payne sharing the wickets before Nathan Buck was last out in gloomy light.
Umpires Michael Burns and Paul Pollard decided an early tea should be taken before Gloucestershire started their reply, and the weather closed in with rain preventing any further play but the game is still advanced enough to suggest enough time remains - despite an indifferent weather forecast - for a positive result.
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