Bowlers impress in final test before Championship opener
7 April 2019
Gloucestershire's last warm-up game before the first class season begins on Thursday finished as a draw after Oxford MCCU resisted stubbornly on the final day.
Resuming at 21-0, opener Tom Heathfield occupied the crease until midway through the afternoon session before he was lbw to Benny Howell for 85. His contribution gave the scorecard a lop sided look, as after three early wickets for Ryan Higgins - including that of first wicket partner Seward for 23 - only David Scott (26) made a significant contribution in a total of 175.
Harry Hankins, on his first team debut, took his first wicket for the club, and with Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent regularly rotating his bowlers the remainder were shared with Higgins, Howell and Matt Taylor picking up three wickets each.
It left Gloucestershire, despite a lead of 291, with the bulk of the final session to get some more batting practice before stumps were drawn, openers Miles Hammond and skipper Chris Dent occupying the crease for ten overs before the captains shook hands with Gloucestershire 33 for no wicket, 324 runs ahead.
At the close, here were the thoughts of head coach Richard Dawson...
Head coach Richard Dawson speaks to @Gloscricket at the end of the drawn game with Oxford MCCU. pic.twitter.com/Do6xV5mSog
— Gloucestershire Cricket🏏 (@Gloscricket) April 7, 2019
The overall pace of the final day's play wasn't a surprise, as the Oxford MCCU batsmen generally found it easier to survive than pierce the field. In the end, they batted for just over two sessions, but could have lost wicket keeper James Seward in the first over had Harry Hankins gathered a chance right on the rope at long leg.
Seward and Tom Heathfield added 27 runs on the day before Seward edged Higgins to skipper Dent at second slip. Matthew Taylor was clean bowled two balls later, and when McBride was lbw, also to Higgins, three wickets had gone down for four runs in 27 balls.
Benny Howell was the other successful bowler before lunch, trapping Harrison lbw, but the tall frame of Heathfield remained at one end throughout, contributing 37 of the 66 runs scored in the session and completing his half century from 120 balls with a thick edge off Matt Taylor to the third man boundary.
Five bowlers, including spinner Graeme van Buuren, had been used by this point and the concept of sharing the workload continued after lunch with James Bracey taking over wicket keeping duties in place of Gareth Roderick. He took two catches, one of them giving Harry Hankins his first Gloucestershire wicket in a first team fixture as Shaw (7) edged into Bracey's gloves.
Scott and Heathfield added 33 before Benny Howell split their sixth wicket stand by removing the patient Heathfield for 85, and in his next over Pettman edged to the safe hands of skipper Dent at second slip. Matt Taylor's three wickets came in a clump either side of tea, the last two in the same over mopping up the tail to leave him with figures of 3-60. Higgins (3-30) and Howell (3-37) also had useful workouts.
Hammond and Dent spent 45 minutes in the middle as Gloucestershire's second innings occupied the remaining time up until the start of the final hour, when the teams shook hands and the match was drawn.
