Roderick holds innings together as wickets tumble
15 July 2015
A day for the bowlers in helpful conditions at Cheltenham College with Gloucestershire, after being put in, losing wickets regularly during the first part of the day before recovering from 114-6 to reach 218 all out, Gareth Roderick top scoring with a patient 61.
It left Leicestershire 21 overs to bat before stumps, and two wicket from James Fuller and one from Benny Howell advanced the game a long way with the visitors 56 for 3 at the close, still 162 runs behind.
Listen to Gareth Roderick's thoughts on the day here ..
Gloucestershire brought in Kieran Noema-Barnett for the injured Hamish Marshall, and it was no surprise when Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove decided to field after winning the toss.
It was an overcast morning following rain during the night, and it was soon evident that all the bowlers would find some movement in the pitch, with slow turn for off spinner Jagir Naik within an hour of the start.
Chris Dent cracked the first boundary off Clint McKay, but the left hander's run of low scores continued when the Australian had him lbw for five in the third over of the day.
McKay was to get through plenty of work in a series of short spells from both the College Lawn end and the Chapel end, and Tavare had already been missed by Aadir Ali at point off Raine when he audibly edged McKay to wicketkeeper Hill with only 30 on the board.
Klinger picked up six runs from a shot that should only have been worth two because of overthrows, and even though the pitch had no great pace timing wasn't easy as the ball was moving a long way off the seam.
Klinger had already edged through the slips twice in making 24 when Charlie Shreck induced another nick and Hill took his second catch of the morning. Roderick and skipper Cockbain then set about surviving until lunch, when Gloucestershire were 85-3. The stand had been worth only 23 at that stage, but it was a critical period and in stark contrast to the avalanche of runs on the final day of the match against Northants last week.
The pattern - with the bowlers very much on top - continued through the bulk of the afternoon session even though the skies brightened up. The cry of "catch it" was heard by supporters in the Members stand as Roderick edged McKay through where third slip would have been, but another breakthrough wasn't far away, as three wickets fell in quick succession to put Leicestershire firmly on top.
Skipper Cockbain was comfortably caught at slip by Robson off Raine for five, Howell looked at the pitch as he was caught behind off McKay, and after the same bowler had softened up Noema-Barnett by beating him three times in the same over, the New Zealander was lbw to the occasional medium pace of Mark Cosgrove, who took his first first class wicket of the season.
At 114-6, Leicestershire might have had thoughts of batting before tea, but the patient Roderick was able to add 45 with Jack Taylor, in so doing completing a valuable half century off 117 balls with four boundaries. His dismissal when it came was something of a surprise, the tall figure of Shreck stooping to take a caught and bowled chance to remove the Gloucestershire wicket keeper for 61.
Taylor was starting to produce a cameo of his innings against Northants when he was very well caught by Boyce off Skreck for 28 and with tea on the horizon, Fuller then decided he would be better off playing some shots than trying to defend, striking three fours and pulling off spinner Naik for six over square leg.
Five wickets had gone down in the afternoon session for 107 runs, yet it was still hard to say who had control of affairs. In the end, as Fuller in particular tried to accumulate what he could before the second new ball was due, McKay was clubbed over mid wicket for six as the New Zealander got to 41 before he lofted the same bowler to Boyce on the extra cover boundary.
At 48, the ninth wicket stand was the highest of the innings, but it took only one more delivery to finish it, Miles clipping McKay to Aadil Ali at point, giving the Melbourne born seamer final figures of 5-59.
218 may have looked a modest score, but Michael Klinger along with several respected observers on the ground suggested anything over 200 on a pitch providing such extensive movement would represent a respectable score. It's a prognosis that still looks accurate.
Left with 21 overs to see out until the close, Fuller quickly removed Robson - Tavare taking a regulation catch at third slip - and then knocked back Eckersley's middle stump.
When Benny Howell got the third lbw decision of the day to dismiss opener Robson, Leicestershire sent in night watchman Naik to accompany Cosgrove through the last four overs to end the day on 56-3. As against Northants last week, a lot will now depend on whether the pitch flattens out on the second day.
