Taylor's century sets up two day Cheltenham win
9 July 2015
Photograph courtesy of www.jmpuk.com. Twitter : @jmpuk_sport
Among Cheltenham's 273 previous first class matches, not many will have had a day like this. Nearly 500 runs, 17 wickets and a career best score by a man batting at number eight, all topped off by a nine wicket Gloucestershire victory.
The win was set up by a memorable display of counter attacking from Jack Taylor, as he transformed a potential first innings deficit into a match winning lead before he was last out for 156.
Gloucestershire were finally dismissed for 372 in their first innings, a lead of 126, but some fine new ball bowling from Miles and Norwell reduced Northants to 40-5 in their 2nd innings, a position from which they never really recovered.
Miles finished with 5-28 as Northants were dismissed for a modest 160 in less than a session, leaving a victory target of only 35 in the evening sunshine.
Listen to Jack Taylor's thoughts on his day here ...
The day's ultimate outcome appeared unlikely early on as Northants looked to be heading for a first innings lead with Oli Stone dismissing both the overnight batsman, Cockbain and Marshall, in his opening spell. Only 26 runs had been added, and Gloucestershire's deficit was still 138.
Taylor then joined Howell, and batting from deep in his crease Taylor set about trying to wrestle the initiative away from the visitors from the moment he cut Crook to the boundary in the former Lancashire all rounder's first over. It was soon to develop into a belligerent knock.
His intent always gave the bowlers some encouragement, but this was the Taylor from the Championship match at Derby in early June, and not the last month when he has had a string of single figure scores.
Benny Howell was a more reserved partner, but together they got the scoreboard ticking steadily and both also cleared the rope, planting spinner Graham White into the hospitality marquees.
The 50 partnership took only 55 deliveries and Taylor reached his own fifty from just 43 balls with six fours and a six. He was particularly severe on anything short, and the pair had added 113 in 21 overs when Stone was recalled just before lunch and again proved a stand breaker, Wakely pouching a third catch of the morning at slip to remove Howell for 36.
By lunch, Taylor had plundered an unbeaten 74, and with Fuller at the other end he steered Gloucestershire ahead on first innings until Fuller, who had come in at number nine, was caught by White off Kleinveldt for 13.
At that point the lead was only 12 and Taylor was still short of his century but Miles stayed with him as he upper cut Kleinveldt over the keeper to reach three figures off 86 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes.
Miles had shown his batting ability against Worcestershire at Cheltenham last year, and clearly trusting his partner, Taylor then really took charge against an attack that lacked a third seamer in the mould of Liam Norwell.
Six overs brought 50 runs, and with the field back Taylor showed a different range of shots with more deftness of touch than before. Eventually Miles fell to a catch at slip off White, but he had made 41 in a century ninth wicket stand, and his day was far from over.
Taylor, finally, chanced his arm once too often and was caught behind off Kleinveldt, but his 156 had occupied only 125 balls, and had contained 14 fours and five sixes.
Tea was taken with Northants having 44 overs to bat in the final session, but what transpired was a brittle performance against a fine opening spell from Miles and James Fuller.
From the moment Miles bowled Stephen Peters in the first over, the momentum of Taylor's innings appeared to run through the Gloucestershire team. Duckett was caught by Tavare at slip, and then Fuller had Wakely caught behind and trapped Keogh lbw. Northants were 18-4, still 108 behind, so when Rossington top edged a pull in Liam Norwell's first over to Fuller at mid on, the door was opening towards a two day victory.
South African Richard Levi did offer some resistance with a half century but wickets fell regularly at the other end, and it was the recall of Miles that capped an extraordinary day, as he bowled Kleinveldt and had White caught behind in the same over. When Levi edged to Dent at slip, Miles had his fourth five wicket haul of the season (5-28) and Gloucestershire needed only 35 to win.
It was a target that proved a formality, although another cheap dismissal for Chris Dent will not have pleased the left hander who has been short of runs lately. It was left to Will Tavare and Michael Klinger to seal a first home Championship win of the season with two days to spare.
