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Warwickshire defeat Gloucestershire on second day

20 August 2018

Warwickshire reasserted themselves at the top of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two by defeating Gloucestershire by an innings and 47 runs inside two days at Edgbaston.

Gloucestershire's were out for the second time in successive days as they followed their first innings 127 with 103 all out.

Ryan Sidebottom led the way for the Warwickshire attack with four for 42.

Will Rhodes struck 137 from 233 balls with 16 fours, a superb innings spanning five and a half hours in overcast, seamer-friendly conditions, to lift Warwickshire to 277.

His third championship century of the season underpinned an important win for the Division Two leaders. 

Gloucestershire improved with the ball on the second day and took four wickets in the morning session. After Warwickshire resumed on 170 for two, Craig Miles dismissed Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott in five balls. It was fine bowling as the 24-year-old jagged one back in to knock out Bell's off and middle stumps then moved one away to find Trott outside-edge.

Sam Hain started with two drives but reached only (25, 51 balls) before lifting Chris Liddle to point. Tim Ambrose sliced Miles to first slip before Rhodes was finally uprooted, bowled on the charge by spinner George Drissell.

Jeetan Patel was bowled by Matt Taylor then Miles completed his 12th first-class five-for by taking a return catch from Olly Hannon-Dalby and having Sidebottom caught in the gully next ball. He finished with five for 69.

Gloucestershire's second innings was soon damaged when Miles Hammond cut Sidebottom to gully. It then lurched from 27 for one to 27 for four as three wickets fell in nine balls. Chris Dent edged Sidebottom to second slip before Keith Barker had James Bracey caught behind and induced Gareth Roderick to play on.

Ryan Higgins edged Sidebottom behind and debutant Ben Charlesworth, having played correctly for five from 31 balls, edged Hannon-Daly to second slip just before tea.

Just before tea, Benny Howell (32, 36 balls) had his off-stump flattened by Chris Wright and the end came quickly in the final session as Sidebottom bowled Miles, Matt Taylor hoiked Wright to long leg and Drissell edged Rhodes to second slip.

Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent said:

"The bowlers showed great character and bowled fantastically well against a good batting line-up. If, as a batting unit, we had done our job better we would actually be in a decent position in the game, having bowled them out for what we did.

"The most disappointing thing about the batting was probably the dismissals that we had. We gave a good bowing unit a lot of wickets with poor shots and, against a side like Warwickshire, you just can't do that.

"At Cheltenham we showed great character with the bat but this game just shows that if we don't turn up with that same intent and that same mindset, good teams are going to turn us over. We have got to make sure we are on it every day of every game, otherwise when you come up against good sides you are going to be put under the pump and have days like this."

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