Gloucestershire under GrahamB (story)

[GrahamB]

What a slow pitch to score runs from with any ease!

We were put into bat and discovered this straight away.
In an interesting difference of approach, Lancashire had gone into the game with two front-line spinners, whereas we'd gone in with a pace quartet.
At one stage we were 149/6 and struggling, but thanks mainly to an unbeaten 76 from Ferisco Adams, we crawled through to 272 all out (off 121 overs) on the second morning.
Although the always reliable Tom Bailey picked up three wickets, it was Jack Leach who stood out with 6/82.

The visiting batsmen struggled just as much to get the ball away, and number three Rob Jones was unable to find anyone to stick around with him for too long aside from the veteran Steve Croft.
Jones finished on 76no when the Lancashire innings ended at 190 all out (101 overs).
Oliver Robinson was the most successful of our bowlers, finishing with 4/56.

We needed to build upon our 82 run first innings lead and then declare at the right time to give ourselves a chance of victory.
However, scoring was becoming even more difficult.
Miles Hammond led the way with a gritty 65 and we eventually declared at 208/5 (92 overs), leaving our opponents 291 to chase in two sessions.
Under very cloudy overhead conditions in the middle session, wickets fell like nine-pins and Lancashire were six down at tea.
It was just a case of mopping up in the final session, and we won with plenty of time to spare.
Ferisco Adams starred with a haul of 5/39, as Lancashire were rolled for a miserable 91 all out.


Gloucestershire - 272 (F.Adams-76no, J.Leach-6.82, T.Bailey-3/72)

Lancashire - 190 (R.Jones-76no, O.Robinson-4/56)

Gloucestershire - 208/5 declared (M.Hammond-65)

Lancashire - 91 (F.Adams-5/39, O.Robinson-3/23)

Win to Gloucestershire by 199 runs.


Still third on the points table.

[GrahamB]

FC Match 10 - Away v Leicestershire

Ryan Higgins has had a call-up to the England T20 squad, so we'll be without his services for this game.
Stu Whittingham comes into the side as a result and that is the only change.
Conditions on the first day are looking rather nasty, so we'll be taking the option of bowling first.

In other news, a couple of youth players have been promoted to the squad, but neither looks any good.


Gloucestershire

M.Hammond
B.Charlesworth
I.Cockbain (captain)
G.van Buuren
T.Hellawell
A.Hunt
G.Roderick (wk)
F.Adams
O.Robinson
D.Payne
S.Whittingham


Leicestershire

M.Cosgrove
H.Dearden
C.Ackermann
M.West
N.Dexter
P.Rattee (wk)
U.Arshad
G.Griffiths
T.Taylor
D.Klein
W.Davis

[DaveRobbo]

I think I'll take the blame for those back to back defeats following my previous comment

[GrahamB]

I think I'll take the blame for those back to back defeats following my previous comment

LOL - I'll forgive you.

[GrahamB]

The match against top placed Leicestershire was a disaster for us, but due to other results helping out, we're still handily placed just below second on the points table.

Asking the home side to bat first didn't exactly work out as planned, with a whole session lost to rain on Day 1, plus a magnificent innings of 185 from Colin Ackermann.
Leicestershire ended up with 384 all out, an imposing total considering the unsettled/cloudy/very cloudy conditions expected for the duration of the game.
Whilst Ackermann stood out like a beacon amongst the batsmen, Oliver Robinson was a real handful and finished with the superb figures of 7/86.

We got off to a poor start and our situation was made even more difficult when Graeme van Buuren was struck a nasty blow from the second ball he faced and had to retire hurt. A batsman down for both innings!
Anthony Hunt stood firm with an unbeaten half century, but there was little else to enthuse about, as we crumbled to be all out for 166.

Forced to follow on, we didn't fare much better in our second innings.
Ian Cockbain put up some resistance and Ferisco Adams scored 50, but we fell short of making Leicestershire bat again.
Gavin Griffiths was the most successful of the bowlers with 4/56.


Leicestershire - 384 (C.Ackermann-185, O.Robinson-7/56)

Gloucestershire - 166 (A.Hunt-53no)

Gloucestershire (following on) - 186 (F.Adams-50, G.Griffiths-4/56)

Win to Leicestershire by an innings and 32 runs.


The division is very competitive, as you can see:

[GrahamB]

Now for the T20 competition.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 1

Having scored 180/4, we were pretty confident of winning.
However, led by Colin Ingram hitting 5 sixes in a rapid-fire 48, we were concerned.
It was Ryan Higgins who turned things around not only with three quick wickets - Billy Root, Ingram and Chris Cooke.


Gloucestershire - 180/4 (M.Hammond-63, T.Hellawell-47, B.Howell-43)

Glamorgan - 157 (C.Ingram-48, R.Higgins-4/23)

Win to Gloucestershire by 23 runs.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 2

Rohit Sharma and Paul Stirling got Middlesex off to a ripsnorting start, then Dawid Malan took over, as the visitors raced out to 174/6.
Despite a spirited knock from Tom Hellawell, our batsmen were unable to get on top of the bowling attack, and we fell well short.


Middlesex - 174/6 (D.Malan-62no, R.Sharma-38, P.Stirling-31)

Gloucestershire - 141/9 (T.Hellawell-67, R.Topley-3/36)

Win to Middlesex by 33 runs.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 3

We found it a struggle to post 132/6, but in reply Essex paced their chase nicely.
Despite a late collapse, they achieved victory in the 18th over.


Gloucestershire - 132/6 (M.Coles-3/19)

Essex - 133/8 (A.Wheater-32, R.Bopara-32, B.Howell-3/26)

Win to Essex by 2 wickets.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 4

Losing three wickets to Marchant de Lange in the second over of the innings set us back on our heels somewhat, but we recovered to score 137/7.
Again not enough runs though, especially when you've got both Colin Ingram and Angelo Perera in a rampant mood.


Gloucestershire - 137/7 (G.Roderick-40no, A.Hunt-31, M.de Lange-4/20)

Glamorgan - 140/5 (C.Ingram-53, A.Perera-43)

Win to Glamorgan by 5 wickets.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 5

We took the opportunity to bowl first and it paid off, as making early inroads certainly had an influence on the Essex scoring rate.
Benny Howell showed his useful all-round skills in the shorter forms of the game, taking 3/17.
We didn't muck around in our chase. Miles Hammond anchored the innings with an unbeaten half century, as we achieved victory in the 15th over.


Essex - 113/9 (B.Howell-3/17)

Gloucestershire - 115/5 (M.Hammond-59no)

Win to Gloucestershire by 5 wickets.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 6

Sadly, I suspect that a really poor umpiring decision probably cost us this match.
Before Sam Bishop reached double figures, a full ball from Mark Watt was clearly going to hit leg stump plumb.
The umpire shook his head and the young man went on to play the match-winning innings.


Gloucestershire - 132/8

Sussex - 133/4 (S.Bishop-56, D.Potgieter-52no)

Win to Sussex by 6 wickets.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 7

Whoa!
We cut this one fine, with tail-ender Mark Watt having to hit a 6 off the first ball he faced, which also happened to be the final ball of the 20th over!
Earlier, Daniel Bell-Drummond had gone nuts against our bowling, smashing 81 off 41 deliveries. Fortunately we were able to pull things back a little following his dismissal, but it was still a tough challenge for us..


Kent - 166/7 (D.Bell-Drummond-81, S.Billing-39)

Gloucestershire - 168/8 (A.Hunt-32)

Win to Gloucestershire by 2 wickets.


Here is the points table at the halfway stage:

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 8

A mighty win against Surrey!

We put the home side in to bat, and despite a rollicking start from the two openers, none of the batsmen were able to get settled.
Ferisco Adams and Stu Whittingham captured four wickets each, with Whittingham being particularly impressive.

In reply, Miles Hammond led the chase brilliantly, finishing unbeaten on a career best T20 score of 83no.
Youth promotee Lawrence Connelly hit back to back boundaries in the 19th over to secure the win.


Surrey - 151 (O.Pope-30, S.Whittingham-4/14, F.Adams-4/30)

Gloucestershire - 153/3 (M.Hammond-83no)

Win to Gloucestershire by 7 wickets.

[GrahamB]

T20 Match 9

Back down to earth at the hands of Middlesex.

After being asked to bat first, we lost a couple of quick wickets and were always on the back foot from that point on.
Although all of the Middlesex bowlers were dangerous, Ethan Bamber picked up the best figures with 3/21.

Marco Marais and Stevie Eskinazi got the chase off to a flier, and then once both were gone, Rohit Sharma came to life to see Middlesex home.


Gloucestershire - 130/9 (T.Hellawell-33, E.Bamber-3/21)

Middlesex - 131/3 (R.Sharma-39no, S.Eskinazi-33)

Win to Middlesex by 7 wickets.