Gloucestershire v Leicestershire: Match report & scores

Match scores (Bristol)

Gloucestershire beat Leicestershire by an innings and six runs 

Gloucestershire 1st inns: 466-8 dec (Tavare 101, van Buuren 79, Mustard 72, Taylor 60, Payne 54; Griffiths 4-101)

Leicestershire 1st inns: 259 all out (Eckersley 88, Pettini 54, Cosgrove 48; Norwell 5-66, Payne 2-43)
Leicestershire 2nd inns: 2o1 all out (Eckersley 85, Raine 42; Norwell 5-33, Payne 3-50)

Day three report

Gloucestershire picked up their first Specsavers County Championship victory of the season by beating Leicestershire by an innings and six runs at The Brightside Ground in Bristol.

Having scored 466 for eight declared in their first innings, Phil Mustard's side bowled out Leicestershire twice inside two days, with Liam Norwell returning match-winning figures of 10 for 99.

The win will certainly go some way towards softening the blow of last week's heavy defeat at the hands of Kent. For Leicestershire, however, there is no consolation, having suffered two chastening defeats in as many games.

Resuming on 165 for six on day three, the visitors soon found themselves in trouble at the hands of Norwell, who bowled superbly from the Ashley Down End. The Dorset-born seamer sent back Clint McKay in the first over of the day to celebrate his 200th first class wicket.

To their credit, Ned Eckersley and Richard Jones provided some fight as they added 89 for the eighth wicket. Unfortunately for the visitors it was never likely to be enough to help the Foxes avoid the follow-on and, subsequently, another disappointing loss.

Eckersley led the way with 88 off 103 balls, having passed 50 off 66 deliveries. However, when he departed, bowled by Norwell, at 255 for eight, Leicestershire were still well short of their initial target. 

Gavin Griffiths became Norwell's fifth victim of the innings, four runs later, and, with Colin Ackermann unable to bat after retiring hurt on day two, their innings came to a close on 259 for nine.

And the Foxes, whose second innings progressed to six without loss at lunch, suffered an afternoon session which was every bit as disappointing. 

Norwell who was once again the architect of their downfall.

Bowling in tandem with David Payne, the 25-year-old ripped through Leicestershire's top and middle order.

After Payne had kicked off the session by having Paul Horton caught by wicketkeeper Mustard for six, at 10 for one, Norwell sent back Harry Dearden (four), Neil Dexter (four) and Mark Pettini (one) during a seven-over spell that saw him return impressive figures of three for 19.

When Payne added his second wicket, that of Mark Cosgrove (26), at 51 for five, the game looked as though it would be all over by tea.

Thankfully for Leicestershire Eckersley knuckled down to the task in hand and added 86 with Ben Raine for the sixth wicket. Having helped himself to a first half century of the summer in the first innings, Eckersley was unbeaten on 53 at tea, having passed 50 off as many balls, with eight fours.

The pair had looked in little trouble until Raine carelessly ran himself out for 42 at 137 for six. McKay's cameo - 29 off 39 deliveries - once again held up Gloucestershire.

However, when Norwell had the Australian caught in the slips by George Hankins shortly after tea the end was nigh. Mustard picked up a wonderful catch to send back Richard Jones for nought in Payne's next over and, although Eckersley batted beautifully for 85, he finally holed out to Jack Taylor on the point boundary off the bowling of Norwell.

It was a fitting end for the bowler, who deservedly received a standing ovation at the end. 

Day two report

Will Tavare completed a six-hour century as Gloucestershire built a strong position on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Leicestershire at Bristol.

Resuming their first innings on 236 for five, the hosts declared on 466 for eight as Tavare top-scored with 101 and was well supported by Phil Mustard (72), Jack Taylor (60) and David Payne (54 not out). Gavin Griffiths finished with four for 101.

In reply, Leicestershire slumped to 14 for three before a fighting stand of 102 between skipper Mark Cosgrove (48) and Mark Pettini (54). They fell in quick succession and by the close the visitors were back in trouble at 165 for six, trailing by 301.

Tavare, who missed much of last season with a knee problem, was unbeaten on 73 overnight and moved to a painstaking hundred off 271 balls, with eight fours and a six. He had batted for six hours and 13 minutes when bowled by a full-length ball from Griffiths.

It was Leicestershire's only success in the morning session, despite beating the bat on numerous occasions. Mustard, unbeaten on 13 at the start, was 51 not out at lunch having shared a stand of 89 with Tavare and helped Gloucestershire to three batting points.

Mustard fell soon after the interval, bowled by Neil Dexter aiming a big hit over the leg side, having faced 159 balls and hit seven fours.

His application, allied to that of Tavare, gave Taylor and Payne licence to play positively after Craig Miles had been caught at short-leg off a lifter from Richard Jones for five to make it 378 for seven.

Taylor breezed to his half-century off 65 balls, with six fours and a six, before being caught behind attempting to pull a ball from Griffiths.

Payne needed only 48 deliveries to reach 50, having struck eight fours and a six. He and Liam Norwell added 33 before Mustard declared, leaving the Leicestershire batsmen a tricky period before tea.

Paul Horton was pinned lbw by Payne, playing across the line, for six and when Harry Dearden fell for eight to another leg-before decision upheld in Norwell's favour off the last ball before the break the visitors were 14 for two.

That became 14 for three when Dexter looked to drive Payne at the start of the evening session and edged a catch to second slip where Chris Dent leapt to hold a sharp chance.

Batting started to look more straightforward from the moment Cosgrove joined Pettini and they gradually led a recovery.

Cosgrove was merciless on anything short from the seamers and had moved to within two of a half-century when he carelessly gave a return catch to off-spinner Taylor to make the score 116 for four.

Pettini moved to his fifty off 77 balls, with nine fours, but in the same Norwell over was caught behind attempting to leave the ball.

Colin Ackermann was forced to retire hurt with a hand injury on eight with the total 146, having been hit by a delivery from Craig Miles, and Ben Raine was caught behind for a duck off the same bowler. Ned Eckersley was 25 not out at stumps.

Day one report

Will Tavare and Graeme van Buuren registered half-centuries to put Gloucestershire in a strong position on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Leicestershire at Bristol.

The third-wicket pair batted throughout the afternoon session, adding 127 after Gloucestershire had been put in by opponents who failed to make best use of the new ball.

The Foxes fought back during the final session, removing South African all-rounder Van Buuren and George Hankins in quick succession and restricting the run rate to put themselves back in contention before bad light brought a premature conclusion at the end of the 88th over with the hosts on 236 for four.

Determined to make amends after being shot out for 61 in their second innings and crashing to a heavy defeat in their opener at Kent last week, Gloucestershire summoned a gutsy response in their first home game of the season.

No-one demonstrated powers of recovery more admirably than Tavare, whose stubborn innings of 73 not out, chiselled from 213 balls and spanning just under four hours, characterised Gloucestershire's approach.

While Van Buuren and Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft, who dominated an opening stand of 52 with Chris Dent, were prepared to play their shots and entertain a sparse Bank Holiday crowd, Tavare dropped anchor to provide the innings with the kind of gravitas that had been missing at Canterbury last time out.

Mustering concentration and defiance in equal measure, the Bristolian ensured Gloucestershire were able to bank their first batting bonus points of the season and assume the upper hand.

Having helped shore up the innings in conditions conducive to swing following the departure of Bancroft and Dent prior to lunch, Tavare happily played second fiddle to the dashing Van Buuren as the third-wicket pair held sway during what turned out to be an afternoon of toil for Leicestershire's mis-firing seam attack.

Promoted up the order in the absence of the unwell Gareth Roderick, the Titans all-rounder survived a searching examination from Ben Raine to stamp his authority and change the complexion of the game, carving 50 from 65 balls as the home side seized the initiative.

Within sight of what would have been his third first-class hundred for the county, the 26-year-old Pretorian edged a length ball from Raine behind for 79, cutting short an enterprising innings that comprised 128 balls and included 12 fours.

When Hankins chased a ball outside his off stump and was held at first slip off the bowling of Gavin Griffiths soon afterwards, Gloucestershire were 204 for four and in need of reassurance.

It was provided by the dependable Tavare and veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Phil Mustard, who kept Leicestershire at bay until bad light hastened the end of proceedings.

Tavare is 27 runs short of registering his second hundred of the campaign and, in this mood, will clearly take some shifting when play resumes.

Leicestershire elected to bowl first and wasted the new ball as their front-line seamers struggled to muster line and length on a consistent basis.

Griffiths claimed his maiden Championship wicket when bowling Bancroft for 32 with a superb in-swinging yorker, while Richard Jones bowled Dent via an inside edge for 20. But Gloucestershire's openers had done enough to take the shine off the ball.

No doubt piqued at seeing four catches go down, Foxes captain Mark Cosgrove made a point when coming into the attack ahead of schedule in the 45th over. By that time, Gloucestershire had assumed a crucial foothold and Van Buuren and Tavare were up and running.