DAY 3 Close: Gloucestershire 166 & 131-5 trail Kent 231 & 266 by 201 runs (PTS: Glos 3 Kent 4)
LIVE ball-by-ball commentary: www.gloscricketradio.co.uk
Gloucestershire look on the verge of defeat at the end of day three at Beckenham as they fell five wickets down with still 201 to beat Kent.
Having taken three quick wickets on the morning of day three, the possibility of Gloucestershire putting themselves into a winning position was strong, but the game slipped away from the visitors and now only one result looks realistic.
A record tenth wicket stand between Ryan MacLaren and Simon Cook of 89 pushed the target up to a daunting 332, but the Shire began well as Kadeer Ali and Hamish Marshall put a good stand together.
But the partnerships could not progress; Kadeer fell to a James Tredwell arm ball and Alex Gidman shouldered arms to the off-spinner to be adjudged LBW for just 12.
Several times Glos had the chance to survive until the close and find themselves in a useful position on the final day, but quick wickets have dispelled those notions and now only a dramatic turnaround in fortunes will change the likely result.
MacLaren and Cook showed everybody how to bat on this surface. They got into line well, ran the singles and punished loose bowling: simple batting but extremely effective and it has bee Gloucestershire's failings with the bat that has seen them slide to the verge of defeat.
Official report: www.gloscricket.co.uk
LIVE ball-by-ball commentary continues tomorrow: www.gloscricketradio.co.uk
Looks all over- had we kept it at 3 down we may well have done it, even at 4 down would have realistically kept us in it- the problem is that below Lewis we do not have a Tredwell, a Mahmood or as it turned out a Cook and McLaren. Our 9,10 and 11 would not in my opinion score 90 between them. We need a miracle...or rain!
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