John Bracewell described Gloucestershire's county championship match against Essex as a "watershed" fixture in their season, and the team responded to tip themselves back into the promotion race.
A comprehensive 10 wicket win was achieved through a miraculous first-innings recovery and developing scoreboard pressure - something Glos have achieved in all four victories this season.
The bowling attack was perhaps at full strength, with Ian Saxelby claiming three second-innings wickets in a consistently accurate spell of reverse-swing bowling. Saxelby got the old ball to swing into the right-handers & his wicket of Ryan ten-Doescathe after lunch set the Shire up for their victory.
Richard Dawson's return to form - albeit due to encouraging conditions - has sealed his place as first-choice spinner for the time being. He kept his lengths full and posed problems for the batsmen; he had Tom Westley caught at backward-short leg early in the morning to start the ball rolling.
21 points could not have even entered many minds on the second afternoon, when at 170-6, an uphill battle ensued. It was overseas player James Franklin that showed the necessary backbone to rescue such a plight; the New Zealander fully justified his recruitment with the best innings of the season, demonstrating the discipline required to make a big innings in championship cricket - a lesson to the top order, Kadeer Ali aside.
Indeed the top order again failed which is still a major concern, they were well untruly bailed out at Southend. Poor strokes accounted for Hamish Marshall and Alex Gidman while Chris Taylor was undone by an out-of-ordinary swinging delivery.
The final word is reserved for Steve Adshead. Recognising that he had to make runs, he dug in well and solidly supported Franklin in the dramatic recovery act, before taking over as the senior batsman into the third day and worked positively with the tail to extend the Glos' lead. It was an excellent innings, one which shall allow Adshead to enjoy perhaps the remainder of the season with the gloves in four-day cricket.
Official report: www.gloscricket.co.uk
Excellent result for the Shire. However, promotion hopes remain in the balance; if Gloucs can push on and achieve it, then it will copunt as a successful first season for Bracewell, however the team perform in the remainder of the Pro40.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I'd much rather dwell on this result than the 'other' cricket game.
This is precisely what didn't happen last year, with the sole exception of the final game, where we fought out a draw from a desperate losing position. Maybe that was because JB was looming on the horizon, even then. I have supported the Glos since 1954, and 2008 was the worst season ever for me, as well as my first as Life Member.
ReplyDeleteWe had won more games by the end of May this year than the whole of last season. I hope we'll get promotion in the CC and win the Pro 40. Even if we don't we are now a force to be reckoned with.
After all, why should we care about England's failings? Even when we had the best wicket keeper in the world, he wasn't selected. Let's just think of England as the Land of Sex and Roses (think about it), and get on with establishing the Glos as a force in English cricket.
Well another note on England and Glos players.
ReplyDeleteTalking to Graham Gooch down at Southend, he pretty said that no bowlers in division two would be given a look in for England because they use the Tiflex ball - so regardless of how well Kirbs bowls, the selectors will never consider him until he is playing in division one.
And it also shows how the ECB have cast off division two this season, which is poor.