Wickets clatter as Glos crumble

LVCC: Northants 186 & 34-3 lead Glos 86 by 134 runs
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The 2010 season began in spectacular fashion with 23 wickets falling on the first day at Bristol.

The pitch was not at fault for the drama. It was tinged with green, similar to that prepared for the match against Essex a year ago, but bad shot selection was the culprit for the lion's share of dismissals.

Whatever was to blame, the entertainment was unrivalled, with the life-expectancy of batsman around half an hour. The task was to occupy the crease and the one partnership which achieved that produced the difference between the sides: Rob White and Paul Harrison shared 71 for the seventh wicket. Gloucestershire's highest stand was 28.

The home side had bowled with purpose to reduce Northants to 77-6, making the most of helpful overhead conditions. Batting should have become easier once the sun appeared but, White aside, no-one played the conditions well enough and Gloucestershire slumped to their worst championship total for 10 years.

No-one predicted Gemaal Hussain's selection but he bowled with great consistency to pick up 5-36 and then added a sixth for the day as Northants came out to bat again. The selection debate for the fourth-choice seamer is very much alive.

Once again, Gloucestershire are in a game that is very advanced so early in the fixture. Tomorrow's morning session represents their best chance of victory. The only way to recover is to continue the deluge of wickets and fire out Northants quickly.

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