LVCC: Northamptonshire 186 & 243 beat Gloucestershire 86 & 249 by 94 runs (PTS: Glos 3, Northants 19)
Gloucestershire slumped to a very poor defeat at Bristol as their 2010 season got off to the worst possible start.
Steve Snell's 52 when the game was lost was the only moment when a batsmen applied themselves appropriately at the crease as once again, Gloucestershire terrible weakness with the bat was evident.
Thursday's antics could almost be excused. Sides sometimes get rolled for disastrous scores, but it is much more frustrating when players show their ability and give it away.
Kadeer, Dent, Marshall, Gidman and Taylor all got into the 20s in the second innings - when batting appeared fairly straightforward given appropriate concentration - only to surrender their wickets and crumble.
There is a fundamental issue with the mentality of the Gloucestershire batsmen. Time and again the same problem occurs and nothing has been done to address it. A problem so ingrained in the county that only once in the past 11 years have Gloucestershire chased above 300 to win a match.
They had a great opportunity in this match. A glorious warm sunny spring day and a hard pitch - cleared by ECB pitch inspector Jack Birkenshaw - that was becoming easier to bat on. But complete lack of application at the crease saw the home side plunged into the same old problems.
There will be concerns also, for the form of Steve Kirby who followed up a first-innings 1-37 with 17 extremely unproductive overs in the second-innings when bowling against tailenders. There are also long-term fears for Ian Saxelby - out again for an extended period with another shoulder injury.
This match did nothing to suggest Gloucestershire have turned a corner with their mental ability in difficult situations. There was no increased "toughness", "determination" or "winning spirit" that John Bracewell described as necessary. Plenty of soul-searching required before next Wednesday.
Official report: www.gloscricket.co.uk
There were some positives to take out of this game for Glos.
ReplyDeleteThe sunshine and er - - - - -
Same old.
Just to show the Glos how it's done:
ReplyDeleteDetails of the last CC match to finish inside a day :-
County Championship, 1960
Kent v Worcestershire
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells
15 June 1960 (3-day match)
Result: Kent won by an innings and 101 runs
Points:
Toss:
Umpires: TJ Bartley and JS Buller
Kent 1st innings
PE Richardson b Flavell 23
AH Phebey b Gifford 16
*MC Cowdrey c Broadbent b Pearson 17
RC Wilson c Headley b Flavell 0
SE Leary st Booth b Slade 23
PH Jones c Broadbent b Slade 73
AL Dixon c Dews b Pearson 17
+AW Catt st Booth b Gifford 0
DJ Halfyard st Booth b Gifford 0
A Brown b Gifford 1
PA Shenton not out 7
Extras (b 7, lb 2, nb 1) 10
Total (all out, 69 overs) 187
FoW: 1-41, 2-43, 3-43, 4-68, 5-104,
6-151, 7-154, 8-161, 9-179, 10-187.
Bowling O M R W
Flavell 18 8 25 2
Pearson 16 7 35 2
Slade 18 5 54 2
Gifford 17 5 63 4
Worcestershire 1st innings
RGA Headley b Halfyard 0
JB Sedgley c Leary b Brown 7
AH Spencer b Brown 0
DW Richardson b Brown 0
RG Broadbent b Halfyard 0
*G Dews lbw b Brown 0
+R Booth b Brown 2
DNF Slade b Halfyard 9
N Gifford not out 0
DB Pearson b Halfyard 0
JA Flavell b Brown 1
Extras (b 1, lb 5) 6
Total (all out, 17.1 overs) 25
FoW: 1-6, 2-7, 3-8, 4-9, 5-9, 6-9, 7-24, 8-24, 9-24, 10-25.
Bowling O M R W
Halfyard 9 4 7 4
Brown 8.1 5 12 6
Worcestershire 2nd innings (following on)
RGA Headley c Wilson b Halfyard 0
JB Sedgley c Richardson b Brown 2
AH Spencer c Leary b Brown 4
DW Richardson b Halfyard 2
RG Broadbent c Catt b Halfyard 22
*G Dews b Brown 0
+R Booth c Shenton b Halfyard 7
DNF Slade c Leary b Shenton 11
N Gifford c Brown b Shenton 4
DB Pearson c Cowdrey b Halfyard 2
JA Flavell not out 0
Extras (b 5, lb 1, w 1) 7
Total (all out, 25.5 overs) 61
FoW: 1-0, 2-6, 3-7, 4-17, 5-18, 6-40, 7-51, 8-51, 9-61, 10-61.
Bowling O M R W
Halfyard 13 4 20 5
Brown 8 2 22 3
Shenton 4.5 0 12 2
Norman Gifford’s first class debut