Bracey, van Buuren dig into frustrate Northants

Gloucestershire Stages Gritty Fightback

Gloucestershire 233 for 5 (van Buuren 75*, Bracey 72) trail Northamptonshire 465 (Guthrie 52, Sales 50, Clarke 6-109) by 232 runs

Graeme van Buuren and James Bracey staged a gritty fightback to drag Gloucestershire back into contention on day two of this Rothesay County Championship match at the cinch County Ground, Wantage Road.

The Pair Dug In

The pair dug in after the visitors’ top order slumped to 56 for 4, adding 148 for the fifth wicket. The scoring rate of three runs an over stood in stark contrast to the celebratory atmosphere created by the colourful Northampton Carnival floats parading past the ground, but it was exactly what their side needed.

Runs did flow in the evening as conditions eased, Bracey eventually falling for 72, van Buuren finishing unbeaten on 75 as Gloucestershire closed on 233 for 5, trailing by 232.

Northamptonshire Extend Overnight Score

Liam Guthrie claimed two wickets for 48 after earlier hitting 52 off 50 balls. It was his highest first-class score and helped Northamptonshire extend their overnight score to 465 all out as he shared a 70-run stand for the ninth wicket with Harry Conway.

New Zealand international Kristian Clarke had figures of 6 for 109 on debut, accounting for James Sales for a well-made 50, while Jack Taylor snared the last two Steelbacks wickets.

Gloucestershire in Trouble

When Northamptonshire resumed on 380 for 7, Sales brought up his half-century but was well caught behind down the leg side by a leaping Bracey. Guthrie played positively with a mix of deft cuts, well-timed drives and some wholehearted smashes through the covers before sweeping Miles Hammond to take Northamptonshire to 450, just missing out on an additional bowling bonus point.

Clarke targeted Conway with some short stuff bowling from round the wicket, striking him on the back, but the tall Australian provided solid support for Guthrie, advancing to 21. Jack Taylor nipped in to wrap things up, Conway miscuing a drag-down and Guthrie heaving a half-volley, both to midwicket.

Van Buuren and Bracey Rebuild

Gloucestershire lunched on 15 without loss after four overs but were soon in trouble after the break. In a probing spell Northamptonshire skipper Luke Procter found movement to trouble the right-handers outside off stump and after rapping Joe Phillips on the pads, drew the edge through to a diving Ricardo Vasconcelos behind the stumps.

Young pace bowler Raphy Weatherall maintained the pressure, striking in his first over when he trapped Cameron Bancroft lbw with one that nipped back and kept low.

Tommy Boorman steered Weatherall down to third to bring up Gloucestershire’s 50 and while Hammond drove Guthrie through midwicket, he was next to go lbw when he tried to turn a straight one to leg. Guthrie struck again in his next over when Boorman flashed outside off stump and was caught behind to leave the visitors in trouble.

But van Buuren and Bracey set about rebuilding, adding 62 runs off 113 balls before tea as the Steelbacks bowlers kept up the stranglehold on scoring. The pair did find the boundary though, van Buuren hooking a Conway short ball and Bracey pulling Sales through midwicket.

He took Gloucestershire into three figures when he drove in front of point and stroked through cover as the West Country side went into tea on 118 for 4.

After the interval, Bracey came down the wicket to Harrison, driving through mid-off to reach his 50 and celebrate the century partnership.

Van Buuren offered a tough chance when he was put down at short midwicket and survived a couple of strong caught behind appeals from Conway but soon brought up his own half-century. Runs were flowing freely now as Bracey swivelled to pull Sales for two sixes, the second flying out of the ground, while van Buuren pulled behind square to bring up Gloucestershire’s 200.

So it was against the run of play when Bracey fell, Sales angling one in which moved away, Justin Broad taking the catch at slip. Van Buuren and Jack Taylor though saw Gloucestershire safely to stumps.