Cricket Glos frustrated by Finch in tight festival tussle at Cheltenham
HARRY Finch fell two short of a century as Sussex set Gloucestershire 276 to win on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match at Cheltenham.
Having top-scored with 76 in his side’s first innings, the 23-year-old batsman faced 143 balls, hitting 16 fours and a six, to provide the backbone of a second-innings score of 296 all out on a seamer-friendly pitch.
Luke Wright (48) and David Wiese (40) batted positively, while David Payne’s figures of 4-69 included his 200th first class wicket.
By the close, Gloucestershire had made 30-2, losing openers Chris Dent and Miles Hammond to Joffra Archer, and an enthralling contest will enter its final day with Sussex favourites.
The day began with the home side 303-8 in their first innings following a collapse on the previous evening. When only three runs were added, it meant the last seven wickets had fallen for 11 in 8.5 overs.
Archer finished with 4-62 and Gloucestershire were left kicking themselves, with a lead of only 20, having been 295-3 at one stage. Gareth Roderick remained unbeaten on 50.
The hosts hit back by reducing Sussex to 22-2, after Ryan Higgins bowled Phil Salt and Payne reached the 200 milestone when Luke Wells edged a defensive shot through to wicketkeeper Roderick.
But Wright counterattacked with typical panache and was unbeaten on 48 at lunch.
A match of fluctuating fortunes SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION TWO GLOUCESTERSHIRE v SUSSEX At Cheltenham
Overnight: Sussex 286 (H Z Finch 76, B C Brown 59, P D Salt 57; C N Miles 4-68). Gloucs 303-8 (M A H Hammond 103, C D J Dent 65).
GLOUCESTERSHIRE First innings
G H Roderick not out
D A Payne b Robinson
M D Taylor b Archer
Extras (b8, lb17, nb12)
Total (109.4 overs)
Fall of wickets: 1-182, 2-194, 3-259, 4-295, 5-298, 6-298, 7-298, 8-303, 9-305.
Bowling: Archer 25.4-9-62-4; Robinson 23-5-67-2; Jordan 21-6-39-1; Wiese 18-356-2; Briggs 19-3-48-1; Wells 3-0-9-0.
SUSSEX Second innings
L W P Wells c Roderick b Payne 5 P D Salt b Higgins 9 H Z Finch c Roderick b Miles 98 L J Wright c Higgins b Payne 48 M G K Burgess b Payne 5 B C Brown lbw b Taylor 20 D Wiese c Miles b Higgins 40 C J Jordan c Roderick b Miles 31 J C Archer b Payne 5 O E Robinson c Dent b Taylor 19 D R Briggs not out 0 Extras (b1, lb12, w2) 15 Total (73.4 overs) 295 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-22, 3-103, 4-119, 5-180, 6-219, 7-256, 8-264, 9-264. Bowling: Payne 19-2-69-4; Higgins 19-559-2; Taylor 12.4-1-56-2; Miles 16-2-71-2; Drissell 5-0-20-0; van Buuren 2-0-7-0.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Second innings C D J Dent c B C Brown b Archer 8 M A H Hammond c B C Brown b Archer 11 G S Drissell not out 5 M D Taylor not out 1 Extras (b4, lb1) 5 Total (2 wkts, 15 overs) 30 Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-27. Bowling: Archer 8-4-14-2; Robinson 4-1-6-0; Jordan 3-0-5-0. 50 1 0 37 306
tilted Gloucestershire’s way again when Wright mistimed a drive to mid-off straight after the interval and Payne bowled Michael Burgess for five with the score 119-4.
The Sussex lead was just 99, but skipper Ben Brown then shared a stand of 61 with Finch, who moved to his second fifty of the game.
Brown fell lbw to Matt Taylor for 20, with his side 160 in front, and when Finch fenced at a delivery from Craig Miles just short of his ton the contest looked evenly balanced with the scoreboard showing 219-6.
Wiese was unbeaten on 35 at tea, which was taken at 240-6, but could add only five after the interval before Miles pulled off a stunning catch at full stretch running from mid-off to mid-on to give Higgins a second wicket.
Archer was bowled around his legs by Payne, but Chris Jordan’s 31 before being caught behind off Miles and a handy 19 from Robinson ensured Gloucestershire would face a stiff task.
They were given a boost with their total on 23 when Hammond was dropped by Wiese at cover off Archer. But the same bowler quickly sent back Dent, caught behind down the leg-side, and then induced a nick from Hammond, who departed for 11.
Gloucestershire seamer Payne said: “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t proud when my 200th wicket was announced to the crowd. It was a nice moment for me, but I won’t be thinking about 300 just yet! The game is evenly balanced and I wouldn’t like to make a prediction about the outcome. Our batsmen showed in the first innings that it is possible to score runs if you are patient.”