Best figures for Matt as rain-ruined clash peters out

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MATT Taylor claimed Championship career-best figures of five for 57 as Gloucestershire’s Division Two match against Lancashire at Cheltenham ended in a draw, after days two and three were lost to a wet outfield.

Gloucestershire had reached 68 for two by 4.50, when the sides shook hands after an match which will be remembered for the freak storm on the first night.

Taylor said, “It was nice to get a few wickets. We knew if we bowled in the right areas, we’d get a few rewards and, luckily, we managed to do that.

“The pitch, where it got wet, didn’t play as differently as everyone thought. I think the pitch played pretty well and from my end there was a bit of movement just off the seam and a bit of swing and I managed to get a few wickets.”

Lancashire began day four with a flurry, before being reduced to 149 for five at lunch.

23-year old Rob Jones dealt in boundaries, striking a four from the first delivery of the day, as he and Keaton Jennings doubled their side’s score within the first hour, and he brought up his halfcentury from 70 deliveries, with nine fours.

But they fell in successive Matt Taylor overs, Jones caught behind and Jennings was caught at slip for 52.

Dane Vilas gave Roderick a second catch and Taylor a third wicket, as the visitors went from 105 for two to 126 for five in six overs.

Steven Croft and Tom Bailey led the recovery as they gained a first batting point before bringing up their 50 partnership.

Taylor claimed his fifth wicket when he had Saqib Mahmood caught behind.

Croft then drove at David Payne at mid-off from Ryan Higgins before Jimmy Anderson hit Taylor for the only maximum of the match.

Payne rounded off the innings, when he had Richard Gleeson caught at slip.

Gloucestershire began their second innings 39 runs adrift, and lost Hammond in the 10th over when he was caught at slip off Bailey.

James Bracey was caught behind off Richard Gleeson, by which time the home side were marginally ahead.

Umpire Jeff Evans said: “It’s certainly the first time we’ve experienced anything like that. The covering was sufficient, it was just one of those things.

“It was a freak of nature that we had such a storm on the first evening. The covering was in place, but just happened to leak.

“The wind must have caught a sheet somewhere and water got on. It couldn’t have got onto the pitch in a worse area. It was right on a length.

“Clearly it wasn’t fit for the couple of days that we missed. But it had sufficient time to dry out and we had a good day’s cricket.”