Taylor’s quick 50 gives county lift

JACK Taylor hit a quickfire 50 to put Gloucestershire back in their Lv=insurance Championship First Division basement battle with Warwickshire at Bristol.

He hit four sixes in a 47-ball 50 after the county fell to 95-5 in reply to Warwickshire’s first innings of 274, lifting them to 174-5.

On day one, former England opener Dom Sibley scored a character-filled hundred to rescue them from 138-6 midway through the afternoon session.

He staged a restorative seventh wicket stand of 108 with Danny Briggs, who made a season’s best 65, to help Warwickshire reach the close on 255-8.

Zafar Gohar took 4-59 from a marathon 32 overs before completing his five-wicket haul on day two as Warwickshire added 19 to their overnight score, Sibley carrying his bat for 120 not out.

Gloucestershire had only themselves to blame for not ending the day on top, Sibley and Briggs profiting from dropped catches in their innings.

Rob Yates raced to 19 from 16 balls, before nicking to Jack Taylor at first slip off Ajeet Singh Dale.

Alex Davies played down the wrong line to a David Payne in-swinger and saw his off stump knocked back as the defending champions slipped to 24-2.

Sam Hain fell to Zafar’s slow left arm and Gloucestershire’s brothers in arms joining forces to account for Rhodes, who nicked to Olly Price at second slip off the bowling of elder sibling Tom.

Zafar then made further in-roads, Gloucestershire’s leading wicket taker removing Jayant Yadav and Jacob Bethell before Sibley and Briggs joined forces.

Briggs was finally undone by Zafar, then Henry Brookes fell to Dale, with Zafar and Tom Price wrapping up the innings on day two.

Gloucestershire lost five wickets before lunch, Ben Charlesworth (10), Oli Price (4), Chris Dent (23), Miles Hammond (33) and James Bracey (5) before Taylor’s thrilling counter-attack.