Lancashire shocked by in-form Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire claimed a second successive LV= County Championship win as they beat Lancashire by 91 runs during an eventful final day at Old Trafford.

Sixteen wickets fell in a day which saw Geraint Jones's side set a target of 300 in a minimum of 70 overs shortly before lunch having declared on 275 for nine following the decision to not risk Liam Norwell's injured finger with the bat.

Lancashire fell to 22 for 4 before half-centuries for fifth-wicket pair Alviro Petersen and Alex Davies took them to 140 for 4 in the 33rd over, only to see Davies and then Petersen fall either side of tea for the addition of only eight more runs. Petersen and Davies hit 63 and 58 respectively, with the latter's innings including three straight sixes against left-arm spinner Tom Smith.

Lancashire, who retain top spot in Division Two following a first defeat in four, were ultimately bowled out for 208 inside 57 overs as Jones and company built on last week's win over Essex with a 22-point haul. Craig Miles led the way with 4 for 58 and David Payne added 3 for 31.

Eight wickets fell before lunch, including the first two in Lancashire's second innings as they slipped to 11 for 2 following the departures of openers Luis Reece and Paul Horton. Reece, who has endured a miserable start to the season, was trapped lbw by Payne and Horton caught behind driving loosely at Miles.

Shortly after lunch, Lancashire slipped further as Ashwell Prince and stand-in captain Steven Croft fell, leaving Lancashire four down and still 278 away from their target. Prince and Croft were both caught behind off Miles and Payne respectively.

Petersen and Davies steadied the ship and then counter-attacked, with Davies taking a particularly liking to Smith. He hit 14 off Smith's first over, including the first six, with the ex-Sussex man conceding 43 off his first five overs.

The visitors were given a significant pre-tea boost when Davies miscued a pull at medium pacer Kieran Noema-Barnett to midwicket and when Petersen sliced Payne to cover, the game was Gloucestershire's for the taking.

Peter Siddle fell shortly afterwards to Norwell, caught behind off a top edged pull, but Jordan Clark and Nathan Buck continued to chase a home win. They hit three more sixes off Smith upon his return to the attack as the target dropped below 100 before departing in successive overs.

Buck was caught behind off Norwell and Clark was trapped lbw by Miles, who wrapped up the win by bowling Simon Kerrigan.

Gloucestershire started the day at 206 for 3, leading by 230, but they lost six for 69 to force a declaration following Norwell's injury earlier in the match.

Peter Handscomb was run out for 76 following a mix-up with Hamish Marshall, ending their fourth-wicket partnership of 134, before Jones was caught at mid-off off Kerrigan's left-arm spin. Marshall fell eight short of his hundred when he was bowled by a Kyle Jarvis delivery which kept low. Siddle struck twice to finish with 4 for 39 in his final appearance.