Klinger leads Gloucs in easy chase

Australian Michael Klinger hit his first County Championship century to lead Gloucestershire to a nine-wicket victory on the final day at Grace Road.

After surviving a tricky first half-hour, openers Klinger and Chris Dent shared a stand of 129 to ensure there would be no major problems chasing a target of 188.

Dent was out for 71 to the last ball before lunch but Klinger hit the winning runs and reached his century at the same time with his 16th boundary. He was unbeaten on 103 from 172 balls.

It was Gloucestershire's first win of the season and earned them 21 points, while Leicestershire collected five as they slipped to their first defeat of the season following drawn games against Hampshire and Kent.

With Gloucestershire starting the day on 16 for 0, Leicestershire needed to take early wickets if they were to have any chance of snatching an unlikely victory. Pacemen Ollie Freckingham and Robbie Williams bowled well without any luck early on a slow pitch starting to show signs of uneven bounce.

Both batsmen played and missed on several occasions and three times the ball flashed through the slip cordon down to the vacant third-man boundary. But as the shine went off the ball, the sting went out of the bowling, and both Klinger and Dent began to play with far more confidence and assurance.

Dent was the first to reach his 50 off 68 balls with eight fours and Gloucestershire captain, Klinger, brought up the 100 partnership with a well-timed square drive to the boundary off Freckingham.

A neat late cut off Michael Thornely saw Klinger reach his 50 off 100 balls, and Leicestershire's frustrating morning was summed up when Josh Cobb put down an easy slip catch offered by Dent off Jigar Naik's off spin.

Naik gained some revenge by having Dent lbw with the last ball before lunch. But Klinger remained in good touch, straight driving Claude Henderson for a six before square cutting another boundary off Shiv Thakor to reach his landmark century and clinch victory.