Ryan Higgins helps swing advantage Gloucestershire's way

Ryan Higgins claimed four wickets as Gloucestershire's seamers seized control on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Leicestershire at Bristol.

The former Middlesex allrounder returned 4 for 26 from 15 overs to help dismiss the visitors for 111 in reply to 202, nightwatchman Gavin Griffiths top-scoring with 36 not out, having gone in at No. 3. Higgins was well supported by David Payne, Craig Miles and Matt Taylor, who all got the ball to swing and nip about off the seam after Leicestershire had begun the day on 11 for 1.

By the close Gloucestershire had cemented their advantage, Miles Hammond making 68 and Chris Dent 61 not out in a second-innings total of 152 for 1, which meant they led by 243.

There was little sign of the carnage to come when Paul Horton and Griffiths took the Leicestershire score to 48 for 1 with few alarms before Horton, on 27, edged a defensive shot off Higgins through to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick.

Higgins struck again from the Ashley Down Road End, bowling Colin Ackerman with a ball that left him and it was 70 for 4 when Mark Cosgrove's defences were penetrated by Miles, who disturbed his stumps with a full delivery.

Griffiths batted through the morning session to be unbeaten on 24 at lunch, with the score 78 for 4, despite having been struck a couple of painful blows by Taylor, who managed to get some life out of the slow pitch.

The afternoon session saw Neil Dexter depart to a diving catch by Roderick off Miles, while Ned Eckersley was caught behind off Payne looking to force the ball off the back foot. Left-armers Payne, who deserved better figures, and Taylor both got the ball to swing from the Pavilion End and the latter picked up his first wicket with a return catch off a leading edge to send back Ben Raine.

The accurate Higgins pinned Callum Parkinson lbw and then had Dieter Klien caught at cover before Taylor wrapped up the innings with a leg-before verdict against Mohammad Abbas. Griffiths had watched from the other end as nine wickets went down for 63 runs, finishing unbeaten, having battled away for 144 balls and put some more recognised batsmen to shame.

Soon Gloucestershire openers Hammond and Dent were putting conditions in perspective with a century stand in 27 overs as their side built on a lead of 91.

Hammond was the more aggressive of the two left-handers, going to his half-century off 76 balls, with 7 fours. His attractive innings ended with the score on 107 when he edged Dexter to Ackerman at second slip. Skipper Dent looked untroubled in moving to fifty off 100 deliveries, with nine boundaries, on a day totally dominated by Gloucestershire.