Bowlers hold sway on 15-wicket day

Leicestershire 122 for 5 (Robson 49*) trail Gloucestershire 183 (Taylor 51, Raine 4-57) by 61 runs
Scorecard

Seamers dominated the opening day of the County Championship match between Gloucestershire and Leicestershire at Cheltenham as 15 wickets fell.

Ben Raine claimed 4 for 57 to help bowl out the hosts for 183 after Leicestershire had elected to field. Jack Taylor top scored with 51 and there were two wickets each for Richard Jones and Neil Dexter.

The visiting batsman found it no easier on a lively pitch and plunged to 86 for 5 in reply, David Payne and Josh Shaw taking a brace of wickets apiece. Leicestershire closed on 122 for 5, Angus Robson unbeaten on 49.

Pace bowlers on both sides profited from swing and seam movement, despite sunshine and blue skies for most of the day.

The tone was set in the opening over of the game when Clint McKay had Chris Dent caught behind for a duck. Dent had been announced as Gloucestershire's wicketkeeper for the match after Gareth Roderick was forced to withdraw with a broken finger, sustained in Sunday's NatWest T20 Blast win over Essex.

Jones soon followed up McKay's early breakthrough by having Will Tavare, brought into the side for Roderick, caught at second slip by Mark Cosgrove for seven in the fourth over.

It was 24 for 3 when Graeme van Buuren was lbw to Raine for ten. Michael Klinger and Hamish Marshall then added 43 before Klinger edged a second catch to Cosgrove off Raine and fell for 25.

Marshall had reached 19 when Charlie Shreck beat his defensive stroke and bowled him with the total on 69. But Taylor, selected for his batting while banned from bowling for an illegal action, more than justified his inclusion.

He lost two partners after lunch was taken at 104 for 5, as Benny Howell fell lbw to Raine and Craig Miles looped a catch to wicketkeeper O'Brien off a quick ball from Jones.

Taylor held things together, reaching a 59-ball half-century, with 6 fours, before being bowled off an inside edge by Raine with the total on 167. Dexter then wrapped up the innings with 2 for 11 in 4.5 overs.

Leicestershire suffered an even worse start than Gloucestershire as Paul Horton fell lbw to the first ball of the innings from Payne.

By tea, the visitors had reached 33 for 2, Dexter having been bowled by Liam Norwell in the tenth over for 15.

The final session saw Mark Cosgrove caught behind, driving at Shaw with the total on 41.

It was 63 for 4 when Hamish Marshall took a brilliant one-handed catch above his head at midwicket to dismiss Mark Pettini and 86 for 5 when O'Brien was pinned lbw by Payne.

Opener Robson played the anchor role for Leicestershire, but was lucky to escape on 38 when edging Payne between first slip Klinger and wicketkeeper Dent.

He battled away for 136 balls to be 49 not out at stumps, an invaluable effort for his side.