Cameron Bancroft bats all day to dig Gloucestershire out of trouble

Skipper Cameron Bancroft batted through all three sessions to score 170 not out and lead a strong Gloucestershire fightback on the third day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two game with Derbyshire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

Unbeaten on 32 overnight, the experienced Australian extended his stay at the crease to seven hours 19 minutes by stumps, having faced 337 balls, struck 16 fours, and shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 205 with Graeme van Buuren, who ended the day 105 not out in a second innings total of 364 for 3.

Having been outplayed on the opening two days, Gloucestershire are now 153 in front with seven wickets still in hand, and have every chance of securing a draw. Miles Hammond made 44 on a day of total frustration for a Derbyshire bowling attack unable to summon any meaningful assistance from a flat pitch.

The hosts began the day on 62 for 1, needing a further 149 to avoid an innings defeat. Bancroft and Ollie Price faced a short wait to resume their innings as overnight rain delayed the start until 11.30am.

It said much about how little the pitch had offered the seamers that Zak Chappell opened the Derbyshire bowling without a slip, instead opting for three close fielders on the leg side. It was the tall pace bowler who made an early breakthrough with the total on 72, Price, on 20, top-edging a pull shot to fine leg where Jack Morley took an excellent tumbling catch.

That was as good as it got for the visitors in the morning session. Bancroft took few risks in moving to a 125-ball half-century, surviving just one tough chance to short-leg off Alex Thomson. Hammond was more aggressive and by lunch the pair had taken the total to 153 for 2, cutting the deficit to 58 runs.

Hammond was looking increasingly comfortable and was visibly annoyed to lose concentration with only six runs added, slog-sweeping a ball from offspinner Thomson straight to Morley at deep midwicket. He had faced 92 balls and struck five fours.

Derbyshire hopes that the pitch would start to break up and assist Thomson and left-arm spinner Morley already looked dashed when van Buuren joined Bancroft in a stand that had added 97 by tea in bright afternoon sunshine.

Already without David Lloyd because of a hamstring problem, the visitors briefly lost skipper Wayne Madsen to a shoulder injury, sustained when falling awkwardly in the field. He went off for treatment, but was able to return.

Bancroft went to the hundred that had looked almost inevitable from ball one, cutting Ben Aitchison for his ninth boundary, having faced 202 deliveries. It was a true captain's innings, lacking frills, but exactly what his team required in the circumstances.

By tea, Gloucestershire had posted 256 for 3 and led by 45 runs. The final session saw van Buuren go to fifty off 109 balls, with six fours, the diminutive South African looking as solid as his partner in defence and ready to capitalise on any loose delivery.

Bancroft maintained exemplary concentration to reach 150 off 294 balls, having extended his boundary count to 13. By then, Gloucestershire's lead had stretched beyond 100 and there was no sign of Derbyshire regaining their grip on the game. Thomson and Morley sent down 76 overs between them and will sleep well. But dreams of more assistance from the wicket on the last day are likely to go unfulfilled if previous games at Bristol are a guide and a draw appears the only likely outcome.