Rain wrecks contest on 25-over day at Bristol

Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire were again frustrated by the elements in their efforts to accrue bonus points on day three of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

Resuming on 65 for 3 in reply to Northamptonshire's first-innings 206, Gloucestershire advanced their score to 158 for 5 for the loss of Ollie Price and James Bracey in the 25 overs that were possible before rain set in just before the lunch interval.

Although umpires James Tredwell and Paul Baldwin ordered a mopping up operation to begin at 1.45pm, the Bristol ground-staff had to abandon their efforts when further wet weather arrived. Tea was taken at 2.55pm, after which a further inspection, staged at 4.15pm, led to play to being abandoned for the day with the loss of 79 overs.

There was time enough for Graeme van Buuren (28 not out) and Jack Taylor (24 not out) to post an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 51 in the morning and cut the deficit to 48 runs, but it will require a conversation between the captains if a contrived finish is to be rendered a possibility on the final day, when better conditions are forecast.

Batting remained a precarious business beneath grey skies and in the face of a moving ball on a pitch that retained the capacity to surprise following overnight rain, and the wily Ben Sanderson and seam sidekick Justin Broad strained every sinew in an attempt to exploit conditions when Gloucestershire resumed their first innings 141 behind. Their powers of concentration tested to the full, Price and Bracey erected a defensive barricade to stifle East Midlands ambition, applying themselves diligently to the task of survival as the floodlights pierced the gloom.

There were still sufficient moments of attacking flare to keep the scoreboard operator gainfully employed and the fourth wicket partnership realised 50 via 94 balls, Price driving fluently when Sanderson over-pitched and Bracey pulling and cutting with murderous intent on the occasions Ben Whitehouse proved wayward. Hampered by the injury-enforced absence of skipper Luke Procter, Northants were heavily dependent upon pace spearhead Sanderson, and the batsmen were no doubt relieved to see the back of him.

But there was no guarantee of security and, when Whitehouse extracted additional movement off the pitch, Price saw his middle stump uprooted, his defiant innings terminated for 37 from 93 balls. The partnership was worth 64 and Gloucestershire were 104 for 4, still 102 in arrears. When Whitehouse induced Bracey to pursue a ball outside off stump and edge to wicketkeeper Lewis McManus for 36 in his next over, he advanced his wicket tally in first-class cricket to three. The home side were 107-5, with two new batters at the crease, and under pressure.

Some of that pressure was eased by the introduction of leg spin, Calvin Harrison going for 14 in a wayward first over from the Ashley Down Road end that served to give van Buuren and Jack Taylor a start. These two needed no second invitation, working Harrison and teenage off spinner Nirvan Ramesh while the seamers were rested, raising a revitalising 50 partnership from 73 balls before rain forced the players off. Lunch was taken at 12.30, but there was no improvement in the weather thereafter.