Roderick resistance thwarts Derbyshire

Derbyshire 24 for 0 trail Gloucestershire 275 (Roderick 76, Footitt 3-72) by 251 runs
Scorecard

Gareth Roderick continued his impressive start to the season as Gloucestershire battled to 275 all out after losing the toss in bowler-friendly conditions on the opening day of the LV=County Championship match with Derbyshire at Bristol.

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper's 76 off 155 balls, with 11 fours, was his third half-century in as many Championship innings following an unbeaten ton in the first class match with Cardiff MCCU.

Will Tavare contributed 48 and Hamish Marshall 41 on a green pitch offering some assistance to the seamers. Mark Footitt finished with 3 for 72 from 18 overs, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick at the end of the innings.

By the close Derbyshire had replied with 24 without loss from six overs and trailed by 251, having edged the day with a productive final session.

A cold overcast morning saw Gloucestershire progress to 30 before Chris Dent, on 22, edged a defensive shot off the accurate Tony Palladino to wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein.

Tavare responded with seven crisp boundaries and together with Roderick took the total to 98 in the 27th over before cutting loosely at Shiv Thakor and nicking a catch to Wayne Madsen at first slip.

It was 104 for 2 at lunch, with Derbyshire having failed to make the most of the conditions. But they struck again with the score on 139 as Tom Taylor beat Peter Handscomb's defensive shot and bowled him for 17.

Roderick brought up his half-century with his sixth boundary, having faced 110 balls without giving a chance. Marshall was then dropped at point on eight during a scratchy start to his innings. Footitt collected his first wicket when Roderick carelessly pulled a short ball to Alex Hughes at mid-wicket.

The course of the day changed in the first over after the interval when home skipper Geraint Jones was bowled shouldering arms to Taylor for 14.

His departure proved the start of a determined Derbyshire fightback that saw five more wickets tumble for only 48 runs. Marshall had battled away for 132 balls when pinned lbw by Hughes and, as at Northants in their opening game, Gloucestershire's tail offered little resistance.

Hughes (two for 34) had James Fuller leg before and the new ball was taken at 269 for seven. Footitt used it to good effect, removing Kieran Noema-Barnett (21) and Liam Norwell with successive balls before beating Matt Taylor outside off stump with his hat-trick delivery. Palladino claimed the last wicket