Miles makes Lancashire do the hard yards

Gloucestershire 15 for 2 trail Lancashire 275 (Croft 65, Brown 57) by 260 runs
Scorecard

Gloucestershire pace prospect Craig Miles claimed 5 for 61 as Lancashire were bowled out for 275 on a compelling first day of their Second Division match at Bristol.

The 20-year-old seamer took his wicket tally in the competition this season to 29 and received good support from Matt Taylor after the hosts had won the toss in sunny conditions.

Despite solid half-centuries from Karl Brown and Steven Croft, Lancashire were 190 for 7 at one stage before useful late order contributions from Jordan Clark, Tom Bailey and coach Glenn Chapple, who blasted 29 not out from 13 balls to ensure a second batting point.

Gloucestershire suffered a blow when wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick had to be taken to hospital for x-rays on a damaged hand. Geraint Jones, the former England keeper, took over the gloves in the afternoon session.

By the close the home side had slipped to 15 for 2 from ten overs. Lancashire opted to go into the game without a specialist spinner, preferring to give the evergreen Chapple a first outing of the summer, and by the close must have felt they had edged the day.

Miles and Taylor set the tone for a disciplined Gloucestershire bowling effort, both conceding only six runs from six-over spells with the new ball, a period that saw Paul Horton caught at gully off Miles for four.

Alviro Petersen helped Brown add 45 before falling lbw for 20, advancing down the pitch to try and clip Taylor through the leg side. Ashwell Prince quickly followed, bowled by Miles for a single. Opener Brown moved to a watchful half-century before he also had his stumps disturbed by Miles, playing off the back foot.

Alex Davies was leg before to a full ball from Taylor for 11 and James Faulkner fell to a poor shot for nine, caught behind chasing a wide one from Miles.

Croft produced some of the best batting of the day, easing to a half-century off 68 balls, and looking in little trouble until he was pinned lbw on the back foot by Miles with the score on 190.

Tea was taken without addition to the total before Clark and Bailey produced a useful eighth-wicket stand of 49. They looked set to take Lancashire through to the new ball until Benny Howell struck twice in the same over. The medium-pacer had Clark caught behind driving and then induced a poor shot from Kyle Jarvis, who miscued a catch to cover and departed for a duck.

Out stepped Chapple to face the first over with the second new ball. The 41-year-old took three boundaries off it to dent Miles' figures and bring up the 250.

Bailey was bowled by Taylor to end the innings, having made a valuable contribution, and Gloucestershire were left with a tricky period to negotiate before stumps. They lost both openers, Chris Dent, caught behind off Jarvis for two pushing forward defensively, and Will Tavare lbw to Bailey for four.