Miles' ten-wicket haul sets up tense chase

Gloucestershire 277 and 26 for 1 need 226 more runs to beat Lancashire 275 and 253 (Brown 56, Clark 48, Miles 5-60)
Scorecard

Craig Miles collected his second five-wicket haul of the match as Gloucestershire bowled out Lancashire for 253 on the third day of the LV=County Championship clash at Bristol.

The 20-year-old seamer took 5 for 60 to complete match figures of 10 for 121 and leave his side chasing a victory target of 252. Karl Brown top scored for Lancashire with 56, while Ashwell Prince contributed 43 and Jordan Clark 48.

By the close Gloucestershire had reached 26 for 1 in the quest for a Championship double over their visitors this season, with the in-form Michael Klinger unbeaten on 15, and a compelling contest was still in the balance.

It was Miles' day. In addition to the wickets he picked up with some disciplined bowling from the Ashley Down Road End, he produced a fine piece of fielding at mid-on to run out Prince as the batsman attempted a quick single.

Miles likes playing against Lancashire. He has now claimed 24 wickets in four Championship games against them at an average of 16.70. Lancashire began the day on 14 without loss and progressed to 93 for 2 by lunch, Miles pinning Paul Horton lbw for 6 playing no shot and forcing a misjudgement from Alviro Petersen, who looped a catch to point having reached the same score.

Brown and Prince produced a solid stand of 77 either side of the interval, ended by Prince's rash call. With the total still on 117, Steven Croft fell for a duck, leg-before to Miles pushing forward defensively.

Brown moved to his second patient half-century off the match, from 161 balls, with nine fours, before edging an attempted cut off Benny Howell and offering a catch to wicketkeeper Cameron Herring, on as a substitute for the injured Gareth Roderick.

James Faulkner fell for 4 to a sharp one-handed catch by Howell at cover off Matt Taylor and a 147 for 6 Lancashire led by only 145. They were indebted to Clark and Alex Davies for adding 53 before Davies, on 28, carelessly clipped a Howell half-volley straight to Will Tavare at midwicket.

Clark fell to the second new ball after a handy 65-ball innings, and Tom Bailey produced some clean striking to finish unbeaten on 27 after Glen Chapple and Kyle Jarvis had perished cheaply.

Jarvis struck a quick blow as Gloucestershire began they victory bid, bowling Tavare for a duck off an inside edge as he looked to drive through the covers. But Klinger and Chris Dent saw things through to the close, with their side requiring a further 226 on the final day.