Four wickets apiece for Brown and Cousins

Jason Brown and Darren Cousins picked up four wickets apiece as Northamptonshire, top of the County Championship's second division, forced Gloucestershire to follow on 283 behind on a rain-shortened day at Wantage Road.

Off-spinner Brown (4-68) and seamer Cousins (4-41) joined forces to dismiss the visitors for 186, and Mark Alleyne's men were 15-0 in their second effort when the weather intervened again to bring play to a premature close.

Northants enjoyed an excellent morning, claiming five wickets after the visitors resumed at 65-3. Brown struck as early as the ninth ball of the day when opener Dominic Hewson, having driven the previous delivery through the covers for four, edged to Matthew Hayden at slip and departed for 45.

The slide continued with Cousins trapping skipper Mark Alleyne leg-before, Brown claimed his fourth wicket as Chris Taylor pushed to forward short leg, and nightwatchman Martyn Ball was bowled by Paul Taylor to leave Gloucestershire in deep trouble at 119-7.

Jack Russell, dogged as ever, held up Northants with a battling 40, and although he lost another partner when Jeremy Snape gave Hayden a second slip catch to furnish Alec Swann with his first Championship wicket, the former England `keeper was still there when rain halted play just after lunch.

The delay lasted two-and-a-quarter hours, docking 36 overs from the day's total, and Northants were able to tidy up quickly upon the resumption with Cousins removing Jon Lewis (22) and Russell in successive overs.

But further rain prevented any cricket after 5.40pm, offering Gloucestershire - still 268 adrift - a lifeline going into the final day.