Wagh guides Warwickshire to first innings lead

Mark Wagh continued his excellent form to give Warwickshire a useful first innings advantage of 59 over Gloucestershire in the CricInfo Championship second division match at Bristol.

The 24-year-old batsman struck 89 as Warwickshire were bowled out for 204 in reply to Gloucestershire's 145 on a day when 16 overs were lost to rain and bad light.

Neil Smith gave good support to Wagh in a seventh-wicket partnership of 51 before Vasbert Drakes helped him add 51 for the eighth wicket.

Gloucestershire's bowlers stuck to their task well and there was a season's best 5-50 from skipper Mark Alleyne and a Gloucestershire-best 4-49 from James Averis.

The home side, 135-8 overnight, had their innings quickly wrapped up in the morning session as Averis was well caught by Michael Powell at short extra cover off Drakes and Jeremy Snape, who had eight fours in his 61, was taken by Dominic Ostler at first slip off Alan Richardson.

Although the pitch looks a decent one for batting, Warwickshire encountered similar problems to Gloucestershire as they slipped to 89-6 shortly after lunch.

Averis accounted for Powell, Keith Piper, Ostler and Dougie Brown, while Mike Cawdron bowled Nick Knight, as he offered no shot, and Mark Alleyne had David Hemp lbw.

But Wagh and Smith then rallied the innings before the latter was bowled by Alleyne as he looked to smash the Gloucestershire captain through the offside.

Alleyne did the trick again for Gloucestershire to end Drakes' innings, as an attempted back foot force only resulted in an inside edge on to his stumps.

Alleyne then had Melvyn Betts caught low at slip by Ball before he ended Wagh's hopes of a third Championship century this season by bowling him with a yorker. Wagh's innings came from 159 balls and contained 11 fours.

Gloucestershire openers Kim Barnett and Dominic Hewson were then spared six overs batting by bad light.