Hoggy in form but Gloucs recover

Despite the best efforts of Matthew Hoggard and his attack, steady partnerships throughout the day from Gloucestershire’s batsmen stalled Leicestershire’s progress in the LV=County Championship game at Bristol.

After being reduced to 8-2, a stand of 138 between Hamish Marshall and Alex Gidman formed the foundation of the innings as the hosts closed on 314-6. Hoggard was the pick of the Leicestershire attack with 3-49 from 19 overs.

Things were looking promising when Hoggard won the toss, elected to field and snared two quick wickets but Gloucestershire regrouped.

Marshall (86) and Gidman (99) batted well in tandem and also participated in respective half century stands with Chris Dent (34) and Chris Taylor (66).

Marshall and Dent put on 66 after the early strikes from Hoggard and Gidman and Taylor then shared 59 for the fourth wicket. The team kept plugging away to end partnerships but Gloucs will be pleased with their day's work.

Claude Henderson – like Hoggard - bowled with great economy in taking 1-46 from 24 overs but in general it was tough going for the bowlers.

That went against the grain from previous happenings at Nevil Road this season, for forty-three wickets had fallen on the opening days against Northants and Sussex combined.

There was assistance early on after skipper Hoggard won what looked to be an important toss but after the shine went off the ball, the batsmen recovered from a poor start.

Events went in line with what former County player and coach Jack Birkenshaw reported after assessing the pitch at Bristol earlier this season.

Birkenshaw deemed it to be the bowling conditions that caused the wickets, not the pitch itself. Given four of the six wickets fell with the new ball at either end of the day, that assessment looks a shrewd one.

However, when things started with a bang, Leicestershire - who bought AJ Harris back into the side for the injured Wayne White - would have been hopeful of another Bristol wicket-fest. When they were bowling, that is.

Will Porterfield, who has just returned from international duty with Ireland, was caught by Will Jefferson at second slip from a ball that nipped away, and Jon Batty was trapped leg-before.

From that point though, Gloucestershire’s batsmen dug in. It was hard work for the batters as Nathan Buck started with promise and sent down three successive maidens. Harris then entered the attack alongside Hoggard when Buck took a break.

Buck’s England under 19 colleague Dent settled to the task despite the fierce pressure and he and Marshall got through the rest of the hour without further loss. The young batter also found the boundary on three occasions.

The duo took their partnership past 50 later in the session with Marshall playing two nice drives as he began to look ominous.

Dent also looked solid and Hoggard rotated his bowlers in a bid to find a breakthrough. Henderson was introduced twenty minutes before lunch and his introduction worked immediately.

The slow left armer had Dent leg before – it was initially thought he may have been caught behind by Tom New - and a pesky partnership had been ended in the nick of time.

That bought home captain Gidman to the crease and with both men having done well against County in the past, the next wicket was going to be important.

The duo got through to lunch with Gloucs on 84-3 but Hoggard and Henderson had done a great job in the closing overs of the session. With Andrew McDonald also economical, the team restricted Gloucs to just more than 2.5 runs per over in the session.

However, with Marshall and Gidman both playing well after the break, the rate was increased and County’s nemeses were at it again. The New Zealander continued to look the part and moved to a 101-ball half-century. It came from just more than two overs at the crease and included eight boundaries.

The pair shared the second fifty stand of the day and after Leicestershire’s batsmen had good control earlier in proceedings, the batsmen were now stamping their authority on the game.

Too many boundaries were coming for County’s liking and Henderson returned to the attack.

The slow left armer nearly had success straightaway but after Gidman stumbled out of his crease, New just failed to take the difficult opportunity. Gidman regained composure to pull for four, which bought up the century partnership.

Marshall played a careless stroke off Henderson which nearly resulted in a stumping, but after advancing down the track and missing the ball with his bat, the ball ricocheted to safety off the pads.

The Gloucestershire captain reached his own half-century from 91 balls, and the knock included eight fours at that stage.

County desperately needed a breakthrough and Harris provided it on the stroke of tea. The seamer trapped Marshall leg-before for 86 and that meant County went in with a big boost with Gloucs on 212-4.

Henderson, who bowled economically all day, continued to work hard to good effect after tea.

Hoggard then returned to take the new cherry and struck immediately to remove Gidman. Like Alexei Kervezee in the last Championship game, the batter fell one short of a ton. He was caught by Harris to give the skipper a three-for.

That bought the in-form James Franklin to the wicket and he and Taylor looked to see things through to the close. However, after making a 90-ball 50, Taylor was caught behind by New off the bowling of Buck.

That was a welcome late wicket for County, who will be hoping to make early inroads in the morning.