Match report day 1: Glos v Lancs in Championship 2004 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Gloucestershire v Lancashire

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Summary for Day 1

 

Having won their first championship toss in 6 games, Lancashire elected to bat despite the presence of heavy cloud cover. Clearly the prospect of batting last did not offer any enticement. Perhaps Carl Hooper had already assessed that the pitch was going to play low and slow, and that spin was likely to play an ever increasing part.

 

Lancashire started slowly, only averaging 2 an over in the first half an hour. Suddenly and without any explanation, Sutcliffe attempted a tight single to Averis fielding at mid-on. The stumps were dislodged by the direct throw and Sutcliffe (10) trudged his way back to the pavilion (20-1). Either side of the luncheon interval, Chilton and Loye added 140 for the second wicket. On another day, either player might have been out. The ball narrowly passing fielders at catchable height. In the 46th over, Chilton who had been stuck on 69 for several overs, finally edged Franklin to Adshead (160-2).

 

Unfortunately, Lancashire offered a gift of a wicket to Gloucestershire when Mal Loye (90) danced down the track and hauled out to Weston at long-on. He was rightly disgusted with himself (215-3). At tea Lancashire were 261 for 3 with Mongia unbeaten on 49. In the first over after the resumption, Carl Hoper (19) chipped the ball to Franklin at long-off, offering simple catching practice (263-4). Suddenly a score of in excess of 450 became unlikely. Jamie Haynes joined Mongia at the wicket, and batted with enormous patience. By now, Ball and Fisher were bowling spin in tandem, and run accumulation was not easy. Gloucester elected to take the new ball in the 96th over and gained immediate reward. Haynes edged his first ball (with the new ball) to Hussey fielding in the gully (333-5) - Haynes was annoyed by the timing of his dismissal despite the partnership reaping 70 runs.

 

Gloucestershire brought themselves back into the contest late in the day by capturing three more wickets. On each occasion Chapple, Cork and Mahmood were bowled by James Franklin without troubling the scorers. Franklin narrowly failed to take a hat-trick. Mongia kept his cool in the face of a hostile spell of bowling in poor light to reach his 100 from 176 balls in the 102nd over of the day. Lancashire finished on 362 for 8 at close, and although on paper the match might appear even, batting is going to get harder as time passes by.

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Lancashire won the toss and elected to bat
• Very light rain prevents play from starting on time - 1 over deducted
• Sutcliffe run out 10 (Averis from mid-on - direct hit) - 20 for 1 in the 10th over - Chilton 5*
• 50 for 1 in the 17th over - Chilton 16* Loye 12*
• 50 partnership - 72 for 1 in the 24th over - Chilton 33* Loye 17*
• 101 for 1 in the 30th over - Chilton 46* Loye 33*
• 50 Chilton from 97 balls (9 x 4) - 107 for 1 in the 31st over - Loye 34*
• Lunch - 115 for 1 from 34 overs - Chilton 55* Loye 38*
• 100 partnership - 123 for 1 in the 36th over - Chilton 59* Loye 42*
• 50 Loye from 79 balls (11 x 4) - 136 for 1 in the 39th over - Chilton 60*
• 153 for 1 in the 43rd over - Chilton 68* Loye 56*
• Chilton caught Adshead bowled Franklin 69 (Dive low to right) - 160 for 2 in the 46th over - Loye 61*
• 20 for 2 in the 59th over - Loye 84* Mongia 17*
• 50 partnership - 210 for 2 in the 61st over - Loye 87* Mongia 23*
• Loye caught Weston bowled Ball 90 (Long-on) - 215 for 3 in the 64th over - Mongia 25*
• 252 for 3 in the 70th over - Mongia 48* Hooper 11*
• Tea - 261 for 3 from 71 overs - Mongia 49* Hooper 18*
• 50 Mongia from 92 balls (7 x 4) - 263 for 3 in the 72nd over - Hooper 19*
• Hooper caught Franklin bowled Fisher 19 (Long-off) - 263 for 4 in the 72nd over - Mongia 50*
• 303 for 4 in the 85th over - Mongia 73* Haynes 16*
• 50 partnership - 313 for 4 in the 88th over - Mongia 82* Haynes 17*
• New ball taken - 336 for 4 in the 96th over - Mongia 94* Haynes 24*
• Haynes caught Hussey bowled Franklin 24 (Gully) - 333 for 5 in the 96th over - Mongia 95*
• Chapple bowled Franklin 0 (Stayed very low) - 333 for 6 in the 98th over - Mongia 95*
• Cork bowled Franklin 0 (First ball) - 333 for 7 in the 98th over - Mongia 95*
• Spearman claims a catch at first slip - the ball did not carry - 339 for 7 in the 100th over - Mongia 97* Mahmood 0*
• Mahmood bowled Franklin 0 - 341 for 8 in the 102nd over - Mongia 99*
• 100 Mongia from 176 balls (15 x 4) - 346 for 8 in the 102nd over - Martin 1*
• Close of play - 362 for 8 from 105 over - Mongia 111* Martin 8*
• Gloucestershire 2 points, Lancashire 3 points

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)