Kadeer lights up predictable draw

Gloucestershire bat out final day

Last updated: 22nd August 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kadeer lights up predictable draw

Kadeer: fourth first-class century

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LV County Championship - Division Two
Bristol
Northamptonshire 349 (D J G Sales 148, A J Hall 58, O J Newby 5-69) & 1-0 v Gloucestershire 401-6 dec (Kadeer Ali 161, M J North 64, C G Taylor 50)
Gloucestershire (12pts) drew with Northamptonshire (9pts)

Kadeer Ali made a career-best 161 on the final day of Gloucestershire's rain-ruined draw against Northamptonshire.

Gloucestershire resumed on the fourth morning 220 runs behind at 129-2 in their first innings, with Kadeer on 63.

The respective captains declined to contrive a run chase leaving only one outcome likely on a slow pitch at Bristol.

The hosts batted until shortly before 4.45pm before declaring at 401-6, therefore restricting promotion-chasing Northants - for whom Andrew Hall claimed 3-60 - to just two bowling bonus points.

Marcus North contributed 64 and Chris Taylor 50 but it was Kadeer's 325-ball innings, featuring 19 fours, that was the highlight.

Kadeer and North produced some of the best batting of the match in extending their third-wicket stand to 107.

North, making his farewell Championship appearance before returning to Australia, reached an attractive half-century off 84 balls, with six fours, and celebrated by hitting Monty Panesar for a straight six.

The England spinner has a miserable day, finishing with figures of 0-86 from 29 overs, having extracted little from a lifeless surface.

Gloucestershire collected 12 points to move off the bottom of the Division Two table, while Northants are third after picking up nine points.

Day three

Gloucestershire's Oliver Newby returned career-best figures of 5-69 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 349 on the third day at Bristol.

With day one having been lost to rain, Newby - coming to the end of a month's loan from Lancashire - took three wickets on day two and added a further two on Thursday to scoop his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.

David Sales, who resumed on 99 not out, notched his century before finally falling for 148.

Andrew Hall added 12 to his overnight score but then departed for 58, while Johann Louw made 46 before becoming Newby's fifth victim, Northants finishing just one agonising run short of a fourth batting point.

In reply, Gloucestershire openers Kadeer Ali and William Porterfield put together a stand of 57 before the latter was caught behind off Johannes van der Wath for 26 trying to withdraw his bat.

They suffered a second blow as Hamish Marshall also tickled behind, this time off the bowling of Hall, for just 11, but Ali (63 not out) and Marcus North (17 not out) ensured they reached the close at 129-2.

Day two

An unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 98 between David Sales (99 not out) and Andrew Hall rescued Northamptonshire from a tricky position on the second day of their match with Gloucestershire.

The duo came together with the visitors on 112-5 with Oliver Newby and David Brown helping themselves to two wickets apiece for Gloucestershire.

With the first day of the match having been lost to rain, a further 16 overs were lost before play eventually got underway and an early finish due to bad light meant 27 were lost in total.

When play did get underway it was Gloucestershire who took the upper hand as Newby removed Stephen Peters (14) and Niall O'Brien (nine) and Brown dismissed Riki Wessels (17) and Lance Klusener (five).

With Ben Howgego also perishing cheaply for just 15 Northants found themselves in some bother, but Sales and Hall steadied the ship in fine style.

Having reached his half century of 69 balls, Sales was largely untroubled as he closed in on his century and was only denied by the poor light. Hall finished the day unbeaten on 43.

Day one

Northamptonshire's promotion hopes were dented after the first day of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with Gloucestershire was rained off without a ball being bowled.

Successive draws against promotion-chasing rivals Warwickshire and Derbyshire in previous four-day fixtures have kept Nicky Boje's men in the hunt for a top two finish.

However, hopes of recording a much-needed win over winless Gloucestershire have been dealt a huge blow after the elements once again caused havoc with the County Championship calendar.

If play resumes on day two it will see a return to Northants action for England off-spinner Monty Panesar, with Stephen Peters set to stand-in as skipper in the absence of the injured Boje.

Gloucestershire have handed a debut to former England spinner Richard Dawson, and he is set to make his first appearance as the hosts go in search of their first competition victory of the season.