Late resistance from Gloucs

Grant Hodnett and Steve Adshead earned Gloucestershire a draw against Derbyshire.

LV County Championship - Division Two Bristol Derbyshire 312 (T R Birt 140, B M Edmondson 4-50) & 356-3 dec (T R Birt 162, S M Katich 124 no) v Gloucestershire 454 (G P Hodnett 168, A P R Gidman 111, C M Spearman 52, G G Wagg 5-119) & 170-5 Gloucestershire (12pts) drew with Derbyshire (9pts) A stoic partnership between Grant Hodnett (30) and Steve Adshead (36 no) denied Derbyshire's bowlers and earned Gloucestershire a draw in their Division Two fixture at Bristol. Derbyshire captain Simon Katich had earlier declared their second innings on 356 for three, after making an unbeaten 124. Fellow Australian Travis Birt was similarly in the runs, his 162 complementing the 140 he scored in Derbyshire's first innings. Together, the pair made 265 in 59 overs - a Derbyshire third-wicket record against Gloucestershire - before Birt was stumped by Adshead off Vikram Banerjee. Set a target of 215 to win, Gloucestershire were struggling as soon as Wayne White dismissed both Kadeer Ali (13) and Hamish Marshall (0) with successive balls. Chris Taylor (28) and Craig Spearman (35) pushed the scoreboard along but the home side were playing for a draw as soon as Alex Gidman (17) was bowled by Greg Smith. Day three Derbyshire finished the rain-shortened third day against Gloucestershire at 91-2 in their second innings, still 51 runs behind.

When play started at 2.45pm, Gloucestershire claimed a lead of 142 by extending their first innings from 403-7 to 454 all out with Grant Hodnett last man out for 168.

Travis Birt (37no) then led Derbyshire to 91-2 in their second innings and they will resume on the final day with plenty of batting still to done to escape Bristol with a draw.

Day Two

Gloucestershire finished day two of their match against Derbyshire firmly in control of proceedings after centuries from Grant Hodnett and Alex Gidman.

After being dropped on nine, Hodnett eventually hit a career-best 133 not out and shared a fourth-wicket stand of 199 with Gidman, who contributed 111.

Starting the day on 32 without loss, Craig Spearman also made 52 before falling victim to Graham Wagg, who also accounted for Hamish Marshall.

Kadeer Ali had also been and gone by that point, with Hodnett and Gidman then dominating for 42 overs before the latter fell lbw to Wagg.

Wagg finished with figures of three for 103 for Derbyshire but, on a slow pitch, Gloucestershire ended day two poised on 403 for seven - a lead of 91 runs.

Day One

Travis Birt smashed his second century of the LV County Championship season before Derbyshire were bowled out for 312 on day one at Bristol.

The Australian left-hander, opening the innings, hit 17 fours and six in his 237-ball knock of 140.

Michael Dighton (40) and skipper Simon Katich (41) also contributed before Gloucestershire's bowlers hit back.

After being in command on 212-3, Derbyshire suffered a middle order collapse, two wickets going down with the score on 237.

Birt was the seventh man to go when he was trapped leg before by home skipper Jon Lewis.

However, it was Australian seamer Ben Edmondson who was the pick of the Gloucestershire attack, claiming 4-50 in 15 overs.

The hosts started their first innings before the close of play, openers Craig Spearman and Kadeer Ali seeing out eight overs to finish on 32-0.