Bracey leads Glos fightback against injury-hit Lancs

James Bracey's 114 for Gloucestershire against Lancashire included 16 fours [Shutterstock] Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day three) Gloucestershire 136 & 305: Bracey 114, Hammond 82; Anderson 4-51, Balderson 4-75 Lancashire 240 & 75-3: Bohannon 31, Jennings 25*; Bell 1-16 Lancashire (3pts) need 127 more runs to beat Gloucestershire (3pts) Match scorecard Lancashire's injury woes continued as a James Bracey century helped Gloucestershire stage a spirited fightback on the third day of the County Championship Division Two match at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol. Having already lost seamer Ajeet Singh Dale to a hamstring injury on day one, the visitors had to make a second substitution when Luke Wells suffered a painful shoulder injury diving to prevent a boundary during the morning session. Harry Singh was introduced in his place, with the go-ahead to bat and bowl, as Gloucestershire advanced their overnight second innings score of 58-3 to 305 all out, a lead of 201.

Bracey hit 114, with 16 fours, and Miles Hammond contributed 82, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 148. There were four wickets each for James Anderson (4-51) and George Balderson (4-75). Lancashire were left with 28 overs to bat in the day and closed on 75-3, Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 25, needing a further 127 runs to win.

The Wells injury happened with Gloucestershire's total 124-3 as he tried to prevent a Bracey boundary to fine leg off Anderson. He immediately signalled his distress and team-mates ran to his aid before medical help arrived and he was taken to Southmead Hospital with a suspected dislocation. The incident compounded a frustrating morning for Lancashire as Hammond and Bracey made steady inroads into their first innings lead of 104, employing sensible shot selection on a placid pitch.

A boundary through the covers from Hammond off Paul Coughlin wiped out the deficit. By lunch, Gloucestershire led by 72, Hammond having gone to a 123-ball half-century with a straight six off Arav Shetty, which also brought up the century partnership. Bracey followed to fifty off 115 deliveries and was unbeaten on 53 at lunch, with Hammond on 80 and the total 176-3.