County Championship: Centuries from Jack Taylor and Michael Klinger hand Glos victory

Victory saw Gloucestershire move up to second in Division Two, nine points behind Essex

Blistering centuries from Jack Taylor and Michael Klinger saw Gloucestershire to victory against Worcestershire.

The hosts were bowled out for 239, losing their last five wickets for just 43 runs, with Craig Miles taking 5-54.

Requiring 315 runs from 70 overs for victory at New Road, Joe Leach struck twice as the visitors fell to 141-5.

But Klinger (102 no) hit his second six to reach his ton, sharing 179 for the sixth wicket with Taylor (107 no), his second ton of 2016 against Worcester.

Miles' second five-wicket haul in as many matches saw him dismiss Leach, Ed Barnard and Jack Shantry before he had top scorer Ross Whiteley caught for 71 to end Worcestershire's second innings.

The home side looked to have gained the advantage when Ed Barnard removed Gloucestershire captain Gareth Roderick (30) and Charlie Morris had Graeme van Buuren caught behind for 42.

But Taylor took the attack to the Worcestershire bowlers, while Klinger anchoring the innings from the other end to put the visitors in the ascendency.

Having hit 107 off 72 balls - an innings that included 11 fours and six maximums - Taylor left it to Klinger to secure Gloucestershire's second win of the season.

The centurions of Worcester and Gloucester

There have been a remarkable nine centuries in this season's two Championship meetings between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

Worcestershire's Joe Clarke recorded his highest first-class score (135) at Bristol in April, before Moeen Ali made an unbeaten final-day 136, to follow the lead of Gloucestershire pair Chris Dent (138 not out) and Jack Taylor (105).

Taylor then followed that up with his 107 at New Road in his unbroken partnership with Michael Klinger, which followed Graeme Van Buuren's gritty first-innings 172 not out.

But home pair Tom Kohler-Cadmore (169) and Jack Shantry (106) both made career-best hundreds in the Worcestershire first innings.

'Gloucestershire deserved to win' - Rhodes

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes:

"What a great game. Gloucestershire played extremely well. But we are a young side who will learn a lot from days like this.

"The aggressive innings from Jack Taylor was outstanding, but possibly more so was Michael Klinger holding them altogether. Without his stability, they wouldn't have been able to get that score. But they did get that score and sometimes you've got to take your hat off to the opposition.

"There were things we could have done better today but they are a good outfit, a side not prepared to roll down and die, and they thoroughly deserved to win after the way they played in that chase."

Gloucestershire century maker Jack Taylor:

"It was fantastic to get over the line. It is a pretty special feeling. Everyone chipped in. It was a great team effort.

"We were a bit wary of the light affecting things so we said get ourselves in and then take strong options and go from there really.

"As we got towards the end, we tried to up the tempo and make use of the short boundary and it paid off. It was a great innings by Michael Klinger. He has been great for us over the past few years. He is a fantastic player."