County Championship: Gloucestershire's James Bracey scores ton against Somerset
- Published
James Bracey's stay at the crease lasted 234 balls and 348 minutes
LV= County Championship Group Two, The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (day two): |
Somerset 312: Davies 87, Overton 54 |
Gloucestershire 301-8: Bracey 118, Taylor 53*, Dent 50 |
Gloucestershire (6 pts) trail Somerset (5 pts) by 11 runs |
James Bracey scored a fine 118 on day two at Taunton as Gloucestershire fought back against Somerset.
The 23-year-old struck 15 fours and one six as the visitors closed on 301-8, just 11 runs behind Somerset.
Having resumed on 13-0, Gloucestershire lost wickets at regular intervals throughout the day - but Bracey remained the one constant.
Kraigg Brathwaite made 18 on his debut, while Chris Dent scored 50 and Matt Taylor an unbeaten 53.
But the day belonged to Bracey, who compiled the sixth first-class century of his career with good control and composure despite seeing his middle-order partners come and go.
The most meaningful stand was shared with Taylor, with whom he shared 71 for the eighth wicket.
Craig Overton was the pick of the Somerset bowlers with 3-60, while Marchant de Lange chipped in with two wickets on his debut for the Taunton outfit.
Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton:
"The game is evenly poised. It was hard work out there on a pitch which is getting better to bat on all the time.
"James Bracey and Matt Taylor played really well, as they are entitled to, and we couldn't quite drive home the advantage after taking the first seven wickets.
"Jack Leach showed what a quality bowler he is by keeping things really tight on a surface that wasn't helping him. Hopefully, it will do so more in the second innings and he will get his rewards then."
Gloucestershire centurion James Bracey:
"It meant a lot scoring a hundred in a local derby. I've already had a few messages from my friends in club cricket. And I'm delighted for Matt Taylor, who played really well and produced a very important innings for us.
"My former team-mates at Winterbourne Cricket Club were all Gloucestershire fans, but at Bristol Cricket Club it was more mixed and I may have upset some of the Somerset supporters!
"After what happened here last season, we all arrived determined to give a good account of ourselves and we are right in the game with a chance of winning it."