County Championship: Gloucestershire reach 214-6 in pivotal clash with Hampshire

Colin de Grandhomme continued his great start with Hampshire after hitting a career-best first-class score of 174 not out on his red-ball debut

Gloucestershire made 214-6 on a rain-affected first day of their decisive showdown with Hampshire at Cheltenham.

A win for either side will clinch them a place in Division One for the final stage of the season.

Having won the toss, the hosts slipped to 72-3 as openers Miles Hammond and George Scott both fell to Colin de Grandhomme (2-21) for 31.

Glenn Phillips (47) and Jack Taylor (34 not out) led the recovery before rain ended play just two overs after tea.

Gloucestershire began the day second in Group Two, six points ahead of Hampshire, knowing a draw would likely be enough to secure a top-two finish and become one of the six teams fighting it out for the County Championship title in September.

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Hammond and Scott gave Gloucestershire a solid start, easing to 60-0 before New Zealand international De Grandhomme trapped the latter and then had the remaining opener caught behind after Brad Wheal had bowled James Bracey for a duck.

The Hampshire attack continued to chip away after lunch as the home batsmen failed to build on starts, Ryan Higgins hitting a 24-ball 25 before falling to Mason Crane, while De Grandhomme ground out eight maidens as his 14 overs cost just 21 runs.

Phillips showed counter-attacking intent with two sixes in his 77-ball knock before the Kiwi all-rounder took the slip catch off Wheal (2-43) to leave the hosts 173-6.

Taylor and Ollie Price added much-needed stability with an unbroken 41-run seventh-wicket stand when the day ended prematurely and evenly poised.