County Championship: James Bracey hits century for Gloucestershire against Yorkshire

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Gloucestershire's James BraceyImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

James Bracey's hundred was his ninth in first-class cricket

LV= County Championship Division One, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day three)

Gloucestershire 227 & 253-6: Bracey 112*, Patterson 2-31

Yorkshire 376: Brook 101, Lyth 52; Dale 4-72

Gloucestershire (3pts) lead Yorkshire (6pts) by 104 with 4 wickets standing

Gloucestershire's James Bracey scored his second century of the new season to give them hope of at least a draw with Yorkshire at Bristol.

He followed his 117 against Northamptonshire with an unbeaten 112 as they ended day three on 253-6

Yorkshire added 42 to their overnight 334-8 before being bowled out, with Ajeet Dale claiming 4-72.

Gloucestershire trailed by 149 on first innings but Bracey's stand of 73 helped them achieve a lead of 104 at stumps.

After being outplayed for much of the first two days, Gloucestershire did well to finish off Yorkshire's first innings in 10 overs as Dale claimed career-best figures in only his fourth first-class game.

They looked in serious trouble after Ben Charlesworth was bowled for a duck and first-innings centurion Marcus Harris was caught at first slip off Steve Patterson for 18.

There was another double blow when Graeme van Buuren and Miles Hammond departed in the space of six overs to leave them 84-4, but Bracey showed the quality which earned him two England Test caps last year to reach three figures off 172 balls, with 10 fours, despite being struck on the helmet by a ball from Haris Rauf.

Following Lace's downfall, he found another handy ally in Zafar Gohar, who struck two fours off Matt Fisher in the penultimate over to reach 21 not out, with Bracey remaining on 112.