County Championship: Lancashire earn first-innings lead against Gloucestershire

Luke Wood's half-century was his first of the season in the County Championship

Half-centuries from Steven Croft and Luke Wood helped Lancashire move into a potentially winning position on the third day of the County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Croft was dismissed for 80 and Wood 50 as the visitors extended their first-innings total from an overnight 226-4 to 402 all out, a lead of 65.

By the close, Gloucestershire had struggled to 99-3 in their second innings, just 34 in front, with Miles Hammond unbeaten on 25, but rain is forecast for the final day and could come to their aid.

The day began with Croft one short of his fifty, which came up with a two off Matt Taylor in the second over. It had occupied 112 balls and featured seven fours.

Hopes of a Lancashire acceleration dipped when Phil Salt, having added just five to his overnight score of 33, aimed a loose drive at Tom Price and was pinned lbw.

• Relive the third day's play in the County Championship as it happened

George Balderson helped Croft add 48 for the sixth wicket in just under 15 overs before the latter fell to the second new ball, edging a drive off Higgins through to wicketkeeper James Bracey.

Croft had faced 154 balls and extended his boundary count to 11 and with only seven runs added, Balderson, on 20, fell in similar fashion to another outside edge, giving Higgins (3-55) his third wicket.

At 289-7, Lancashire were still 48 runs behind, but Wood brought up the 300 and a third batting point with a pulled four off David Payne.

By lunch, the score had progressed to 317-7 and the afternoon session saw Wood and Tom Bailey continue a profitable partnership.

They had added 67 to put their side in front by 19 when Bailey, who had taken the dominant role with eight fours in his 40, fell leg-before to a delivery from left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar which drifted in.

By then, Lancashire had settled for three batting points and were intent on building a meaningful lead.

Will Williams contributed 12 to another useful stand of 43 with Wood before being caught at cover off Payne.

Wood went to his half-century off 108 balls, with seven fours, but perished soon afterwards, lofting a catch to deep mid-wicket off Payne who finished with 3-81.

Price had figures of three for 80 in a Gloucestershire seam attack who bowled wholeheartedly and without much fortune on the slow pitch.

The hosts reduced the deficit of 65 by 20 in their second innings before George Scott edged Bailey and fell to a slip catch for the second time in the match.

It said much about the surface that Lancashire turned to the spin of Jack Morley after only 11 overs, five of which had been sent down by Williams at a cost of only a single.

But it was another seamer, Balderson, who made the second breakthrough when Glenn Phillips, on nine, shouldered arms to a ball that nicked his off stump.

First-innings centurion Chris Dent looked in control again, moving to 23, but then edged a defensive shot off Williams to wicketkeeper Salt to put his side in peril at 73-3

The light was poor in the closing overs, which may have explained why Bailey switched to off-spin as Hammond and Bracey saw Gloucestershire to stumps.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.