County Championship: Rain-ruined draw with Somerset edges Gloucestershire closer to relegation

Only 40 balls were bowled on the final day as rain ensured the match at Taunton ended in a draw

Gloucestershire's bid for a first County Championship win of the season was thwarted by the weather on the final day of the match with Somerset at Taunton.

The visitors began the day by extending their second innings total from an overnight 246-5 to 278-7 before declaring with a lead of 373.

But the rain that had been forecast for much of the first three days soon set in and the match was condemned to being a draw at 15:10 BST, with Somerset 11 without loss in their second innings.

While Gloucestershire dominated the match from the opening morning, they took only 12 points, having two deducted for a slow over rate, while their neighbours also picked up 12.

That lifted Somerset seven points clear of second-from-bottom Warwickshire, while their arch-rivals are doomed to relegation, 30 points adrift at the bottom of the table with only two games to play.

With the weather forecast suggesting showers, Gloucestershire's decision to bat on at the start of the day was surprising.

Skipper Graeme van Buuren skied a catch to fine leg off the first ball of the day, sent down by Josh Davey, and Jack Taylor followed suit in the second over, lofting Jack Brooks to mid-off.

David Payne hit a couple of big sixes before the declaration came after 15 minutes, with rain starting to fall.

The initial shower delayed the start of Somerset's innings by 15 minutes and more frustration for Gloucestershire followed when, with only 3.5 overs bowled, the rain returned, with Somerset openers Tom Lammonby and Imam on six and five respectively.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.