County Championship: Dom Sibley hits century as Warwickshire rally against Gloucestershire

Dom Sibley shared a stand of 108 with Danny Briggs

Dom Sibley scored a superb hundred to provide relegation-threatened Warwickshire with a timely boost on the opening day of the County Championship Division One basement battle with Gloucestershire at Bristol's Seat Unique Stadium.

Under considerable pressure at 138-6 midway through the afternoon session, the Bears were indebted to Sibley, who scored a composed 105 not out and staged a restorative seventh-wicket stand of 108 with Danny Briggs, who made a season's best 65, to help his side reach the close on 255-8.

As well as Zafar Gohar bowled in claiming 4-59 from a marathon 32 overs to put Warwickshire under the pump, Gloucestershire had only themselves to blame for not ending the day on top - both Sibley and Briggs profiting from dropped catches early on in their innings.

Will Rhodes won the toss and opted to bat, only for events to take an unexpected turn on an apparently docile Bristol track. Rob Yates went off like a train, scoring almost exclusively in boundaries as he raced to 19 from 16 balls, before chancing his arm once too often and nicking to Jack Taylor at first slip off Ajeet Dale in the fourth over with the score on 21.

Alex Davies then played down the wrong line to a David Payne in-swinger and saw his off stump knocked back as the defending champions slipped to 24-2 in the sixth over.

Deputising for Ben Charlesworth, substitute fielder Dom Goodman put down a straightforward chance at point to allow Sibley a life on 14, much to the chagrin of change bowler Tom Price, who generated additional lift from the Ashley Down Road End.

Despite battling hard for a 74-ball 10, the usually dependable Sam Hain was unable to keep Sibley company until the interval, succumbing to Zafar's slow left arm and offering a looping catch to Charlesworth at short square leg via an inside edge as the visitors further subsided to 64-3.

Sibley inched his way to a carefully-crafted 50 from 114 balls to at least afford the visitors an underlying sense of reassurance. Yet it proved short-lived, Gloucestershire's brothers in arms joining forces to account for Rhodes, who nicked to Ollie Price at second slip off the bowling of elder sibling Tom for 24.

Zafar then made further in-roads, Gloucestershire's leading wicket taker removing Jayant Yadav (17) and Jacob Bethell (2) in successive overs to reduce the visitors to 162-6.

Briggs enjoyed a large slice of fortune shortly after the resumption when, having advanced his score to 19, Dale located his outside edge and Taylor fumbled low down at first slip.

Gloucestershire were duly punished, Briggs cutting and driving his way to a swashbuckling 50 from 86 balls to propel Warwickshire to a first bonus point, crucially one more than that achieved by fellow strugglers Kent at home to Hampshire.

Held at slip late on in proceedings, Briggs was finally undone by a ball from Zafar that turned, terminating an enterprising innings that spanned 110 balls and included 12 boundaries.

Sibley carried on regardless, clipping Zafar through mid-wicket for two to bring up three figures via 237 balls shortly before the close.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.