Ollie Price and unfavourable weather conditions combined to frustrate Middlesex’s promotion ambitions on day two of their County Championship Division Two match at Lord’s.
Price displayed resilience with a determined 56*—his fifth score of 50 or more in first-class cricket this season—as Gloucestershire reached 154-5 in 41.4 overs before bad light and rain halted play. The visitors now trail Middlesex by 223 runs.
Despite finding movement and posing a consistent threat, Middlesex’s bowlers couldn’t break Price’s resistance, with many of his seven boundaries coming off inside edges as the home attack tested both edges of the bat.
Price's effort came after Middlesex captain Toby Roland-Jones ripped through Gloucestershire’s lineup, taking 3-12 in just 16 balls on either side of lunch. This spell reduced Gloucestershire to 74-4, but Price’s resolve brought stability, leaving his side needing another 74 runs to avoid the follow-on.
At stumps, Roland-Jones had claimed figures of 3-56, while Ryan Higgins added 2-47. Play was called off for the day at 15:15 BST due to poor light and persistent rain.
The day started with a 40-minute delay, and batting under floodlights proved treacherous. Cameron Bancroft edged the very first ball from Roland-Jones past third slip, and both Roland-Jones and Higgins relentlessly troubled the batters. Ben Charlesworth’s streaky innings ended when he edged Higgins to Sam Robson at slip for 12, while Bancroft, having accumulated most of his 25 runs behind the stumps, was bowled by a Roland-Jones delivery that jagged between his bat and pad.
A brief break for bad light was followed by lunch, but Roland-Jones resumed his dominance, striking Miles Hammond on the body with his first ball. Though Hammond managed a stylish four, he was soon caught at third slip, followed by James Bracey, who was caught behind two balls later, leaving Gloucestershire in a precarious position.
Price, however, steadied the ship with some fine shots, particularly an authoritative on-drive off Tom Helm. He was supported by Graeme van Buuren, whose partnership of 50 runs with Price was eventually ended by Higgins. Price’s brother, Tom, then joined him at the crease, managing to survive a blow to the helmet before the worsening weather ended the day’s play.
Gloucestershire will resume, still facing a daunting deficit, with Middlesex holding a slight upper hand in the match.