Cameron Bancroft made a successful return to Gloucestershire by scoring a crucial half-century on day two of the Vitality County Championship Second Division match against Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium.
The 31-year-old Australian batsman, who last served the club in 2017, impressed by top-scoring with a patient 70. He also shared a stand of 98 with Miles Hammond for the fourth wicket, helping Gloucestershire recover from 28 for 3 to post 263 in their first innings.
Ben Charlesworth contributed an unbeaten 52 to keep the home side in the game. Frontline bowlers Ben Coad and Matt Fisher were persistent and managed to take 3-44 and 3-65 respectively. As a result, Yorkshire gained a useful first-innings advantage of 63.
Openers Adam Lyth (39) and Finlay Bean (15) safely negotiated 11 overs beneath lowering skies to reach 57 without loss, a lead of 120. The white rose county's position was further improved.
Recruited to strengthen the batting line-up, which has struggled to post substantial first-innings totals in recent seasons, Bancroft used his experience to rescue Gloucestershire from a difficult situation. They had been reduced to 28-3 in response to Yorkshire's 326. Nightwatchman Josh Shaw was dismissed in the fourth over of the day, caught by Harry Brook at third slip off the bowling of Matt Milnes. At this point, Bristol County Ground regulars prepared for the expected collapse.
Bancroft, who is naturally obdurate and resilient, had different ideas. Together with Hammond, he set about repairing the damage caused by Yorkshire's seamers. Although buoyed by their early success, the seamers sought to press home their advantage. The spectacle may not have been edifying for the neutral, but Gloucestershire's fourth wicket pair achieved their initial aim of riding out the threat posed by Coed and Milnes.
As conditions improved and the Kookaburra ball softened, Bancroft and Hammond continued their progress, reaching the lunch interval with the score at 88-3. Bancroft led by example, registering his first 50 in his second stint with Gloucestershire. He achieved this landmark shortly after lunch, after facing 160 balls and hitting a solitary four.
Hammond then hit a short-pitched delivery from Fisher behind square for the first six of the innings, threatening to awaken spectators from their slumbers. Despite having been discreet in making 43, the 28-year-old left-hander succumbed to temptation. He was lured down the track in pursuit of a ball tossed up outside off stump by slow left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty and fell prey to a smart stumping by Jonny Tattersall.
The home side may have felt some reassurance from the workmanlike stand of 98 runs in 41 overs. There was still much work to be done. Unfortunately, Bancroft suffered a lapse in judgement and attempted to drive Moriarty, resulting in him holing out to Root. Root took a well-judged running catch at deep mid-off.
Although he missed out on a century, the Australian batsman still scored 70 runs in an innings that lasted 196 balls and nearly four and a half hours. He demonstrated the value of patience to his new teammates.
With the score at 157-5, James Bracey and new batsman Charlesworth were tasked with reaching the tea interval without further mishap. They took advantage of a prolonged spell of spin and a flat pitch to increase the scoring rate, advancing the score to 202-5. Bracey made an error in the final over before tea.
The eighth bowler to be used by Yorkshire captain Shan Masood, occasional spinner Lyth made an impact with his second delivery. Bracey attempted a late cut but ended up nicking the ball to Root at slip, resulting in his dismissal for 39 off 63 balls. His departure just before the new ball was due gave Yorkshire more confidence.
Gloucestershire were still behind by 96 runs when captain Graeme van Buuren fell to the new ball, trying to hit Coed over mid-on and edging a catch behind. It was an unwise shot given the circumstances. The dismissal of Zaman Akhtar two balls later, caught at the wicket off the bowling of the estimable Coed, did not help van Buuren's situation.
With his team in a difficult position, big-hitting Marchant de Lange offered attack as the best form of defense, hitting 3 fours and a six in a violent nine-ball cameo. His innings ended when he drove Fisher to mid-off for 18.
Despite the chaos at the other end, Charlesworth remained composed as he dug Gloucestershire out of a deep hole. He displayed sound judgment throughout and reached his half-century in style, smashing Coed for an impressive six over long-on. He was eventually left stranded on 52 not out when Fisher dismissed Ajeet Singh Dale lbw to wrap up the innings in the 91st over.
Charlesworth's contribution frustrated Gloucestershire, with their last two wickets adding 43 runs to restrict Yorkshire's first-innings lead to 63.
Lyth then extended Yorkshire's advantage with some fine stroke-play, hitting seven boundaries. Gloucestershire has not won a red ball cricket match in 2023. They face a challenging task over the next two days to prevent a loss.