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Yorks chase down 400

Centuries from Phil Jaques and Gary Ballance saw Yorkshire to a thrilling four-wicket win over Gloucestershire, having been set 400 for victory.

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Second highest successful run-chase in county's history

Centuries from Phil Jaques and Gary Ballance saw Yorkshire to a thrilling four-wicket win over Gloucestershire at Bristol, having been set 400 for victory. Jaques hit 160 and Ballance 121 not out as the visitors achieved the second highest successful run-chase in their history. Yorkshire began the day on 30-1 and Adam Lyth (36) and Tim Bresnan (38) made valuable contributions, but it was the fourth-wicket stand of 203 between Jaques and Ballance which broke Gloucestershire hearts. The home side had appeared well in the game when taking two wickets during the morning session. Ian Saxelby pinned Lyth lbw, while Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale threw the bat unnecessarily to be caught off Young for 21. It was 148-3 at lunch with Jaques on 73 and Ballance on nine. They batted with increasing assurance throughout the afternoon session, adding 121 runs with few alarms. Gloucestershire's attack, deprived of David Payne and James Fuller by injury, did not prove up to the task on a slow pitch. Skipper Alex Gidman had agreed to the contrived target, after Yorkshire on Friday forfeited their first innings to allow the hosts to set them 400 in 110 overs. Yorkshire took 19 points to the home side's four and look a solid bet for a quick return to the First Division.

Day Three

Kane Williamson completed a century to help Gloucestershire set Yorkshire a contrived target of 400 to win in 111 overs on day three at Bristol. The New Zealander took his overnight score of 89 to 111 before being one of five victims for Tim Bresnan in a Gloucestershire first-innings total of 351-9. The visitors then forfeited their first innings and Gloucestershire crawled to 48 without loss off 27 overs before declaring, having set the agreed target. Resuming on165-2, Williamson and Alex Gidman took the total to 203 before Gidman (26) offered a low catch to wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy off Bresnan. Williamson completed his second century in successive County Championship games before he fell on 111, while Hamish Marshall chipped in with 47 and Ian Cockbain made 38 before they too became victims of England seamer. Yorkshire lost opener Joe Sayers in just the sixth over of their improbable run chase, ending the day on 30-1 and 370 more runs to find on the final day. Day Two Kane Williamson continued in a rich vein of form as Gloucestershire enjoyed the better of a rain-affected second day of their match with Yorkshire at Bristol. The New Zealand Test batsman followed up an innings of 128 in the previous four-day game against Derbyshire with an unbeaten 89, before bad light brought an end to proceedings at 6.05pm with the home side on 165-2. Chris Dent, with 62, shared a gritty second-wicket stand of 146 with Williamson on a heavily overcast day. For Yorkshire, Tim Bresnan took 1-50 from 16 overs and had a couple of chances missed. Day One No play was possible on the opening day of the County Championship Division Two match between Gloucestershire and Yorkshire at Bristol. Heavy overnight rain had left the outfield saturated and umpires Martin Bodenham and Richard Kettleborough decided there was no prospect of the match starting on day one after a 2.30pm pitch inspection. The decision meant that all five days of championship cricket at the County Ground so far this season have been complete washouts. The only previous fixture against Glamorgan was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

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