Essex v Glouces: James Fuller grabs late wickets after declaration

County Championship Division Two, Chelmsford
Close, day two: Gloucestershire 409-5dec, Essex 30-2
Gloucestershire 5pts, Essex 1pt
Match scorecard

Gloucestershire seamer James Fuller took two late wickets at rain-hit Chelmsford to put Essex in trouble.

He clean-bowled Australian debutant Rob Quiney before then having Ben Foakes caught at slip by Chris Dent.

After a late start (15:10 BST), the visitors batted on for two hours before declaring on 409-5, led by further runs from overnight centurions Dan Housego (150) and Hamish Marshall (149).

Essex then struggled against Fuller's pace before bad light ended play early.

After being dropped by Maurice Chambers off his own bowling. Marshall was the first Gloucestershire wicket to fall when he was caught on the boundary, having helped Houesgo take their fourth-wicket stand to 280.

That was within 41 runs of the county record set by the great Wally Hammond, in partnership with William Neale 76 years ago.

Housego then reached a career-best 150 before being trapped lbw by a low delivery from England all-rounder Ravi Bopara.

VIEW FROM THE COMMENTARY BOX

BBC Radio Essex's Glenn Speller:

"The day finished early due to bad light with 37 overs bowled.

"The Chelmsford floodlights helped keep the game going after Marshall and Housego had shared a fourth-wicket stand of 280, having again looked imperious against some wayward Essex bowling.

"With 18 scheduled overs to survive, Essex lost two wickets, although Tom Westley played some attractive shots to reach the close not out."

BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Bob Hunt:

"Gloucestershire's 18-year-old wicketkeeper Cameron Herring turned down a place at university in Cardiff to grab his chance of playing first-class cricket.

"The diminutive Herring, making his debut against Essex, said he was surprised to be given the nod over the county's more experienced keepers but was not nervous as he had been around the first team squad all pre-season.

"Herring had to wait until five o'clock on the second day but looked competent and lively as he watched his bowlers reduce Essex to 39-2."

Debutant teenage wicket-keeper Cameron Herring told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

"The senior players such as Hamish Marshall and Alex Gidman have been great in making me feel part of the team.

"Jack Russell has been in to help me a couple of times.

"And I really look up to Matt Prior, of course, and especially AB de Villiers."