James Bracey's 114 for Gloucestershire against Lancashire included 16 fours during the Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, at Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day three).

Scores: Gloucestershire 136 & 305: Bracey 114, Hammond 82; Anderson 4-51, Balderson 4-75. Lancashire 240 & 75-3: Bohannon 31, Jennings 25*; Bell 1-16. Lancashire (3pts) need 127 more runs to beat Gloucestershire (3pts).

Lancashire's injury woes continued as a strong performance from James Bracey helped Gloucestershire stage a spirited fightback on the third day of the County Championship match. Having already lost seamer Ajeet Singh Dale to a hamstring injury on day one, the visitors had to make a second substitution when Luke Wells suffered a painful shoulder injury diving to prevent a boundary during the morning session.

Harry Singh was introduced in his place, with the go-ahead to bat and bowl, as Gloucestershire advanced their overnight second innings score of 58-3 to 305 all out, giving them a lead of 201.

Bracey scored 114 runs with 16 fours, and Miles Hammond contributed 82, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 148. There were four wickets each for James Anderson (4-51) and George Balderson (4-75).

Lancashire were left with 28 overs to bat in the day and closed on 75-3, with Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 25, needing a further 127 runs to win.

Wells' injury occurred as he tried to prevent a boundary off Bracey from Jimmy Anderson. He immediately signaled his distress, and teammates ran to his aid before medical help arrived, taking him to Southmead Hospital with a suspected dislocation. This incident compounded a frustrating morning for Lancashire as Hammond and Bracey made steady inroads into their first innings lead of 104, employing sensible shot selection on a placid pitch.

A boundary through the covers from Hammond off Paul Coughlin wiped out the deficit. By lunch, Gloucestershire led by 72, with Hammond having reached a 123-ball half-century with a straight six off Arav Shetty, which also brought up the century partnership. Bracey reached fifty off 115 deliveries, being unbeaten on 53 at lunch, with Hammond on 80 and the total 176-3.

Gloucestershire's total went to 180-4 soon after the interval when Hammond drove at a wide ball from Coughlin and was well caught low down at backward point by Singh. The stand with Bracey had occupied 47 overs. However, Gloucestershire were only 76 ahead and required another substantial partnership as Tommy Boorman, making his Championship debut, made his way to the wicket.

Boorman was positive from the start, hitting six fours in moving to 38 not out by tea. His exuberance allowed Bracey to go quietly about his business as he completed a solid hundred off 200 balls, with 14 fours.

During the final session, Gloucestershire's lead grew to a promising 172. However, they had only added seven runs in the final session when Boorman, on 42, chased a wide ball from Balderson and edged to Keaton Jennings at second slip. Anderson struggled to find responses from the third-day pitch but persevered, pinning Graeme van Buuren lbw for a single to make it 294-6. His determination paid off when he bowled Bracey off a bottom edge in an attempt to pull and captured Henry Brookes caught behind trying to withdraw his bat next ball. Suddenly, Gloucestershire were 297-8.

Soon it was 305-9 when Matt Taylor chipped a high catch to Anderson at mid-on off Balderson, who finished off the innings by bowling Gabe Bell. The last six wickets had fallen for just 22 runs.

Lancashire's second innings began poorly when Singh was bowled for a duck by a ball from Will Williams that clipped off stump. However, Josh Bohannon soon went on the attack, hitting six fours as he moved to 31 before being bowled middle stump by Bell with the score on 45. With no addition to the score, Marcus Harris fell lbw to Taylor, leaving Gloucestershire still in the fight.

Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.