Hammond shines for Glos before Pears hit back

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, New Road, Worcester (day one)

Gloucestershire: 258-7; Hammond 128*; Swanepoel 3-50

Worcestershire: Yet to bat

Gloucestershire 1 pt, Worcestershire 2 pts

Match scorecard

Miles Hammond stole the show with a terrific, unbeaten, century on day one of an enticing County Championship match between Division Two basement pair Worcestershire and Gloucestershire at New Road.

Hammond's determined knock (128 not out from 280 balls), built on patience and fine stroke playing, means that he and his side will return to the crease on day two on 258-7 and with aspirations of posting a sizeable total before their own seam attack have a crack at Worcestershire's top order.

Worcestershire overseas bowler Beyers Swanepoel (3-50) led the charge for the hosts but the bowlers had to work especially hard for their wickets in batter-friendly conditions and were rewarded with a flurry late in the day.

Gloucestershire, who understandably elected to bat in warm temperatures and on a new wicket, began their innings comfortably enough and were 28-0 before Ben Allison snared the edge of Joe Phillips and Jake Libby at third slip held his catch well.

Worcestershire felt as though they were on top when Tom Taylor tempted a rash shot from Tommy Boorman, who swiped to Dan Lategan at point. Suddenly, Gloucestershire were 35-2.

From there, Hammond and Bancroft (52 from 130 balls) began to patiently repair the damage, though their fruitful partnership was not without its scares.

Hammond was dropped on 22 when Allison found the edge but Gareth Roderick behind the stumps could not hold on.

He then survived when the ball clipped the shoulder of his bat and looped over the slip cordon.

Bancroft, on 38, then feathered an Allison delivery to leg slip where Libby waited, but the ball went straight in and popped back out.

Hammond and Bancroft made use of those let-offs; the former brought up his half-century in the 44th over and then, a couple of overs later, Bancroft pushed to the covers to raise his bat.

Swanepoel then struck with the first ball of his second spell to find the edge as Bancroft glanced through to Roderick and, a couple of overs later, the South African quick claimed the wicket of James Bracey for one.

Graeme Van Buuren (23 from 57 balls) did stay with Hammond and the pair added a further 46 runs before Van Buuren, when attempting to pull Singh into the leg-side, succeeded only in top edging an ugly shot to Lategan at point.

Worcestershire could not prevent Hammond from reaching his well-earned, and second first-class, ton, having faced 221 balls.

The pendulum of momentum did swing back towards Worcestershire before the close when they removed both Jack Taylor (21) and Christian Clarke (0) in quick succession.

Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.