Will Gidman marked his Gloucestershire debut with a battling 89 as the new-lookhome side fought back hard on the opening day of the County Championshipseason at Bristol

08-Apr-2011
ScorecardJonathan Batty contributed to a 156-run sixth wicket stand with a gritty half-century•PA PhotosWill Gidman marked his Gloucestershire debut with a battling 89 as the new-lookhome side fought back hard on the opening day of the County Championshipseason at Bristol.Reduced to 65 for 5 shortly after lunch, having won the toss, a teamincluding five Championship debutants closed on 224 for 6. Jonathan Batty madean unbeaten 61 and shared a stand of 156 with Gidman, a Gloucestershire recordfor the sixth-wicket against Derbyshire. Tony Palladino (2 for 23) and Jon Clare (2 for 46) were the pick of the visiting attack on a day of glorious sunshine and cloudless skies.Before the start Gloucestershire presented county caps to Gidman, brother ofskipper Alex Gidman, Ian Cockbain, Richard Coughtrie, David Payne and LiamNorwell, all selected for their first Championship appearances.Cockbain could make only five before a tentative push at Palladino saw himcaught at second slip by Chesney Hughes with the score on 21. Two runs laterChris Dent was judged lbw as a ball from Tim Groenewald flicked his pad on theway through to the keeper.It was 56 for three in the 26th over when Chris Taylor fended at a short ballfrom Smith and was caught behind for four. Alex Gidman followed for addition ofonly three more runs, lbw playing across a straight one from Palladino.The lunch score was 61 for 4. Soon after the break Coughtrie was bowled byClare trying to withdraw his bat, having faced 84 deliveries for his 17. Batty made only one half-century in 30 Championship innings as an opener last season, averaging just 16. But the former Surrey player was determined to put that campaign behind him and showed commendable application in a tough situation.Will Gidman matched it and together they gradually put Gloucestershire back inthe game. Former Durham player Gidman was first to his half-century, off 120balls, with seven fours, and Batty’s fifty soon followed, off 147 deliveries,with five boundaries.Their century stand was brought up in 42 overs, without either giving a chance.Gloucestershire’s previous best sixth-wicket partnership against Derbyshire was114, achieved twice by Jack Russell, with Tim Hancock and Matt Windows as hispartners.The 58-over stand finally ended against the second new ball when Gidmanattempted to glance Clare and was caught down the leg side by Luke Sutton. Hehad faced 176 balls and hit 12 fours. But Batty was still there at the close, having batted for more than four hours to justify the decision to drop him into the middle order.