Gloucestershire upset Middlesex by four wickets, leaving Middlesex’s hopes of promotion in shambles in the Vitality County Championship Division Two encounter at Lord’s.

Miles Hammond and James Bracey Shine with Half-Centuries in Gloucestershire’s Thrilling Victory.

Key Performances and Match Results

Gloucestershre 309 for 9 dec (Gohar 86, O Price 76, Roland-Jones 5-79) and 236 for 6 (Hammond 78, Bracey 56) beat Middlesex 377 (Davies 91, Holden 77, De Caires 64, T Price 5-81) and 165 (Robson 50, Bailey 4-30) by 4 wickets.

Remaining composed, Tom Price and Zafar Gohar led Gloucestershire to a thrilling victory at Lord’s, severely denting Middlesex’s prospects of promotion from the Vitality County Championship.

After a partnership of 113 runs between Miles Hammond and James Bracey, the visitors looked to be coasting towards their target of 234.

However, off-spinner Joshua De Caires’ three-wicket burst in the space of nine deliveries pulled Middlesex back into the hunt, and the seventh-wicket pair took Gloucestershire across the finish line with an uninterrupted stand of 54.

Gloucestershire’s victory was their second straight red-ball victory at Lord’s, moving them up to fifth position in Division Two. The home team now sits in third place, 15 points behind Yorkshire, who hold the second promotion berth.

Early on, Middlesex put pressure on the opposition when Ryan Higgins struck with his fourth delivery, scorching back down the slope to trap Ben Charlesworth in front for a duck, after Toby Roland-Jones had opened with a maiden.

After Higgins switched the ball the other way, opening partner Cameron Bancroft soon followed suit, going leg before wicket. However, Hammond began to score freely against the replacement bowlers, hitting Tom Helm over the short boundary for six.

Before Helm made the breakthrough, the left-hander and Ollie Price put up a useful 41 runs together after the latter was caught low at first slip to push Bracey to the middle on a pair.

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As Gloucestershire began to calm down again, going to lunch at 101 for 3, Bracey banished that prospect by cutting Henry Brookes for consecutive off-side boundaries and added two more off Helm’s next over.

Soon after the interval, Bracey gave himself a worry when he hit a hard shot outside off stump at Helm. The ball soared high and fast to Robson at slip, but the fielder was unable to hold on even with both hands.

With his partner, Hammond, he won the race to fifty. They achieved the milestone from 100 balls by driving Higgins to the cover fence. Bracey, who needed 20 fewer deliveries to complete his half-century, was not far behind.

After hitting consecutive fours with Luke Hollman to increase the century partnership, Hammond (78) appeared to be headed for a career-high score until he tried to replicate the stroke to De Caires and skied to mid-on.

Graeme van Buuren was dismissed for being caught behind after two balls, and Bracey was swept for 56 by deep midwicket, leaving Gloucestershire six down and under further strain.

Price defused the stress by driving Roland-Jones to the boundary to lead Gloucestershire past 200, and he and Zafar proceeded calmly towards the finish line. De Caires (3 for 45) kept testing the batsmen with flight and turn.

After scoring the highest score of 86 runs in the first innings, Zafar finished unbeaten on 19 after hitting a De Caires full toss to the fence. Price followed suit on 34.