Northants have no answers to Gloucestershire seamers

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Northampton:
CLOSE, DAY TWO: Gloucestershire 302 v Northants 124 & 128-7
Glos 6pts, Northants 3pts
Match scorecard

Hussain has now taken 55 Championship wickets this season

Gloucestershire look certain to boost their promotion chances with victory in three days in their County Championship match against Northants.

The visitors enforced the follow-on after bowling Northants out for 124 as Steve Kirby, James Franklin and Gemaal Hussain each took three wickets.

Hussain then dismissed Northants openers Steve Peters and Ben Howgego, before Kirby bowled David Sales for 19.

Northants closed on 128-7, 50 short of making Gloucestershire bat again.

Northants began the day on 4-2, 298 runs behind their opponents. Howgego was lbw to Hussain before Franklin sent Alex Wakely's off stump tumbling with the first ball of the 13th over.

Northants captain Andrew Hall was then superbly caught by Ed Young diving to his left at square leg, off the bowling of Kirby.

Rob Newton (10) was bowled by Kirby and Sales made 25 before edging an attempted drive off Hussain to wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty.

Zimbabwe international Elton Chigumbura bottom-edged Kirby onto his middle stump and Franklin ended the home innings with two wickets in the 37th over when Jack Brooks holed out to deep mid-on and Lee Daggett edged to Batty.

After Northants had lost Peters, Howgego and Sales in the follow-on, Rob Newton edged Lewis to Chris Dent at second slip before heavy rain caused the loss of 26 overs.

When play resumed Wakely smashed Hussain to Young at backward point before Hall was caught by Batty off Franklin. Chigumbura then clouted Hussain to Lewis at mid-off as the home side slid towards an innings defeat.