By Huzaifa Yousafzai from Lords
In his first full game since returning from a back injury, Thomas Price took 5 for 81 on a docile Lords surface that provided just enough movement for Gloucestershire’s seam attack.
Joshua De Caires, Max Holden and Jack Davies all hit half centuries against Gloucestershire as Middlesex finished marginally in front on an intriguing opening day at Lords.
Davies made his highest first-class score of 91 alongside 77 from Holden and 64 from De Caires with Middlesex ending day one on 377 all out.
As for the visitors, Ajeet Singh Dale and Tom Price were the standout performers with the ball taking 4 for 70 and 5 for 81 respectively.
19 year old Archie Bailey also made his first-class debut for Gloucestershire and despite being slightly expensive with the ball he was unfortunate to end the day wicketless.
Having chosen to field, Gloucestershire had the dream start when Sam Robson was bowled first ball of the game by an Ajeet Singh Dale nip-backer down the slope and straight through the former England opener.
Mark Stoneman then threw a counterpunch at Singh Dale by hitting four consecutive boundaries in the 9th over before he was caught behind for 42 after top edging a pull shot from Tom Price.
Shortly after the lunch break Max Holden reached his fifty before Tom Price had Leus Du Plooy edged behind to keeper James Bracey with the South African born left hander making just 24 runs.
Zaman Akhter then built more pressure for the visitors with the reward coming at the other end through Tom Price once again when he had Ryan Higgins caught down the legside for a flashy 20.
Gloucestershire continued to chip away as Singh Dale claimed the big wicket of Holden nicked off for 77 with Bracey collecting his fourth catch of the day.
Post tea, Bancroft made a costly drop at slip to give De Caires another life and deny Bailey a maiden first-class wicket as the Middlesex batter then passed fifty with Davies also reaching his half-century after the interval.
Just nine short of his maiden first-class hundred, Davies attempted to take on Singh Dale but could only edge behind to Bracey before the express seamer removed another set batter; this time pinning De Caires LBW for 64.
Wickets continued to tumble at the end of the day as Tom Price found Luke Hollman’s outside edge before Zaman Akhter flattened Roland-Jones’ off stump.
The final wicket fell in a fashion that perfectly summed up the day’s play as Tom Price completed his five wicket haul when Henry Brookes edged off to Bracey who collected his seventh catch of the innings.
