MARK Alleyne’s Gloucestershire got off to a successful start to their 2025 preseason with a win against Northamptonshire.
Against Northants, openers Ben Charlesworth and Joe Phillips brought up their fifties before lunch, subsequently retiring. Northants then made some much-needed breakthroughs, restricting Glos to 230/4 at tea.
Glos ended the day on 359/5 after Graeme van Buuren also reached a half-century.
Day 2 saw Glos take to the field, where the seam bowlers got off to a brilliant start, limiting Northants to 105/5 at lunch. Luke Charlesworth and Ajeet Singh Dale taking two each, with Zaman Akhter picking up the fifth. Spinners Ollie Price and Ed Middleton then got in on the action in the afternoon session, leaving Northants 222/7 at tea.
Tom Price (2) and Luke Charlesworth (1) took the final three wickets in the evening session as Gloucestershire wrapped up victory, beating Northants (271 all out) by 88 runs.
This was followed by a 136-run victory at Durham UCCE and friendlies away at Hampshire and Somerset.