Northamptonshire’s bowlers kept them in the hunt throughout the final day, but a charge from Gloucestershire in the final session saw the hosts victorious by six wickets in Bristol.
A clatter of late wickets in tough, gloomy conditions under lights the night before saw Northamptonshire come into the final day leading by 228 but with just 3 second innings wickets in hand.
Tom Taylor was the first to fall in the morning, given out LBW despite taking a step down the wicket. Sanderson followed in the next over after feathering behind an attempted cut.
Simon Kerrigan provided some resistence for Northamptonshire as he opened his shoulders and consistently found the boundary. He added 29 with Jack White for the final wicket, the latter contributing just a single to the pairing. Kerrigan tucked into Higgins, twice lifting him powerfully over midwicket before advancing and slashing him to the point boundary.
Kerrigan’s aggression took the lead past 250 and extended further when a pullshot sailed over the fine leg boundary for six. Northamptonshire’s innings ended as Kerrigan looked to go through the off side, his inside edge finding it’s way back onto the stumps.
That boost to the target felt like it would give Northamptonshire enough to bowl at considering what had gone before in the game and the visitors plucked out two of the top three cheaply.
Procter had Charlesworth’s off stump dramatically cartwheeling in the first of a five over spell that cost just a solitary run. Procter bowled 26 consecutive dot balls leading up to the lunch break, Tom Taylor reaping the reward shortly after the interval when he found the edge of Bracey’s bat through to Rossington.
Gloucestershire found three partnerships worth more than 50 after that however. Dent was the next to fall when he feathered through to Rossington off Kerrigan and Hammond built his way to 94 before he was bowled by Taylor. With the sun shining for the first time in the match however, Northamptonshire couldn’t find a further breakthrough, Gloucestershire reading the target with just over 4 overs remaining.