Gloucestershire go down to One-Day Cup defeat

GLOUCESTERSHIRE went down to their first One-Day Cup defeat in three matches as they went down to defeat at the Oval against Surrey with teenage all-rounder Will Jacks putting them to the sword

The 19-year-old Jacks cracked a sparkling maiden hundred after bowling five tight overs of spin to ease Surrey to an emphatic six-wicket Royal London One-day Cup win over Gloucestershire at the Kia Oval.

In only his third, first-team appearance the powerful right-hander hit a majestic 121 with 14 fours and four sixes to dominate a second-wicket partnership with Dean Elgar, the South Africa Test bat, that added 158 in 25 overs to help Surrey canter to their opening south group win with 27 balls to spare.

In pursuit of Gloucestershire’s 282 for six at an asking rate of 5.66 an over, Surrey lost mercurial opener Jason Roy to only the fifth ball of the reply. Fresh from a disappointing IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, Roy drove hard at a wide, swinging length-ball from Craig Miles only to be caught at third man off a thick outside edge.

That brought together Jacks and Elgar who raised 50 inside eight overs. Jacks, a tall, Chertsey-born stroke-maker, proved the major aggressor cantering to a maiden half-century for his home county from 47 balls and with nine boundaries.

The duo raised their century stand in the 17th over with Edgar, despite his vast international experience and having made 140 more List A appearances than his rookie partner, content to play second fiddle.

The broad-shouldered Jacks received one let off when on 70 after Chris Dent downed a diving chance at extra cover, but otherwise the England Under-19 batsman remained strong and aggressive, clubbing a brace of sixes against slow left-armer Tom Smith. He then moved to three figures with his third maximum off Smith and removed his helmet to acknowledge the applause for his 86-ball century with 12 fours.

Elgar raised his 59-ball 50 but perished soon after when attempting to slog sweep against Benny Howell then, with 98 still required, Jacks’ fun ended after 100 balls when he was caught on the ropes at backward square. He sidled off to a standing ovation, leaving Ben Foakes (50*), captain Rory Burns (37) and Ollie Pope (17*) to score the rest.

Having won the toss, the winless hosts elected to bowl on a green-tinted pitch and having lost their opening two south group matches when batting first.

The decision paid quick dividends when Sam Curran had George Hankins caught at backward point driving on the up. Fellow opener, left-handed Dent, was then tucked up by Jade Dernbach and, shovelling to leg, spooned one to mid-wicket as the ‘Shire’ limped to 46 for two from their 10-over powerplay.

With the field spread, Gloucestershire rebuilt as Gareth Roderick (27) and Howell posted 50 within 11 overs before Roderick dragged on against Rikki Clarke.

Howell reached the first half-century of the match from 56 balls and with four fours and a six against veteran off-spinner Gareth Batty, yet Burns continued to take pace off the ball by giving stints to Scott Borthwick’s leg-breaks and Jacks’ off-spin.

Borthwick struck to remove the dangerous Howell. Having reached 60 with a straight six, Howell drove Borthwick’s next delivery to mid-off to make it 114 for four at the mid-point of the innings.

Borthwick enticed Ian Cockbain to work against the spin and chip a comfortable catch to wide mid-on, forcing Jack Taylor and Ryan Higgins into another rebuilding job.

Higgins, the former Middlesex all-rounder, scored his first List A 50 off 51 balls, then Taylor reached the milestone from 62 deliveries with a six over mid-wicket as the sixth-wicket pair added 110 in 18.1 overs.

In the dash for late runs Taylor heaved a catch to ‘cow corner’ to gift Curran a second scalp, leaving Higgins to clatter three fours during a Dernbach over on his way to an unbeaten 81 off 70 balls – his highest score in any form of county cricket.