Gloucestershire 107 for 5 (Boorman 51*, Allison 3-15) vs Worcestershire

Worcestershire's Ben Allison claimed three cheap wickets before rain ended play in mid-afternoon on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship Second Division match against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.

The tall seamer removed Cameron Bancroft, Miles Hammond and James Bracey for figures of 3 for 15 from 14 overs as Gloucestershire struggled to 107 for 5 after winning the toss.

A maiden half-century from Tommy Boorman prevented greater Gloucestershire embarrassment. The 21-year-old was unbeaten on 51 when a deluge forced play to be abandoned at 3.25pm. Ollie Price contributed 31 to help his side recover from 28 for 4.

It was soon clear the Festival pitch would offer some movement when the morning session began as Allison and Tom Taylor both beat the bat in their opening overs. The first breakthrough came with the total on 11 when Bancroft got a thin edge off Allison and former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick took a routine catch.

With only 16 runs added, Joe Phillips got an inside edge onto his stumps off Matthew Waite and departed for 9. Then Allison struck twice in the space of three deliveries. Hammond edged to Adam Hose and Bracey quickly followed for a duck, also taken in the slip cordon. At that stage, Allison had figures of 3 for 5 from 6.5 overs.

Price and Boorman had to ride their luck in taking the score to 55 for 4 at lunch by which time Allison had bowled nine overs, seven of them maidens.

It was attritional cricket as the afternoon session saw the two Gloucestershire batters extend their partnership to 75, Price battling away for 117 balls, while registering six boundaries. An interruption in play when Boorman required treatment for cramp in a hand led to another Worcestershire breakthrough.

The first ball of the following over saw Price bowled by Waite to make it 103 for 5. But there was no dislodging the resolute Boorman, who hit nine fours in reaching fifty for the first time in 12 Championship innings.

The Cheltenham-born batter's previous highest first-class score was 49 and he couldn't have chosen a more appropriates venue to better it. Soon afterwards, the heavens opened and a torrential downpour quickly ended hopes of a resumption.

Waite had figures of 2 for 25 from 7.4 overs and Worcestershire could reflect on a commendable bowling effort.