County Championship: Dent century helps Glos to draw

Chris Dent
Gloucestershire opener Chris Dent's century was his first since August 2013 in first-class cricket.
LV= County Championship Division Two, Northampton (day four)
Northants 333 & 416-8 dec: Willey 104 not out, Keogh 81
Gloucestershire 296 & 267-2: Dent 104 not out, Tavare 66
Match drawn
Northants 11pts, Gloucestershire 10pts
Match scorecard

Opener Chris Dent's unbeaten 265-ball century helped Gloucestershire secure a draw against Northamptonshire.

Resuming on 35-0, Dent added another 102 runs with Will Tavare (66), who fell shortly before the lunch interval.

Robert Keogh trapped Gareth Roderick (52) lbw for the only wicket in the second session, but Northants could not make a further breakthrough.

Australian Peter Handscomb (25) saw out the final session with Dent, who ended with 104 runs from 285 deliveries.

Dent's innings was his first century in first-class cricket since he made 129 not out against Northants in August 2013.

The 24-year-old survived an appeal for a catch on 99 when umpire Peter Hartley adjudged the ball to have come off his helmet, and he was almost run out the following delivery as he scampered back having set off for a risky single.

Dent spent more than six hours at the crease before the two teams shook hands on a draw, with the visitors still 187 runs from victory.

Northamptonshire all-rounder David Willey:

"It's swung back and forth, a seesaw of a game really and on the last day they had the best of the day.

"Dent played well and we had nothing left in the tank to try and get any wickets."

Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson:

"Chris and Will batted like we asked them to and managed to set up a great draw.

"For Chris to bat that long, his decision-making was outstanding, and at the start of the season it was an outstanding effort from them.

"Northants bowled very well, tried a lot of things, tried bouncing them, tried spin so they were quite proactive."