Jarvis in the wickets as Lancashire win at Bristol

Kyle Jarvis claimed 5-39 against Gloucestershire who were bowled out for 160 in their second-innings run-chase as Lancashire increased their lead at the top of Division Two with a 91-run victory at Bristol.

The home side appeared to be going well after reaching 113/2, but the final eight wickets fell for 47 runs inside 17 overs as the Red Rose stormed to their fifth win of the season to continue their bid for promotion.

Chris Dent top-scored with 54 for the hosts, but when he fell to Jarvis the innings capitulated as the Zimbabwean fast-bowler ripped through the Gloucestershire side to take his season tally to 47 wickets in eight matches.

Gloucestershire started the day in the stronger position, needing a further 226 runs to win and, with first-innings centurion Michael Klinger at the crease, the hosts needed to reach lunch with as many wickets intact as possible to continue their march for a second win of the season against the second division leaders.

On the other hand, Lancashire needed early wickets and they did not come easily for the visitors, although Dent was dropped on 10 by Alex Davies behind the stumps off the bowling of Tom Bailey (1-47).

This drop could have proved costly giving that Dent went on to make fifty – not to mention the fact that he scored a century the last time these two sides met in the four-day competition. Lancashire had bowled well for little reward, but eventually they found a breakthrough, removing Klinger for 42 as James Faulkner claimed his first Championship wicket.

Dent top-scored with a calm half-century for Gloucestershire.

The Australian went on to play a crucial role in this fascinating victory, claiming three wickets for 18 runs in 12 overs, not to mention the small matter that he took the catch which would ultimately seal victory for Lancashire at 3.15pm.

Davies redeemed himself with a good catch to remove Klinger, but Dent was proving to be the caveat in Lancashire’s bid for victory as he capitalised on the dropped catch to progress to a 147-ball fifty just after lunch.

He and Ian Cockbain (15) progressed steadily after the interval with a 45-run partnership either side of lunch, but when Dent mistimed a pull-shot to Ashwell Prince at mid-on the innings fell to pieces.

Having played so well to reach fifty, on a pitch which gave the seamers plenty of assistance, Dent attempted to play a shot that had served him well in this innings. Jarvis was the benefactor of his departure, claiming his first wicket of the day in what proved to be another incredible spell of bowling.

From being in a strong position at 113/2, Gloucestershire somehow managed to fall apart, losing their final eight wickets for 47 runs. Having said that, they are not the first team to be blown away by Lancashire this season; Derbyshire and Leicestershire have also felt the agony of such a monumental collapse, but given Gloucestershire’s victory at Old Trafford earlier in the season, this victory carried added significance for Ashely Giles’s side.

Four wickets fell in 17 balls for the addition of just one run, with the dismissal of Cockbain starting this flurry of wickets, as Jarvis collected a convincing lbw with the score at 118/4.

Gloucestershire lost four wickets for one run in 17 balls.

Five balls later Gareth Roderick was the next batsman to be back in the pavilion; he had batted cautiously and almost with fear after suffering an injury to his hand, pulling his bottom hand off the bat on several occasions before falling lbw to Bailey without scoring, as he became the second of five Gloucestershire batsman to depart without scoring.

Jarvis has had a monumental season for Lancashire so far and he finished this fixture with match figures of 9-106. At times this season, he has been in such blistering form that once he has the ball in his hand there is no stopping him from ripping through a side, finding the dangerous area around off-stump regularly enough to create opportunities.

The Zimbabwean paceman was on fire and he had another scalp for his collection in his next over – the third wicket to fall in as many overs – as Benny Howell was trapped lbw for no score with the scoreboard now reading 119/6.

Jack Taylor was the next departure in a procession of wickets when he was bowled by Jarvis, also for a duck, as Lancashire collected their fourth wicket in 18 deliveries.

Somehow, Lancashire had managed to tip the balance in their favour and given the progression of the home side before lunch, not many people would have given them a chance of achieving victory.

Despite their impressive comeback, Lancashire knew that the wicket of Geraint Jones was vital to ensure that victory would not be snatched after all of their hard work, but Faulkner played superbly to dismiss the Gloucestershire captain.

Faulkner celebrates the wicket of Jones.

Jones and Craig Miles shared the last meaningful partnership of the innings, adding 35 runs for the eighth-wicket stand as they threatened to reverse the odds. Miles was willing to play his shots and Jones was in good touch after scoring 88 in the first innings and he made the most of a sub-par spell from Glen Chapple (0-40).

Faulkner – playing in only his second four-day game for Lancashire – has demonstrated his talent with the red and white ball, although wickets in four-day cricket have been harder to come by.

But that all changed today as he tempted Jones to flash at a wider delivery, one which he edged behind to Davies for his second wicket of the innings and this proved to be a massive wicket given that Gloucestershire had only just taken the number of runs required to win the match into double figures.

This wicket also gave Jarvis his third five-wicket-haul of the season to take his tally to 47 wickets for the campaign, a truly remarkable achievement and a mark of his significant improvement on last season.

Gloucestershire had been put through an emotional rollercoaster; starting the day on top and extending their superiority in the morning session, but after losing six wickets for 86 runs after lunch they were left dejected and the tail-enders failed to inspire a comeback after such a devastating collapse.

The home side lost their seventh wicket for the addition of just 43 runs when Matt Taylor tried to leave a delivery from Faulkner, but he edged through to Davies with Gloucestershire still needing 96 runs to win the match.

Miles had been left high and dry, a finish that was hardly befitting of his stunning display with the ball across this match, but he was the final wicket to fall when he attempted to cream a delivery from Jordan Clark out of the ground, only to sky the ball to Faulkner, who took a tumbling catch to seal victory.

LV= County Championship points: Gloucestershire 5pts, Lancashire 21pts.