THE BOWLER-friendly wicket at Cheltenham’s College Ground certainly lived up to its’ reputation on the first day of Gloucestershire’s LV= County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire.

Gloucestershire batted first and lost wickets at regular intervals as Leicestershire’s persistence paid dividends for the visitors.

The morning session saw the hosts lose Thornbury’s Chris Dent along with opener Will Tavare and in-form Aussie and captain Michael Klinger to some excellent seam bowling, notably by Clint McKay, who claimed 2- 21 from his first seven overs.

It got no easier in the afternoon session as Charlie Shreck picking up the wickets of Gareth Roderick and Jack Taylor to add to the prize one of Klinger for figures of 3- 58.

It could have been worse for Gloucestershire had Roderick not been dropped on 35.

He battled away against the troublesome Leicestershire attack for 149 balls to reach 61 before he was caught and bowled by Shreck.

In that innings, Roderick’s patience was tested to the limit as he hit just four boundaries on the normally fast scoring ground.

He was clearly frustrated by seam movement and some swing, while Taylor contributed 28 before he was another catch victim to Shreck.

Leicestershire’s Clint McKay was causing all sorts of problems as well and reached tea with three victims for 41 from 17 overs.

But pace bowler James Fuller showed some resilience with the bat and contributed an excellent 41 in just over an hour that came from 49 balls and included two sixes.

He eventually fell to McKay who rounded off the Gloucestershire innings with 5-59 from 21 overs and left the home county on just 218 all out.

It was not the most defendable total but Gloucestershire made hay while the early evening sun shone on the County Ground with Fuller taking out opener Angus Robson for eight and number three Ned Eckerlsey for two to give Leicestershire real food for thought overnight.