A NEAR capacity crowd of around 7,500 packed into Nevil Road last night to watch the West Country's first floodlit AXA League match in which Somerset, having chosen to bat, started badly but recovered to make 193.
Gloucestershire's chief executive, Colin Sexstone, was very happy with the turnout as a steel band and jugglers entertained the pre-match crowd. He anticipates, despite setting up costs of £50,000 - £30,000 of it for floodlights - a clear profit of £30,000.
There was, though, a downside, local residents taking exception to their drives being blocked by spectators' cars. The Somerset innings was punctuated with public address announcements, containing dire warnings of cars being towed away and heavy fines imposed.
Somerset, level on points with Gloucestershire but with a game in hand, still have a chance of getting into next season's First Division but their chances were not improved as they slumped to 16 for three.
They hit trouble against the contrasting movement of Mike Smith, left-arm inswing, and Jon Lewis, right-arm away swing. But it was Martyn Ball who brought one back to clip Michael Burns' bails and Robert Dawson had Mark Lathwell lbw.
Worse was to come as Peter Bowler was run out when Marcus Trescothick did not respond to his call for a quick single to mid-on. Trescothick, not surprisingly, avoided Bowler's eye as his captain headed off.
Trescothick made some amends for, though beaten several times by Courtney Walsh, he contributed a useful 32, putting on 56 for the fourth wicket with Graham Rose before being sent back and run out while seeking an unlikely second run.
Rose, with an admirable 59, was assisted first by Keith Parsons, then by Rob Turner in partnerships of 43 and 32 as Somerset struggled towards a respectable total. Mark Alleyne, his sore calf now recovered, broke both stands. Rose, having faced 79 balls, became the third run out victim when he failed to beat Lewis's throw from long-off to the bowler's end but some fierce hitting from Jason Kerr in the last few overs cheered Somerset.
A hat-trick by Yorkshire's Darren Gough was upstaged by Lancashire's Glenn Chapple, who took six wickets in the space of 30 balls to secure a 101-run victory in the AXA League match at Headingley on Monday. Yorkshire, set to make 183, collapsed to 81 all out in 25 overs.