Former New Zealand Test and One-Day International batsman Craig Spearman has made his mark very quickly on the English county cricket scene with Gloucestershire.

Spearman, who ended his association with Central Districts at the end of last season, moved to England where he is now living courtesy of a British passport. He was approached by Gloucestershire's New Zealand coach John Bracewell and agreed to play for the county this season.

In the side's first game of the Frizzell County Championship he opened with a century, 111, out of Gloucestershire's total of 268.

That was following Worcestershire's first innings of 333.

A feature of the Worcestershire bowling was the outstanding and career-best performance of Australian international Andy Bichel. He took nine wickets for 93, including Spearman's wicket.

Worcestershire were all out for 295 in their second innings leaving Gloucestershire going into the last day of the match needing 361 for victory with Spearman eight not out and Gloucestershire 15/1.

Spearman, when he was dismissed in the first innings, had just reached 5000 runs in his first-class career, at an average of 34.77. The century was the 10th of his first-class career. He scored two half-centuries in warm-up games for Gloucestershire against other county sides.

© CricInfo