Duckett reflects on even day after hitting half-century for Northants

Duckett delivered 52 from 54 balls in his side’s 282 all out after Gloucestershire opted to bowl first.

Luke Procter top scored with 70, while Richard Levi also passed the half-century mark, making 63 in the pink-ball Specsavers County Championship Division Two match.

Gloucestershire had 13 tricky overs to negotiate under the floodlights and they lost captain Chris Dent, who was trapped LBW by Steven Crook.

“From the position we were in at 99 for none, we could have gone on past 300 but they didn’t bowl too well early on and we cashed in,” Duckett said.

“At the start of the day and having been stuck in, 282 is a decent effort, one more wicket would definitely have made it our day.

“It’s a fairly even day I’d say, but we’ve got a good attack.

“I think there will definitely be something in the wicket tomorrow.”

Gloucestershire will look to surpass Northants’ total on day two.

And the away side’s head coach, Richard Dawson, said: “I’m not going to sum up what the pitch is like until we’ve played on it, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position to go long tomorrow now.

“We just didn’t hit our straps with the ball but we took quick wickets to get right back into it.

“It’s really hard to say what a par score is because you don’t know how the pink ball is going to play.”