Bracey and van Buuren dig in to frustrate Northants at County Ground

The pair dug in after the visitors’ top order slumped to 56 for four, adding 148 for the fifth wicket.

The scoring rate of three runs an over stood in stark contrast to the celebratory atmosphere created by the colourful Northampton Carnival floats parading past the ground, but it was exactly what their side needed.

Runs did flow in the evening as conditions eased, Bracey eventually falling for 72, van Buuren finishing unbeaten on 75 as Gloucestershire closed on 233 for five, trailing by 232.

Liam Guthrie claimed two wickets for 48 after earlier hitting 52 off 50 balls.

It was his highest first-class score and helped Northants extend their overnight score to 465 all out as he shared a 70-run stand for the ninth wicket with Harry Conway.

New Zealand international Kristian Clarke had figures of six for 109 on debut, accounting for James Sales for a well-made 50, while Jack Taylor snared the last two Steelbacks wickets.

When Northants resumed on 380 for seven, Sales brought up his half-century but was well caught behind down the legside by a leaping Bracey.

Guthrie played positively with a mix of deft cuts, well-timed drives and some wholehearted smashes through the covers before sweeping Miles Hammond to take Northamptonshire to 450, just missing out on an additional bowling bonus point.

Clarke targeted Conway with some short stuff bowling from round the wicket, striking him on the back, but the tall Australian provided solid support for Guthrie, advancing to 21.

Jack Taylor nipped in to wrap things up, Conway miscuing a drag-down and Guthrie heaving a half-volley, both to midwicket.

Gloucestershire lunched on 15 without loss after four overs but were soon in trouble after the break. In a probing spell Northants skipper Luke Procter found movement to trouble the right-handers outside off-stump and after rapping Joe Phillips on the pads, drew the edge through to a diving Ricardo Vasconcelos behind the stumps.

It was a miserly six-over stint from Procter who kept scoring opportunities to a minimum, bowling four maidens and conceding just five runs.

Young pace bowler Raphy Weatherall maintained the pressure, striking in his first over when he trapped Cameron Bancroft lbw with one that nipped back and kept low.

Tommy Boorman steered Weatherall down to third to bring up Gloucestershire’s 50 and while Hammond drove Guthrie through midwicket, he was next to go lbw when he tried to turn a straight one to leg.

Guthrie struck again in his next over when Boorman flashed outside off-stump and was caught behind to leave the visitors in trouble.

But van Buuren and Bracey set about rebuilding, adding 62 runs off 113 balls before tea as the Steelbacks bowlers kept up the stranglehold on scoring.

The pair did find the boundary though, van Buuren hooking a Conway short ball and Bracey pulling Sales through midwicket.

He took Gloucestershire into three figures when he drove in front of point and stroked through cover as the west country side went into tea on 118 for four.

After the interval, Bracey came down the wicket to Harrison, driving through mid-off to reach his 50 and celebrate the century partnership.

van Buuren offered a tough chance when he was put down at short midwicket by George Bartlett and survived a couple of strong caught behind appeals from Conway but soon brought up his own half-century.

Runs were flowing freely now as Bracey swivelled to pull Sales for two sixes, the second flying out of the ground, while van Buuren pulled behind square to bring up Gloucestershire’s 200.

So it was against the run of play when Bracey fell, Sales angling one in which moved away, Justin Broad taking the catch at slip, before van Buuren and Jack Taylor though saw Gloucestershire safely to stumps.

Reaction

Northants bowler Liam Guthrie: “We got up to around the 460 run mark, so that was nice. And then obviously we came out with the ball and started really well with a few early wickets, and then they fought back a little bit.

"We’ve obviously got some work to do again in the morning to take those five wickets, but yeah, pleasing stuff on day two.

“Obviously, there's still a lot of cricket to come in this game, but if we can do what we did this morning throughout the game, we’ll be in a good spot to hopefully win.

“It's definitely a batting friendly wicket, I feel. But we were very patient, I thought with our bowling, I don't think their run rate was too high.

"The bowlers toiled well and hopefully we can come back in the morning and do that again and take a few more wickets.

On the possibility of enforcing a follow on: ”I think we will look to bat again, just to give the bowlers a bit of time off, time off their feet for a bit longer, hopefully make some quick runs if we get to that point in the game, and then have another crack at them on day four if it comes to that.”

Gloucestershire batter-keeper James Bracey: “The game’s pretty much in the balance, I’d probably say, where they're slightly ahead, but there's definitely scope for both sides to still win it.

“It’s definitely a new ball pitch still. The harder ball, there's a little bit there, but as a bowling side, you’ve got to try and take advantage of that, because it does get better.

“They didn't miss too much, and it felt like they could create a little bit, so there's definitely scope for us. We need to bat well in the morning.

On batting with Graeme van Buuren: “I think he was really determined coming into this game and it was great to see him bat with so much composure. We work well together, different styles of play. I like to come down at the ball, and he likes to play back, and I think it's a tough partnership for people to bowl at.

“They’ve obviously got a good stock of seamers to choose from, and they're using them in short spells, so there's a lot to think about. But having a clear method definitely on that pitch gives you a good chance of being able to form something.”

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