Hammond hits ton for Glos on day one at Derbyshire

Miles Hammond's century was his sixth in first-class cricket [Getty Images]

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Central Co-op County Ground, Derby (day one)

Gloucestershire 287-6: Hammond 140*; Andersson 2-42

Derbyshire: Yet to bat

Derbyshire 2 pts, Gloucestershire 1 pt

Match scorecard

England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was among the wickets before Miles Hammond engineered a Gloucestershire fightback on the opening day of the County Championship Division Two match which was marred by an injury to Derbyshire's Anuj Dal.

The all-rounder was taken to hospital after damaging his right ankle as he ran in to bowl and was replaced by Luis Reece.

Hammond held the visitors together at the County Ground with an unbeaten 140, his first championship century since July 2024, while Ed Middleton scored a career-best 41 not out to steer the visitors to 287-6.

Bashir ended with 2-51 but Hammond and Middleton claimed the final session to leave the game nicely poised.

The morning session was overshadowed by the injury to Dal who slipped in his delivery stride midway through his fifth over bowling from the City End.

Dal rolled over in obvious distress clutching his right ankle and after lengthy treatment, was carried off the field on a stretcher.

Bowlers operating from that end had already showed concern about the footholds and Dal slipped the ball after more sawdust had been put down

Reece joined the match five overs after tea and although he had been left out of the game for personal reasons relating to his young son's illness he was happy to be the replacement.

When Dal suffered his injury, Gloucestershire were two down against an attack that challenged the batsmen on a pitch offering assistance to accurate bowling.

Both Muhammad Abbas and Ben Aitchison found enough movement to beat the bat numerous times although it was an attacking shot that resulted in the first breakthrough.