THE final day of Hampshire's County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol was washed out without a ball being bowled.

Gloucestershire were due to resume their second innings on 96-8 with a lead of 223 over Hampshire.

But after heavy rain during the morning umpires Tony Clarkson and John Steele decided there was no prospect of play and abandoned the match at 1.10pm.

Gloucestershire took seven points and Hampshire four.

Gloucestershire's Michael Cawdron will look back on his first county game as a remarkable one for the book.

After waiting five years for his chance he was widely praised for the way he scored 42 off Hampshire but then followed this up with five wickets taken at a brisk pace on Saturday.

Starting with Robin Smith, snapped up low at short extra cover, they cost him just 35 in 19 overs as he kept the ball straight and up to the bat.

It all saw Gloucestershire turn round with a lead of 127 but then it was their turn to suffer as they lost the top half of their batting for 55.

On a dry pitch inclined to be too paced only Tim Hancock looked comfortable as he reached 32 before falling lbw to a John Stephenson delivery which nipped back more than he anticipated.

From a game which in mid-afternoon Saturday had draw written all over it Gloucestershire, the bottom club in the Championship, were struggling to keep something of a bowling platform.

Jack Russell, after batting six hours in the first innings, lasted only 17 minutes this time before being held at silly mid off for five.

Both Rob Cunliffe and Kim Barnett played on, Matthew Windows gave a catch to first slip for a single and Mark Alleyne was held for the second time by Craig White at short extra.

When Russell became the fifth man out the innings was in the 20th over and 15 wickets were to fall in an astonishing two hours.

Spinner Shaun Udal had taken eight wickets in the match at the close which saw Gloucestershire on 96-8 with a lead of 223.

"I joined the county straight from Cheltenham College," the 24-year-old Cawdron said. "That was back in 1994 but it's all happened to me in the last couple of weeks.

"I've been in the one day squad all summer but only got into the league side at Cheltenham when Jon Lewis hurt his hand."

Hampshire's opener Jason Laney fell for the fourth time in his 90s this season after once again freezing as he endeavoured to reach his century. He stayed on 92 for six overs, hit a four, and was then held sweeping backward off square as Hampshire moved towards their 253 total.

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