Gloucestershire endured their seventh defeat in eight Rothesay County Championship Division Two matches this season, despite a determined bowling effort against Worcestershire at New Road.
Starting the day at 59-1, still trailing Worcestershire by 40 runs, Gloucestershire’s hopes of salvaging a draw were dashed as the innings dramatically collapsed from 81-1 to 112-7. Cameron Bancroft fought valiantly, scoring 56 runs to stabilize the innings, but the visitors struggled against the probing left-arm spin of Fateh Singh, who claimed 5-74.
A resilient ninth-wicket partnership worth 50 runs between Graeme van Buuren (32) and Daz Ahmed (27) pushed Gloucestershire to a final total of 185 runs.
READ MORE: Wife Found Guilty of Murdering Husband Diagnosed with Dementia
READ MORE: Three Gloucestershire Pubs Named Finalists in 2026 Great British Pub Awards
Chasing a modest target of 87, Worcestershire faced a tough fight but ultimately secured victory with five wickets in hand. Van Buuren impressed with his spin, taking four wickets, while New Zealand pace bowler Kristian Clarke, playing the last match of his two-game stint with Gloucestershire, added another wicket. Former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick played a crucial finishing role, guiding Worcestershire to victory with an unbeaten 24 runs.