Bracey underlines Test credentials as Gloucestershire reply to Hampshire’s large first innings total
The 23-year-old and Kraigg Brathwaite put on 88 for the second-wicket before the West Indies opener fell late in the day for 60 to leave the visitors on 114-2 at the close, having earlier bowled out the hosts for 470, writes IAN McCULLOUGH.
Bracey, named as a reserve batsman for England's tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, was 46 not out against a strong Hampshire attack spearheaded by Mohammed Abass, Kyle Abbott and Liam Dawson.
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Hide AdThings looked ominous for Gloucestershire when skipper Chris Dent fell for six to Abbas to a ball that kept low and pinned him on the crease.
But Brathwaite and Bracey, watched from the boundary by Trescothick after scoring 118 and 83 in the win over Somerset last week, calmly saw off the new ball.
With the pair looking relatively untroubled, Dawson then managed to get a ball to spit off the surface and had Braithwaite caught by Lewis McManus.
It led to a tense passage of play but Bracey and Lace survived despite the presence of several fielders around the bat for Dawson's final three overs, ending the second day 356 in arrears.
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Hide AdAfter starting the day on 292-3, Hampshire lost nightwatchman Mason Crane early before Tom Alsop fell before lunch for a superbly-made 149 - one shy of his highest score.
The 25-year-old, who made a century against Leicestershire in the Championship opener, struck 19 fours in his 290-ball vigil before being caught down the leg-side by Bracey off Ryan Higgins.
James Vince hit a trademark sumptuous cover-drive to the boundary before lunch on his way to his half-century.
The Hampshire skipper wasn't at his fluent best in his innings, but still showed glimpses of class, including successive fours off the bowling of Dan Worrall.
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Hide AdHowever, in a dramatic over, Vince inside-edged the very next delivery to Bracey with McManus then controversially dismissed to what appeared to be a bump ball, putting Worrall on a hat-trick.
The Australian seamer, the pick of the visiting bowlers, claimed his fourth wicket when Abbott was struck on the pad as the hosts lost 3-16 after the restart.
Dawson smashed two sixes and five fours on his way to an entertaining 65 before being cleaned up by Higgins, who then bowled Abbas to finish with 4-78.