By Christopher Lyles at Bristol

First day of four: Gloucs (150-5) lead Northants (123) by 27 runs

THERE are few county bowling attacks that are better equipped than Gloucestershire's to take advantage of a juicy green top on a muggy September morning.

And so it was yesterday as Courtney Walsh and Mike Smith exploited some lavish seam movement to reduce Northamptonshire to one for three after Mark Alleyne had won the toss. Such was their mastery, they did not concede a run from the bat until the ninth over.

Gloucestershire certainly had the better of the conditions as the sun emerged in the early afternoon to alleviate the moisture in the pitch, but it was nevertheless a sterile batting display by Northamptonshire, and they look like a team who cannot wait for the season to finish.

Tony Penberthy and David Sales led a mini recovery as they added 63 before falling within the space of five overs and Franklyn Rose was the only other batsman to reach double figures. But for a plethora of no-balls and some untidy glove work from Jack Russell, Northants would have struggled to reach three figures.

Following their defeat against Somerset most observers seem to have written off Gloucestershire's chances of winning the championship, but Walsh is obviously not among them. He bowled with his customary verve and intelligence to increase his championship tally to 85 wickets and his dismissal of Kevin Curran was a classic as the Northants captain was bamboozled by a well-disguised slower ball of full length which swung from middle and leg to hit off stump. Walsh's six for 36 represented the best figures of yet another magnificent season.

At first Gloucestershire found batting to be scarcely less hazardous in the face of some tight bowling from Rose and Paul Taylor, and both openers rapidly departed to sharp catches by Penberthy at first slip.

But Rob Cunliffe in particular batted with equanimity, mixing vigilant defence with some delicious cover drives on a quickening outfield to score only his second fifty of a disappointing season. He had just steered his side into the lead when David Follett uprooted his off stump.

Matt Windows, celebrating his selection for the England A tour, helped Cunliffe add 78 for the fourth wicket and also looked in good touch before he played across a straight one, but Gloucestershire will be hopeful of building an appreciable lead today.

As is the case when 15 wickets fall on the first day, the umpires are obliged to report the pitch to Harry Brind, the ECB's pitches consultant, but it is unlikely that they will be recommending any action on a pitch where the bounce was consistent.

Day 2: Smith's six sort out Northants

By Christopher Lyles at Bristol

Gloucestershire (210 & 9-0) beat Northamptonshire (123 & 95) by 10 wickets

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE'S season of woe plummeted to new depths yesterday as their batting subsided for the second time in 24 hours. Only the loss of 50 overs to drizzle prevented them from sheepishly crawling home well before the onset of the rush hour.

Franklyn Rose and Paul Taylor had captured the last five Gloucestershire wickets in just seven overs to restrict the first-innings deficit to 87 and Rose in particular bowled with real hostility.

After hitting Tony Wright on the side of the helmet, he sent one delivery flying over Jack Russell's head, and David Ripley's despairing leap, for four byes before inducing the erstwhile England wicketkeeper to play on to the very next ball.

The visitors required a solid start to their second innings if they were to entertain any chance of victory. Instead, after only 13 overs, they stood at an extraordinary and highly irresponsible 60 for seven.

In partial mitigation, Courtney Walsh and Mike Smith again took advantage of favourable bowling conditions, although the lateral movement had eased somewhat since the first day, and Smith bowled uncommonly well to record his best figures of the season.

But, notwithstanding that, the lack of mental and technical application from the Northamptonshire batsmen was a sorry sight, made even more conspicuous by the extras column totalling the highest score in both innings. A rare occurrence and a sad reflection on an abject performance, highlighted by Kevin Curran's feckless attempt to hoist Walsh over midwicket to a ball barely short of a length.

The result might have maintained Gloucestershire's slender championship chances, but it leaves Northamptonshire staring into a dark abyss.