Gloucestershire's batsmen made hay on the third day of this increasingly one-sided County Championship Second Division match against Surrey at Bristol.

Resuming their first innings on 224-3, the home side took advantage of some shoddy bowling and fielding to add 177 runs in 28 overs, reaching lunch on 401-4, a lead of 218.

Skipper Alex Gidman led the onslaught, raising his fourth hundred of the season from 148 balls with 14 fours and a six, and sharing in a stand of 173 with Hamish Marshall for the fourth wicket.

After Marshall was run out by Rangana Herath 16 runs short of three figures, Chris Taylor picked up the cudgels, racing to a 42-ball fifty and sharing in an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 140 in 19 overs.