Gloucestershire turned in the sort of one-day performance that became their trademark during John Bracewell's first spell as coach to crush Surrey by 128 runs at Bristol.

The battle-hardened Kiwi, now director of cricket, watched with satisfaction from the dressing room balcony, as his team ran up 268-9, having lost the toss, before dismissing the Brown Caps for only 140.

While the Gladiators may not yet be ready to emulate the team of 1999 and 2000, who won five one-day trophies in two seasons, there were definite signs of the same disciplines returning.

A spectacular one-handed catch by Chris Taylor at backward point to remove Grant Elliott was the highlight of a committed fielding display, which backed up accurate seam and spin bowling.

There was also much to admire about the way Gloucestershire recovered from 29-2 to post a testing target. Will Porterfield, back from international duty with Ireland, led the way with 74, while Taylor contributed a fluent 63.

All this was achieved without Craig Spearman and overseas signing James Franklin, ruled out by thigh and hamstring injuries respectively. Both hope to fit for the LV County Championship visit to Northants, starting on Tuesday.

Skipper Alex Gidman was delighted with maximum points from the first two Friends Provident matches and admitted the Bracewell factor was taking effect.

He said: "That's the way we have wanted to play for a long time. We just lacked a little bit of direction, which John has given us.

"We haven't done a huge amount different. It's just knowing how to go about certain things, which sometimes takes only a few words.

"Today everyone played sensibly and thought hard about their roles in the team.

"John has had a big effect, but the players also deserve credit for working incredibly hard to try and improve. We are starting to see that hard work pay off."

Porterfield, in the Gloucestershire side for the first time this season after leading Ireland to World Cup qualification in South Africa, hit his runs off 84 balls, with eight fours, after openers Kadeer Ali and Hamish Marshall had fallen cheaply.

Gidman made 31 in a third-wicket stand of 96 with Porterfield before being unluckily adjudged lbw.

Then man-of-the-match Taylor took charge, timing the ball sweetly in making his 63 off 58 deliveries, with seven boundaries.

Batting was not easy early on as the ball seamed around under cloudy skies.

But from 29-2 Gloucestershire fought back well to set a testing target.

Jon Lewis (32) helped Taylor add 60 for the seventh wicket as the home side scored 36 runs from their five-over batting power play, taken at the start of the 41st over.

Surrey progressed to 25 without loss before James Benning cut Ian Saxelby to Taylor at backward point.

It was 37-1 after 10 overs and Gloucestershire immediately took their bowling power play.

The five overs saw Surrey score only 14 runs for the loss of skipper Michael Brown, caught at mid-on miscuing a delivery from Saxelby and Mark Ramprakash, whose first domestic innings of the season lasted only five balls before he was caught behind off Steve Kirby for a duck.

Vikram Banerjee was then introduced into the attack and the left-arm spinner varied his pace and flight well to claim 2-34 from his 10 overs.

Jonathan Batty was run out by Kirby attempting a swept single off Banerjee before Taylor removed Elliott with a brilliantly athletic catch at full stretch above his head.

Chris Jordan was lbw playing across a ball from Banerjee, who then caught and bowled Chris Schofield off a leading edge to an attempted slog sweep as Surrey's tail folded meekly.

Saxelby finished with 4-31 to confirm his pre-season promise, while Gidman had figures of 2-29 from seven overs.