GLOUCESTERSHIRE are staring defeat in the face after their

batting again imploded on the second day of the County

Championship match against Essex at Chelmsford.

One of only two counties yet to win a game in the four-day

format this season, the visitors put themselves firmly in

contention when dismissing the home side for 279 to concede a

first innings deficit of just four runs.

But their good work in the field was then undermined by the

latest in an embarrassing series of batting collapses.

Required to demonstrate fortitude during a pivotal final

session, Gloucestershire's top order surrendered meakly and it

will now take a remarkable effort to stop Division Two

promotion hopefuls Essex forcing victory inside three days.

Danesh Kaneria holed Gloucestershire's ship below the

waterline. The Pakistan spin magician claimed 3-13 as the

visitors reached the close on 70-6, a mere 66 runs to the

good.

Team mentor Jack Russell believes the day's play sums up the

county's fortunes in the Championship this summer.

He said: “We played some excellent cricket in the first

session, hauled ourselves back into the game and then let it

slip again.

“It's been the same all season. We know what we're capable

of, but we don't seem to be able to put it together on a

consistent basis.”

He added: “We played some outstanding cricket, especially in

the first session when we applied real pressure, took six

wickets and had Essex in trouble.

“Unfortunately, we weren't able to maintain that level of

performance.”

Paceman Steve Kirby and slow left-armer Vikram Banerjee have

good reason to feel aggrieved after taking seven wickets

between them to inspire a spirited fightback.

Displaying pace and aggression in equal measure, Kirby was

particularly impressive as he claimed 5-60 from 22.5 overs,

which included a venomous burst of three wickets for two runs

in 15 balls as Essex subsided from 74-0 to 109-6.

There was little sign of the carnage to come when Varum

Chopra and Jason Gallian staged an opening stand of 74, the

highest of the innings. But Mark Hardinges knocked back

Chopra's middle stump, Gallian was caught behind off a ball

that left him and Kirby followed up that success by removing

England one-day star Ravi Bopara and skipper Mark Pettini in

quick succession.

When Banerjee accounted for Neil Dexter, caught behind in

the act of driving, and Ryan ten Doeschate, lured into front

foot indiscretion and pinned lbw, the home side were in danger

of falling short.

That they eventually achieved parity was due, in no small

part, to James Foster, who shared in revitalising stands of 69

and 49 with James Middlebrook and Graham Napier for the seventh

and eighth wickets respectively.

David Masters and Kaneria then chanced their arms, adding 38

for the last wicket to put their side in credit, before Kirby

took the second new ball to wrap up the tail.

But that was as good as it got for Gloucestershire, whose

batting proved brittle in the extreme.

Kaneria had Will Porterfield lbw on the front foot, while

Hamish Marshall, Alex Gidman, Chris Taylor and Marcus North all

succumbed to injudicious shots.

Kadeer Ali was able to return after being hit on the left

wrist by Napier and retiring hurt, but Gloucestershire gave the

impression of a side in freefall when nightwatchman Banerjee

fell to Middlebrook shortly before the close.