LANCASHIRE suffered a 91-run defeat to Gloucestershire during an eventful final day of their LV= County Championship fixture at Emirates Old Trafford.

Sixteen wickets fell in a day which saw Geraint Jones’s side set a target of 300 in a minimum of 70 overs shortly before lunch having declared on 275 for nine following the decision to not risk Liam Norwell’s injured finger with the bat.

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Lancashire fell to 22 for four before half-centuries for fifth-wicket pair Alviro Petersen and Alex Davies took them to 140 for four in the 33rd over, only to see Davies and then Petersen fall either side of tea for the addition of only eight more runs.

Petersen and Davies hit 63 and 58 respectively, with the latter’s innings including three straight sixes against left-arm spinner Tom Smith.

Lancashire, who retain top spot in Division Two following a first defeat in four, were ultimately bowled out for 208 inside 57 overs as Jones and company built on last week’s win over Essex with a 22-point haul.

Craig Miles led the way with four for 58 and David Payne added three for 31.

Eight wickets fell before lunch, including the first two in Lancashire’s second innings as they slipped to 11 for two following the departures of openers Luis Reece and Paul Horton.

Reece, who has endured a miserable start to the season, was trapped lbw by Payne and Horton caught behind driving loosely at Miles.

Shortly after lunch, Lancashire slipped further as Ashwell Prince and stand-in captain Steven Croft fell, leaving Lancashire four down and still 278 away from their target.

Prince and Croft were both caught behind off Miles and Payne respectively.

Petersen and Davies steadied the ship and then counter-attacked, with Davies taking a particularly liking to Smith.

He hit 14 off Smith’s first over, including the first six, with the ex-Sussex man conceding 43 off his first five overs.

The visitors were given a significant pre-tea boost when Davies miscued a pull at medium pacer Kieran Noema-Barnett to mid-wicket.

And when Petersen sliced Payne to cover, leaving the score at 148 for six, the game was Gloucestershire’s for the taking.

Lancashire slipped to 203 for nine before Simon Kerrigan was bowled.