PACEMAN Matt Mason soon ripped out Craig Spearman and Mike Hussey after Gloucestershire had won the toss and decided to bat in the Frizzell Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at Cheltenham today.

Spearman fell to a catch by Gareth Batty for eight and was rapidly followed by Hussey who was snapped up by Andrew Hall for a 'duck'.

It plunged Gloucestershire to 14-2 with Chris Taylor joining former New Road batsman Philip Weston in a bid to repair the damage.

Gloucs: C M Spearman, W P C Weston, M E K Hussey, C G Taylor, A P R Gidman, J E C Franklin, S J Adshead, I D Fisher, M C J Ball, M W Alleyne, J Lewis.

Worcs: S D Peters, S C Moore, G A Hick, V S Solanki, B F Smith, A J Bichel, G J Batty, A J Hall, Kabir Ali, S J Rhodes, M S Mason.

Umpires: J. W. Holder, J. F. Steele.