GLOUCESTERSHIRE made a steady start after winning the toss and electing to bat at the start of the Frizzell County Championhsip Division Two clash with Worcestershire at Cheltenham today.

Opening batsmen Craig Spearman and former Worcestershire player Phil Weston were watchful against the pace attack of Kabir Ali and Nantie Hayward.

Each batsman got off the mark with a boundary as Gloucestershire battled to make the most of winning the toss. After six overs they were 21-0.

As expected Worcestershire were able to welcome back batsman Graeme Hick after being ruled out for the last five weeks with a broken left hand.

Gloucestershire: C M Spearman (capt) , W P C Weston , A P R Gidman , J N Rhodes , M G N Windows , Shoaib Malik , S P Pope (wkt) , M C J Ball , J Lewis , M A Hardinges , J M M Averis.

Worcestershire: S D Peters , A Singh , G A Hick , B F Smith (capt) , V S Solanki , A J Hall , G J Batty , S J Rhodes (wkt) , Kabir Ali , M S Mason , M Hayward.

Umpires: A Clarkson and V A Holder.