Holland's Century Anchors Leicestershire

Ian Holland’s fifth first-class century guided Leicestershire to a solid position on the first day of their County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The 33-year-old opener scored 104 from 173 deliveries, including 15 fours and a six, with valuable contributions from Rehan Ahmed (60) and Rishi Patel (47) helping Leicestershire reach 291-7 in 67 overs after being put in to bat.

Gloucestershire's five-man seam attack, led by Marchant de Lange (2-58) and Zaman Akhter (2-86), struggled to extract much help from a green yet slow pitch.

Play was delayed until 11:30 BST due to a wet outfield, and another rain interruption after just 3.1 overs led to an early lunch, with the match resuming at 13:30 BST and 18 overs lost.

Holland and Patel confidently handled the new ball, forming an opening partnership of 66 in 18.3 overs, though both had moments of luck. Holland, on three, survived an edge off Ajeet Singh Dale that narrowly missed wicketkeeper James Bracey, while Patel, on 42, nicked Akhter between Bracey and a wide first slip at a catchable height.

Patel looked in fine touch, hitting nine fours and a pulled six off Dom Goodman before he was caught behind off de Lange’s extra pace, reducing Leicestershire to 77-2. Shortly after, Lewis Hill was dismissed for a back-foot drive off Akhter, well caught by a diving Miles Hammond at backward point.

Ajinkya Rahane was fortunate to survive an edge that Bracey and first slip couldn’t reach, but his luck didn’t last as he gloved a delivery from Goodman to Cameron Bancroft at second slip, leaving Leicestershire at 115-4.

Holland reached his half-century off 100 balls with a sweetly timed cover drive off de Lange and by tea, Leicestershire had progressed to 139-3 from 36 overs. After the break, Holland accelerated, hitting de Lange for a six, but Peter Handscomb’s hopes of success against his former county were dashed as he was trapped lbw by Ben Charlesworth for five.

Holland continued to find the boundary, striking Akhter through extra cover and point for consecutive fours, while Rehan Ahmed upped the tempo with a six and four off Akhter to take Leicestershire past 200 in the 49th over. Holland reached his century off 167 balls with a square cut for four but was soon dismissed, attempting an uppercut off Singh Dale, which was caught at deep backward point.

Despite the umpires briefly halting play due to poor light, the players returned for a further seven overs before Rehan’s entertaining 75-ball innings, featuring six fours and two sixes, ended with an edge to Bancroft off Akhter, making it 273-6. Harry Kimber’s return catch to de Lange was the final wicket of the day before bad light brought an early end, with 29 overs lost overall.