Gloucestershire 301 for 6 (Marshall 70, Howell 67) lead Glamorgan 299 (Payne 4-73) by two runs
Scorecard

Benny Howell and Hamish Marshall combined in a stand of 129 to help propel Gloucestershire to a first-innings lead against Glamorgan.

Marshall stepped up to the crease with Gloucestershire on a tricky 111 for 3, trailing their LV= County Championship Division Two rivals by 188 runs, but they soon got to work.

They remained for 34.5 overs, with Marshall completing a 106-ball 70 before departing and Howell (67) followed soon after. Gloucestershire ended the day on 301 for 6, to take a lead of two runs with four first-innings wickets left.

Marshall, who was summoned from Bristol when Craig Miles broke down before the game started on the first morning, and is still not fully fit, scored 11 fours and one six before he fell lbw to Michael Hogan.

Howell, who was dropped from a straightforward chance to Andrew Salter at cover off Hogan on 12, played a patient innings and did much to keep his team in contention .

Glamorgan had added a further 26 runs to their overnight score, before they were all out a run short of a third batting point, but Salter failed to add to his overnight score of 73 when he sliced to second slip in the opening over.

In reply, Gloucestershire soon lost Chris Dent, who played on to Craig Meschede, but Gareth Roderick counter-attacked effectively, striking Meschede for three consecutive fours before edging Graham Wagg to slip in the following over.

Will Tavare was the next to go when he prodded to short leg off Salter's off spin, but Howell and Marshall made sure there would be no further alarms.

Apart from Hogan, the Glamorgan bowlers were not at their best in the afternoon session, and it was Hogan who broke the stand by trapping Marshall lbw. Five runs later Howell also departed when a rash stroke outside the off stump ended up in Wallace's gloves.

Glamorgan were handicapped by an injury to Wagg, who left the field after bowling two balls of his 13th over, but the left-arm seamer did return and hopes to resume bowling on the third day.

Meschede took his third wicket when Kieran Noema-Barnett was caught at slip, but was then punished by Jack Taylor who drove him for three fours in an over.

Glamorgan could have taken the new ball with eight overs remaining, but opted to wait for the morning and hope that Wagg is fit. With the last ball of the day, Taylor survived an appeal for a catch at second slip off Hogan, but the umpires ruled that the ball had not carried.