'Tomorrow we have got to go out and finish it off' says Shine

After three days of fascinating cricket at the County Ground in Bristol, Somerset's opening championship match of the season against Gloucestershire looks set for a grandstand finish.

When bad light stopped play shortly before the end of the day the Cidermen had scored 99 for 2 wickets, still needing another 183 runs for victory.

Earlier in the day Gloucestershire, resuming on 209 for 5, quickly dashed any hopes that Somerset had of dismissing them cheaply.

The overnight pair of Matt Windows and Jack Russell took their stand past the century mark but shortly afterwards Windows was caught by Mike Burns off the bowling of Nixon Mclean, after the sixth wicket partnership had yielded 103 runs.

Russell found another very willing partner in Roger Sillence, who helped the veteran keeper add 66 for the eighth wicket before being bowled by Aaron Laraman after he had made 40 runs.

Laraman struck twice more to finish off the tail to leave Russell undefeated on 78 after being at the crease more than 5 ½ hours, as Gloucestershire were all out by mid afternoon for 368.

For the Cidermen McLean ended with 5 for 87 from his 35 overs, whilst Laraman will have been delighted with his return of 3 for 45 from 21 overs.

Chasing a target of 282 to win Somerset needed to get off to a solid start, and were hoping from a big innings from Marcus Trescothick.

However he was once again thwarted by left arm seamer Mike Smith who had him caught at the wicket by Russell much to the delight of the home crowd after the England man had made 10 runs during his 38 minute stay at the wicket.

By teatime Burns and Bowler had taken Somerset onto 28 without further loss, and after the break the second wicket pair moved their side slowly towards the victory target.

After adding 56 for the second wicket partnership Burns was given out LBW to Jon Lewis, which brought Jamie Cox to the wicket to join Bowler, and together the pair took the score to 99 before bad light caused the days play to finish early.

Already Bowler has been at the wicket nearly 2 ½ hours for his 38, and Somerset will be hoping that in the morning the veteran opener will continue to play the anchor role of the innings as they search for an early season victory to kick start their campaign in the four day game.

After the close Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "I am really proud of the way that the boys have played today they have been very professional. What we need now is to concentrate on our batting in the same way that they did earlier on. Tomorrow will be a tough day for us and we need to get to our target in difficult conditions and that won't be an easy thing. We have been very professional and worked hard out there. Tomorrow we have got to go out and finish it off."