Scots sunk by Wright and Trainor post

Gloucestershire 351-2 Scotland 250-9 Gloucestershire win by 101 runs

A week earlier, when 25 wickets tumbled in a day and a half during the four-day game against Middlesex, the Nevil Road scoreboard had to shut down after blowing a fuse. Yesterday, as Gloucestershire piled on the runs - and the discomfort for Scotland - it was the record-keepers who were in danger of self-combusting.

The men responsible for their repeated burrowing in the history books were Tony Wright and Nick Trainor. The Gloucestershire openers, who have mustered a solitary half-century between them in the Championship, amassed 311 for the first wicket as the visitors were set 352 to win. The Scots fell 101 runs short, yet were anything but deflowered after a reply of 250 for 9 that included stylish innings by Mike Smith and Bruce Patterson.

Scotland, who have qualified for the World Cup finals in 1999 since Jim Love took over as coach, batted like an emerging nation until Tim Hancock belatedly tore through them to finish 6 for 58. Unfortunately they had bowled like a minor county, allowing Wright and Trainor to overcome a tentative start.

After scraping only 15 off the first 10 overs, they moved comfortably past a succession of landmarks. The 34-year-old Wright, who offered only one chance before falling in the final over, hit 177; his top score in one-day cricket was also Gloucestershire's best in the competition and the fourth highest by any player in the NatWest's various guises.

For Trainor, a 21-year-old Geordie, his 143 was a career best. When the pair passed 165, they posted a Gloucestershire record for any wicket in the tournament. On reaching 270, their partnership became the best for the first wicket in NatWest history. They had just overhauled the highest tally for any wicket in the competition - 309 by Worcestershire's Tim Curtis and Tom Moody in the 1994 semi-final - when Trainor skied Peter Steindl into extra cover's hands in the 57th over. Wright soon followed in similar fashion.

However, Scotland's early order had seen enough in a benign track to encourage some attractive stroke-making. Smith and Patterson put on 135 at more than four an over.

A brilliant leg-side stumping by Jack Russell eventually removed Smith, the first of Hancock's half dozen (another personal best). Love was unrequited, though there was still time for another record, Scotland's total taking them past their competition best of 245 for 2 against Somerset five years ago.