County Championship: Gloucestershire v Northants – Only 25 overs possible on day three

Batting remained a precarious business beneath grey skies and in the face of a moving ball on a pitch following overnight rain, when Gloucestershire resumed their first innings 141 behind.

Price and Bracey erected a defensive barricade to stifle Northamptonshire’s ambition, applying themselves diligently to the task of survival as the floodlights pierced the gloom.

There were still sufficient moments of attacking flare to keep the scoreboard operator gainfully employed, and the fourth wicket partnership realised 50 via 94 balls.

Hampered by the injury-enforced absence of skipper Luke Procter, Northamptonshire were heavily dependent upon pace spearhead Ben Sanderson, and the batters were no doubt relieved to see the back of him.

But there was no guarantee of security and, when Whitehouse extracted additional movement off the pitch, Price had his middle stump uprooted, his defiant innings terminated for 37 from 93 balls.

The partnership was worth 64 and Gloucestershire were 104-4, still 102 in arrears. When Ben Whitehouse induced Bracey to pursue a ball outside off-stump and edge to wicketkeeper Lewis McManus for 36 in his next over, he had his third first-class wicket.

The home side were 107-5, with two new batters at the crease, and under pressure. But some of that pressure was eased by the introduction of leg spin, Calvin Harrison going for 14 in a wayward first over from the Ashley Down Road end that served to give Van Buuren and Taylor a start.

These two needed no second invitation, working Harrison and teenage off spinner Nirvan Ramesh while the seamers were rested, raising a revitalising 50 partnership from 73 balls before rain forced the players off for the rest of the day.