Gloucestershire v Essex: Cowan scores century on debut

County Championship Division Two, Cheltenham

Close, day two: Gloucestershire 284-4 v Essex

Glos 2pts, Essex 1pt

Match scorecard

A century from Australian Ed Cowan on his Championship debut helped Gloucestershire take charge of their match with Essex.

Cowan (103) will lead Australia A against England Lions next month and hit 13 boundaries in his five-and-a-half hour innings.

The visitors, who began day two on 147-2, closed on 284-4 with New Zealander Hamish Marshall making 72 not out.

Reece Topley took 3-70 but India spinner Harbhajan Singh is wicketless.