County Championship: Rain-ruined draw with Somerset takes Gloucestershire one step closer to relegation

LV= County Championship Division One, Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (Day Four ): Gloucestershire 343: Harris 159; Gregory 4-62 & 279-7d: Charlesworth 64, O Price 53, Hammond 53 Somerset 248: Imam 90; T Price 5-75 & 11-0Somerset (12 pts) drew with Gloucestershire (12 pts)Scorecard

The Visitors started the day by extending their second round total of overnight 246-5 to 278-7 before declaring with a 373 lead.

But the rain which had been forecast for much of the first three days quickly kicked in and the match was condemned to be a draw at 3.10pm BST, with Somerset 11 unbeaten in their second leg.

< p class="" data-reactid=".1vh3htwizks.0.0 .0.1.$paragraph-5">While Gloucestershire dominated the game from the opening morning, they only took 12 points, two of which were were deducted for a slow passing rate, while their neighbors also picked up 12.

This lifted Somerset seven points clear of second-to-bottom Warwickshire, while their inheritor rivals are doomed to relegation, 30 points adrift bottom of the table with just two games to go.

With the weather forecast suggesting showers, the decision of the Gloucestershire to get going early in the day was surprising.

Skipper Graeme van Buuren caught the first ball from the day, sent by Josh Davey, and Jack Taylor followed suit in the second, placing Jack Brooks halfway.

David Payne hit a few big sixes before the statement came after 15 minutes, with the rain starting to fall.

The initial shower delayed the start t sleeves Somerset from...