GLOUCESTERSHIRE head coach Richard Dawson was happy that his side tried hard to win on the last day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Northants at the Brightside Ground but the bowlers just did not get the luck.

Rob Newton and Steven Crook hit centuries to bat Northamptonshire to a draw on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Newton, unbeaten on 58 overnight, went on to make 108, off 234 balls, with 18 fours, while Crook hit 103 not out, having reached his hundred off 127 deliveries, with 17 boundaries.

The visitors closed on 399 for eight, leading by 157, having batted with far more application than in the first innings. Adam Rossington contributed 39, despite clearly feeling discomfort from the finger injury he suffered while wicketkeeping on Monday, and Richard Gleeson a valuable 31.

David Payne (three for 72) was the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers, but in general they erred on the short side. The hosts took 11 points from a game they had high hopes of winning at the start of the day, while Northants claimed seven.

Dawson said: "We are not going to blame the pitch. We didn't execute our bowling skills well enough today, although it certainly wasn't for the want of trying.”

In fact, the Gloucestershire head coach believed his bowlers were just trying too hard to get the necessary wickets after having Northants on the ropes midway thorugh the final day.

He added: "Sometimes bowlers can strive too hard when only a few wickets are needed. The positive is that we controlled the game for three days and put ourselves in a winning position.

"Credit Northants for batting well on the last day. Rob Newton and Steven Crook showed what they are about, but we are disappointed we didn't put more pressure on them."