The rain which swept in over the Cotswolds in the middle of the afternoon was the sole respite for Gloucestershire at their very own, much-cherished Cheltenham festival. By then, Vikram Solanki and Stephen Moore had put on 301, a record for Worcestershire's second wicket, bisecting the inner ring with impunity. When that occurs on this, the fastest scoring of grounds, the ball invariably reaches the boundary, and so it proved.

Solanki, who has had a mixed season, drove with customary elegance, the ball rarely lofted in the air. He reached 13,000 first-class runs in his career, struck 32 fours in his 179 and made Gloucestershire's attack, lacking the injured Jon Lewis, appear distinctly ordinary. Moore was the ideal partner in that he was that much more circumspect - or at least he was until he smote Vikram Banerjee for six over long on. His century was his fourth of the season and his consistency has brought admiration from other county clubs.

There are, apparently, no fewer than five clubs interested in signing Moore next year. Consistent opening batsman though he is, that says something about the lack of attention to nurturing youth in the academies around the country - or perhaps merely the lack of talented youth. For the third time Moore reached 1,000 runs in a season and, given that he is 27, he might well not have reached his peak. Doubtless that is what various coaches are thinking.

The pitches here are not as quick as once they were and nor do they offer as much turn, as Tony Brown, the long-serving former Gloucestershire all-rounder and captain, ruefully reflected upon during the day. Yet the outfield remains as quick. Solanki leant into his drives, constantly piercing the field and he was particularly severe on the medium pace of Oliver Newby. Banerjee, the left arm spinner, was roughly treated as well.

A total of 43 overs were lost, resulting in much bar-room pleasantry. A restart, intended for 5.30, did not occur owing to rain. The partnership between Solanki and Moore, which will resume on the third day of the festival, beat the previous record stand for Worcestershire's second wicket, 300 between Graeme Hick, who is playing in this match, and Phil Weston against the Indians in 1996. Hick, indeed, has been involved in no fewer than three of his county's record stands, whereas the great Tom Graveney, revered at this festival, has not taken part in one.

Scoreboard

Gloucestershire: First Innings 283 (M J North 98, D O Brown 83; Kabir Ali 6 for 94)

Worcestershire: First Innings
D K H Mitchell c Snell b Kirby 12
S C Moore not out 120
*V S Solanki not out 179
Extras (lb 4, w 2, nb 8) 14

Total (1 wkt, 60 overs) 325

B F Smith, G A Hick, S M Davies, G J Batty, Kabir Ali, S P Jones, M S Mason and Imran Arif to bat.

Fall of wicket: 1-24.

Bowling: Kirby 16-1-74-1; Newby 11-1-83-0; Ireland 6-1-29-0; Brown 4-0-19-0; Banerjee 9-1-52-0; Marshall 8-1-41-0; North 6-0-23-0.

Umpires: M J D Bodenham and P J Hartley.