Ollie Price’s career-best 147 and a century from James Bracey helped Gloucestershire to an unlikely draw on the final day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match with Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

The pair shared a fifth-wicket stand of 199, Bracey making 102, as they batted from the start to the brink of tea, rescuing their side from a perilous overnight position of 97-4, chasing 498 to win.

Price’s fourth first class ton and Bracey’s 10th frustrated the Yorkshire attack on a placid pitch, allowing Gloucestershire to close on 405-6.

They took 12 points from the game, while Yorkshire claimed 13, having dominated for long periods.

The Kookaburra ball is being used at the start of this season, despite being known to suit Australian and South African conditions and surfaces far more than English ones.

The experiment does not appear to be working, given every Championship game in both divisions over the weekend ended in a draw, with batsmen dominating bowlers throughout.

It was a frustrating final day for Yorkshire yesterday, as they had manoeuvred themselves into an excellent position.

They initially made a poor start after being put into bat by Gloucestershire.

Despite the presence of England internationals Joe Root and Harry Brook, both fell cheaply, for two and 26 respectively, as Yorkshire slid to 90-5 on day one.

But captain Shan Masood put on 100 for the sixth wicket with Jonny Tattersall, who made an impressive 58 from just 65 balls.

After the keeper was dismissed to make the score 190-6, Pakistan international Masood ploughed on alongside Matt Milnes.

The skipper went on to make a magnificent 140, and with Milnes scoring 51, Yorkshire recovered from that rocky start to post a respectable 326 all out.

Zaman Akhter stood out for Gloucestershire with the ball, taking 5-89.

Matt Fisher, Ben Coad and Milnes all took an early wicket apiece as Gloucestershire's reply wobbled initially at 28-3.

Cameron Bancroft (70) and Miles Hammond (43) led the fightback by putting on 98 for the fourth wicket, before spinner Dan Moriarty dismissed them both.

Ben Charlesworth's excellent 52 not out ensured the hosts finished with a decent total, but opening bowlers Coad and Fisher took three wickets apiece to help dismiss their opponents for 263.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Matthew Fisher helped dismiss Gloucestershire relatively cheaply in their first innings, but like all the bowlers on show in Bristol, he found the going much tougher second time around. Matthew Fisher helped dismiss Gloucestershire relatively cheaply in their first innings, but like all the bowlers on show in Bristol, he found the going much tougher second time around. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

From there, bat completely dominated ball, as Yorkshire rattled along in their second innings to post 434-6 declared from only 82 overs.

Opener Adam Lyth cracked 113, while Fin Bean, Root, Brook and George Hill all posted half-centuries.

Gloucestershire were under the cosh early on in their forlorn chase of 498 to win, as they ended the penultimate day on 97-4, Milnes, Coad, Fisher and Moriarty all taking a wicket apiece.

But though the tireless Coad took two wickets on the final day, the home side looked comfortable in the face of a placid pitch and placid ball.

Even when centurions Price and Bracey were dismissed in quick succession, Charlesworth (43*) and skipper Graeme van Buuren (51*) put on a comfortable unbroken partnership of 91 for the seventh wicket to see the game out with ease.

After a pair of draws to start their campaign, Yorkshire head to Middlesex and Lord's on Friday looking for a first red-ball win of the season.