Gloucestershire have handed director of cricket John Bracewell a new two-year contract.

Bracewell has overseen a disappointing four-day season so far which sees Gloucestershire languish second from bottom in the Frizzell County Championship Second Division.

However, in the Norwich Union League, Gloucestershire hold an eight-point lead at the top over Surrey.

The club have backed Bracewell and captain Mark Alleyne - who will skipper the side for the next two seasons - to translate that form into the County Championship, despite claims of dressing-room unrest in recent weeks.

In a statement the club said: "We have identified a number of areas where it is necessary for us to make improvements and we are in the process of putting these in place.

"The matter has been discussed by the management committee who have stated their complete support for John Bracewell and Mark Alleyne.

"During their time at the club, Gloucestershire have achieved unprecedented success and are confident that the problems of the past few weeks, while not insignificant, will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

"Cricket teams can only flourish when the whole squad are working together and we believe that with hard work and sensitive leadership we can achieve this."

Bracewell said: "I'm delighted by the club's support for me and it means I'll be able to work on a number of things that I want to."

Having put the Channel Islands into bat, Wiltshire 50+ contained the scoring rate with an excellent return to form by Des Jeffery (South Newton) conceding five runs from nine overs.

After 32 overs Channel Isles reached 75-5. But an onslaught on the Wiltshire bowling produced a flurry of runs of which 60 were scored off the last five overs with John Beasely (69 not out) being the destroyer.

Chasing 176 to win Wiltshire batted in fits and starts. White disappointed for the first time this year, being bamboozled by a full toss.

Good innings from skipper Geoff Pascoe (Malmesbury) and Rod Smith (Wootton Bassett), who scored 49, plus an aggressive innings of 46, peppered with some outstanding drives from Peter Hagelthorn, kept Wiltshire in the hunt. But it was all in vain as they were bowled out for 144 with Adrian Burket taking 4 -23.

CIRENCESTER'S Readers Gloucestershire County League Division 1 encounter with promotion-chasing Tewkesbury was washed out, with an interesting conclusion looming.

A shower forced the game to be abandoned with Tewkesbury's reply faltering.

They only required 34 runs from 12 overs, but had just lost three quick wickets and were looking anything but assured.

Cirencester had earlier made 141-8 from their allocation, Andy Reynolds (41) and Andy Cooper (33) the mainstay of the innings with a 55-run partnership for the third wicket.

Spinners Gee Singh (2-9) and Dick Tugwell (1-35) shared the Tewkesbury wickets.