Lancashire 240 (Jennings 70, Taylor 6-43) and 73 for 3 (Jennings 25*, Jones 15*) need 127 runs to beat Gloucestershire 136 (Balderson 5-34, Anderson 3-12) 305 (Bracey114, Hammond 82, Anderson 4-51, Balderson 4-75)

The Wells injury happened with Gloucestershire’s total 124 for 3 as he tried to prevent a Bracey boundary to fine leg off Anderson. He immediately signalled his distress and team-mates ran to his aid before medical help arrived and he was taken to Southmead Hospital with a suspected dislocation, which was later confirmed by Lancashire head coach Steven Croft.

“Luke Wells dislocated his shoulder diving for the ball,” Croft said. “He had to go to hospital and it is back in place now. He will probably have to go for some scans in the week, but that’s all we know for now. You never like to see anyone leave the field in those circumstances and we wish him a speedy recovery. The substitution was straightforward. Harry Singh is a batter who can bowl so it was like-for-like.”

The incident compounded a frustrating morning for Lancashire as Hammond and Bracey made steady inroads into their first-innings lead of 104, employing sensible shot selection on a placid pitch.

A boundary through the covers from Hammond off Paul Coughlin wiped out the deficit. By lunch, Gloucestershire led by 72, Hammond having gone to a 123-ball half-century with a straight six off Arav Shetty, which also brought up the century partnership.

Bracey followed to fifty off 115 deliveries and was unbeaten on 53 at lunch, with Hammond on 80 and the total 176 for 3. That became 180 for 4 soon after the interval when Hammond drove at a wide ball from Coughlin and was well caught low down at backward point by Singh.

The stand with Bracey had occupied 47 overs. But Gloucestershire were only 76 ahead and required another substantial partnership as Tommy Boorman, making his Championship debut, made his way to the wicket.

The 21-year-old was positive from the start, hitting six fours in moving to 38 not out by tea. His exuberance allowed Bracey to go quietly about his business as he completed a rock solid hundred off 200 balls, with 14 fours.

At tea, he was unbeaten on 108 and, at 276 for 4, Gloucestershire’s lead had grown to a promising 172. They had added just seven to it in the final session when Boorman, on 42, chased a wide ball from Balderson and edged to Keaton Jennings at second slip.

Anderson had been unable to get much response from the third-day pitch, but his perseverance paid when he pinned Graeme van Buuren lbw for a single to make it 294 for 6. With his tail up, the Lancashire captain then bowled Bracey off a bottom edge attempting to pull and followed up next ball by having Henry Brookes caught behind trying to withdraw the bat.

Suddenly, Gloucestershire were 297 for 8. Soon it was 305 for 9 when Matt Taylor chipped a high catch to Anderson at mid-on off Balderson, who finished off the innings by bowling Gabe Bell. The last six wickets had fallen for 22 runs.

Lancashire’s second innings began badly when Singh was bowled for a duck by a ball from Will Williams that clipped off stump. But Josh Bohannon soon went on the attack and had hit six fours in moving to 31 when bowled middle stump by Bell with the score on 45.

With no addition to the score, Marcus Harris fell lbw to Taylor and Gloucestershire were still in the fight.