Alex Gidman led from the front with his third County Championship century of the season as Gloucestershire's batsmen returned to form against Glamorgan at Bristol.

The skipper hit an unbeaten 122 after losing the toss as his side ran up 337 for five, Kadeer Ali contributing 53, Hamish Marshall 43 and Chris Taylor 37.

Gloucestershire had gone three games without collecting a batting point, losing each match, so Gidman's innings was especially timely. By the close he had faced 168 balls and hit 16 fours.

Adam Shantry was Glamorgan's most successful bowler with two for 38 from 13 overs, but they failed to make the most of overcast conditions and did not bowl well as a unit.

Rob Woodman was drafted into the Gloucestershire team to strengthen the batting and given the job of opening. But after making 15 the young left-hander was caught behind attempting to leave a delivery from Shantry.

Will Porterfield (22) helped Kadeer take the total to 86 before being brilliantly caught by James Dalrymple at second slip diving to his left off James Harris.

Kadeer reached his half century with three fours in an over from Garnett Kruger, having faced 67 balls, but perished just before lunch to a loose shot, cutting Shantry straight to Will Bragg at backward point to make it 118 for three at the interval.

Kruger (one for 48) produced the best spell by a Glamorgan bowler in the afternoon session, but it was not until the score was 195 that he bowled Marshall playing over the top of a full-length delivery. The New Zealander had faced 89 balls and hit four fours.

Gidman reached fifty off 67 deliveries, with six boundaries, and began to play powerful shots all around the wicket. He was particularly severe on anything short, pulling hard and timing the ball well off his pads.

He needed one moment of fortune on 90 when he skied a drive to mid-on where Harris failed to take a difficult chance over his shoulder running towards the boundary.

Harris aided Gidman further when the Gloucestershire man was on 99, delivering a juicy leg stump no-ball, which was dispatched for two through square leg.

Gidman went into the game with 699 first-class runs at an average of over 53 and 166 more than any of his team-mates had managed. After a poor season last year he has bounced back with the new responsibility of captaincy.

Taylor overcame scratchy start and was playing well when deciding to reverse sweep Robert Croft. Dalrymple, standing wide at slip, took another fine catch, this time low to his right.

It was 313 for five and Gidman and Taylor had added 118 in 27 overs to give their side an excellent chance of securing maximum batting points and reviving their Second Division promotion challenge.