Hampshire Promoted as Champions After Thrilling Victory
Sep 25 2014
Glamorgan v Hampshire
LV= County Championship
Tues 23 – Fri 26 Sept (10:30am)
SWALEC Stadium
Summary: Hampshire won by 291 runs
(Scorecard & stats below)
James Tomlinson (6-48) produced his best figures in over four years to help Hampshire win LV= County Championship Division Two and secure promotion after a 291-run victory over Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium.
After declaring on 258-9 to set the home side an unlikely 444 runs to win, Tomlinson picked up three key wickets before lunch.
The left-arm seamer then chipped in with a further three wickets after lunch alongside wickets for Matt Coles (1-40) and Chris Wood (2-32) as Glamorgan were dismissed for 152, confirming the Hampshire victory.
It is the first time in their history Hampshire have won the LV= County Championship Division Two title.
Hampshire started the day with a clear intent to push their already healthy lead past 400. The visitors were almost batting in T20 mode with James Vince (48) in particular finding the boundary regularly early on.
But with the attacking strokeplay comes more risk of losing wickets and Jim Allenby taking advantage by picking ten wickets in a match for the first time in his career.
It was the in-form Sean Ervine (21) who swung from the hip with the most success as Glamorgan were set an imposing 444 runs to win.
Despite being in a strong position, it was still important for Hampshire to take early wickets so it was a perfect time for Tomlinson to produce his best spell of the season.
The first three Glamorgan batsman fell within nine overs and the visitors didn’t look back.
When Tomlinson picked up the first six wickets of the innings, it soon became a question of when Hants would celebrate the title rather than if.
Debutant Aneurin Donald (59) provided brief resistance with a fluent half-century, but it was Hampshire who secured the victory and the Division title with two wickets for Wood and one for Imran Tahir (1-29) securing the win.
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day two
Summary: Hampshire lead Glamorgan by 360 runs
with seven wickets remaining in their second innings
Hampshire: 357 all-out (93.4 overs) & 175-3 (42 overs)
Glamorgan: 172 all-out (53.3 overs)
(Scorecard & stats below)
A brilliant bowling performance has helped Hampshire close in on promotion on day two of their LV= County Championship match v Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium.
Fast-bowler Chris Wood (4-42) was the pick of the visiting attack as Glamorgan were blown away for just 172, leaving Hampshire a lead of 185 going into the second innings.
After deciding not to enforce the follow on, captain Jimmy Adams hit a quickfire 91 to lead Hants to 175-3 at stumps, a lead of 360 runs with two days remaining.
Essex’ likely victory over Worcestershire means that Hampshire will need to win the match to be promoted. But in doing so, Hants will go up as Division Two champions if they secure the win.
Hampshire were hoping to start day two as Glamorgan started day one – taking early wickets.
It was the in-form Matt Coles (3-58), who gave the visitors the perfect start dismissing opener Will Bragg (0) in the second over and Hampshire didn’t look back.
It was a fabulous display of seam bowling from Coles, Wood and James Tomlinson (1-38), who all played their part in making light work the Glamorgan batting line-up.
The key partnership of the Glamorgan innings was that Mark Wallace (51) and Jim Allenby (29) with the experienced pair seeing off a tricky period before lunch.
Hants went into the afternoon session knowing if they could dismiss Wallace and Allenby early after lunch, they would certainly be a strong position in the match. The fact that four of the top five Glamorgan were dismissed by Wood shows how well he bowled – and he continued his excellent form by dismissing both Wallace and Allenby in the space of three overs.
It was then the turn of Coles and Imran Tahir (2-11) to impress to take care of the Glamorgan tail and offering Jimmy Adams the opportunity to enforce the follow-on.
Deciding to bat first to drive home Hampshire’s dominance in the game, Adams played fluently alongside useful knocks from Will Smith (39) and James Vince (32*) to help Hants reach an imposing second innings lead of 360 runs with two days still to play.
day one
Summary: Glamorgan trail Hampshire by 357 runs
with ten wickets remaining in their first innings
Hampshire: 357 all-out (93.4 overs)
(Scorecard & stats below)
Brilliant centuries from James Vince (144) and Sean Ervine (107) have helped Hampshire make a strong start to their LV= County Championship match v Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium.
Five wickets in the morning session had put the visitors on the back foot on 53-5 before a record-breaking sixth-wicket stand of 225 from the Vince and Ervine helped Hants recover brilliantly.
It was then a fluent knock of 34 from Chris Wood, which helped promotion-chasing Hampshire reach 357 all-out at stumps on day one – with Jim Allenby (4-74) the pick of the Glamorgan bowlers.
The total reached means that Hampshire have secured four batting bonus points.
It was a perfect present for captain Jimmy Adams, who on his 34th birthday, won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the Glamorgan seamers made excellent use of some bowler friendly conditions early to put Hants under the cosh.
It was the ever-reliable Allenby who did the damage for the home side as Hampshire found themselves in trouble on 53-5.
With Essex’s impressive start to their match with Worcestershire, Hampshire needed something special to recover – and they received it from two likely sources.
It’s to Vince’s credit that with all the wickets falling at the opposite end, he continued to play his natural fluent game. He was joined by Ervine, who looked in top form after his excellent century against Kent last week.
Their positive manner at the crease not only consolidated after losing quick wickets, but it turned the momentum on its head. It was, in the end, the highest Hampshire sixth wicket partnership against Glamorgan, breaking a record which had been held since 1922.
Batting bonus points looked a long way off before lunch but Hants were soon approaching 300 with subsequent ease. However, wickets did fall towards the end of the day with Michael Hogan (3-60) making life difficult for the Hampshire tail.
The Hants tail did wag enough to reach their third and fourth batting point – Wood, Imran Tahir (22*) and James Tomlinson (7*) all playing an important part in reaching 357, a score which looked extremely unlikely at one stage.
Coverage
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Additional Information
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