Hampshire Impress but Fall Just Short of Victory

Apr 22 2015

Hampshire v Warwickshire
19 - 22 April (11am start)
Edgbaston

Summary: Hampshire drew with Warwickshire
Scorecard below

Warwickshire and Hampshire settled for an LV=County Championship draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much delivered only stale-mate.

At start of play both sides had a sniff of victory as Warwickshire resumed on 47 without loss, needing another 332 to reel in their target of 379, while Hampshire had to find ten wickets.

A Hampshire win was unlikely, their bowlers' task made difficult by a slow and flattening pitch which offered little turn throughout.

It was Warwickshire, their innings given a brisk start by Ian Westwood the previous evening, who appeared to be in a position from which to push for victory.

But they never sought to accelerate, finishing on 244 for five. Captain Varun Chopra, on 10 when the last day began, batted throughout the day to record his 17th first-class century, a rock-solid if colourless composition which brought him an unbeaten 119 from 309 balls with 13 fours.

After three days of interesting, fluctuating cricket, the fourth amounted to disappointment for the spectators as the match petered out into a draw from which Warwickshire took ten points and Hampshire 11.

The visitors struck an early blow when Andre Adams trapped Westwood (40, 46 balls, seven fours), lbw. But Chopra and William Porterfield ensured there was no early clatter of wickets, adding an unbroken 60 in 30 overs, hitting just one boundary apiece, up to lunch.The second-wicket pair showed no more adventure after the interval and had ground out 68 from 34 overs before Porterfield (29, 98 balls) edged a fine delivery from James Tomlinson to the wicketkeeper.

The impressive Tomlinson collected a deserved second wicket when Laurie Evans lifted the ball to mid-on and when Liam Dawson had Sam Hain caught at short leg, it was 145 for four and Warwickshire were wobbling.

But Chopra remained entrenched. He went into tea on 70 from 216 balls, just four of which he had hit for four, resumed afterwards with concentration undiminished and found an equally obdurate partner in Tim Ambrose. Batting with a runner after suffering a gluteal strain, the wicketkeeper, a century-maker in the first innings, dug in again for 29 (119 balls) to snuff out any lingering Hampshire hopes of inducing a late collapse. The match concluded with Michael Carberry purveying his whimsical spin in front of admirably patient spectators who had been treated to the spectacle of 197 runs in the day.

`Words: Brian Halford (Press Association)

day three

Summary: Hampshire: 319 all-out & 339 all-out
Warwickshire: 280 all-out & 
Scorecard below

An accomplished century by Sean Ervine has given Hampshire a scent of their first LV=County Championship victory of the season, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The Zimbabwean all-rounder struck a near-flawless 102 (144 balls, 14 fours, one six) - his 17th first-class century - to first steer his side out of trouble and then turn the pressure on to the home team.

Hampshire were all out for 339 in their second innings, leaving Warwickshire a target of 379, which would be the biggest score of the match, in a day and 11 overs.

The Bears negotiated those 11 overs without loss and will begin the last day on 47. On a pitch which is flattening out, but on which wickets have fallen in flurries at times during, all results remain possible.

The third day followed the pattern of an enthralling tussle which has ebbed and flowed throughout.

In the morning, the home side was well on top after Hampshire slumped to 108 for five, only 147 ahead. Rikki Clarke removed Liam Dawson and James Vince with successive balls and Jeetan Patel had Will Smith stumped and Adam Wheater brilliantly caught at slip by Clarke when the ball looped up off an inside-edged reverse-sweep.

Hampshire were in trouble but Michael Carberry (81, 193 balls, ten fours, one six) stayed firm and found an equally resilient partner in Ervine. Batting positively against Patel, they each hit the New Zealander for six and added 86 in 29 overs before Carberry, having completed his tenth score of 50-plus against Warwickshire in first-class cricket, played on to Clarke.

Ervine continued to play with power and purpose found further productive partners in Gareth Berg and Danny Briggs with whom he added 60 and 61. Berg struck a forceful 36 before slicing Keith Barker's first ball after tea to William Porterfield at gully. Briggs added a breezy 33 to his first-innings 48 before skying Chris Wright to mid-off.

Ervine perished to the next ball to a fine tumbling catch by Tim Ambrose, but even then Hampshire's last pair Andre Adams and James Tomlinson added 24 - a frustrating little stand for Warwickshire which might just have lifted the target out of their reach.

Warwickshire's openers weathered a testing burst from Tomlinson to survive intact, trim the target by 47, Ian Westwood moving sweetly to 37 from 39 balls, and send a fine match into its final day wide open.

Words: Brian Halford (Press Association)

day two

Summary: Hampshire: 319 all-out & 38-1
Warwickshire: 280 all-out 
Scorecard below

Tim Ambrose's bullish century underpinned a Warwickshire fightback after Hampshire's seam-bowlers had put their side in control on the second day of their LV=County Championship match at Edgbaston.

When Warwickshire, collectively guilty of fallible judgment outside off-stump, declined to  120 for six in reply to 319, they were far from certain to avoid the follow-on.

But Ambrose took a faltering innings by the scruff of the neck and forced it forward again. The 32-year-old's 113 (159 balls, 17 fours) - his 13th first-class century - lifted Warwickshire to 280 and kept them in an intriguing contest.

In a match in which few batsmen have looked entirely comfortable, though there is nothing wrong with the pitch, a first-innings lead of 39 for Hampshire could still prove very useful.

Jimmy Adams edged the first ball of their second innings to the wicket-keeper but they avoided further damage during a fine opening spell from left-armer Keith Barker to reach 38 for one - 77 ahead overall - by the close.

Hampshire dominated a morning session in which they took five wickets, the first three for three runs in a 19-ball flurry as Gareth Berg and James Tomlinson induced edges from Varun Chopra, Ian Westwood and William Porterfield.

Laurie Evans then fell lbw to Sean Ervine and Andre Adams removed Sam Hain and Rikki Clarke either side of lunch. Adams should also have had Ambrose, on 35, but Liam Dawson grassed the chance at second slip - and the miss was to prove costly.

Barker and Jeetan Patel offered Ambrose valuable support as the former England man played positively and was especially severe on anything wide outside off-stump.

For any spectator with a passion for partnerships of 65, it was a rare treat in the Birmingham sunshine as Ambrose added 65 for the seventh wicket with Barker and the same for the eighth with Patel.

The ninth failed to yield 65, mustering a mere 21 before Ambrose lifted James Tomlinson to extra-cover. Berg then wrapped up the innings by briskly removing Boyd Rankin but the fact that number ten Chris Wright walked off unbeaten after batting for 50 minutes in relative comfort while 30 runs were added illustrated that batting is quite possible on this pitch.

Adams' first-ball departure excited the Bears but Liam Dawson and Michael Carberry saw the day out to leave Hampshire on top in a small but potentially significant way.

Words: Brian Halford (Press Association)

day one

Summary: Hampshire 319 all-out (89.3 overs)
Warwickshire: 14-0 (4 overs)

Impressive knocks from Adam Wheater (74) captain Jimmy Adams (53) and Danny Briggs (48) helped Hampshire battle to 319 and into a strong position on day one against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Hampshire reached lunch without loss and in an excellent position, with Adams and Liam Dawson (38) unbeaten and looking in fine form at the interval. But a five-wicket haul from former England bowler Boyd Rankin (6-75) after the break restricted the visitors to 194-6.

With the hosts looking to have seized back control at tea, a vital innings from Wheater who combined with Briggs for eighth wicket stand of 103, helped to lead Hampshire past 300, before Warwickshire’s openers saw off the final four overs of the day without loss.

After being put into bat by hosts, the opening pair of Adams and Dawson batted brilliantly as they blunted the home attack, steering Hampshire to 89-0 at lunch.

Dawson fell early in the afternoon session which sparked a small collapse, and despite a patient innings from Michael Carberry (42), he soon departed too, along with James Vince (8) and Will Smith (12).

Sean Ervine (0) and Gareth Berg (8) were also dismissed in quick succession at the hands of Rankin, with the seamer bowling with impressive speed and accuracy.

The loss of six wickets for just 94 runs left the visitors in a precarious precision, but the arrival of Briggs to partner the composed Wheater sparked a brilliant fightback.

The wicketkeeper played with great fluency on his way to an important half-century and was well-supported by the Briggs, before the former fell thirty minutes before the close.

Debutant Andre Adams (6) joined the left-armer at the crease and announced his arrival with a huge six from his very first ball before being dismissed by the next delivery leaving Hampshire nine wickets down.

Briggs was then the final man to go as Rankin trapped him lbw to claim his sixth wicket of the innings, bringing the innings to a close.

With 20 minutes left in the day’s play, Warwickshire’s openers navigated their way to the close of play unscathed to reach 14-0 at the end of day one.

Play resumes at 11am tomorrow.

Words: Will Brewster

Additional Information  

Tickets:
For tickets for this match, please visit the official Warwickshire website.