Wheater Century Can't Prevent Defeat to Lancashire
Aug 31 2013
Wheater's140 is the second highest First-Class score of his career
Lancashire v Hampshire
LV = County Championship
Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31 August
Southport & Birkdale CC
Summary: Lancashire beat Hampshire by 112 runs
Lancshire: 421 & 284-5d
Hampshire: 210 & 373
Scorecard
Concurrent Table
Lancashire:
Reece, Horton, Prince, Croft, Agathangelou, Procter, Smith, Cross+, Hogg, Chapple*, Kerrigan
Hampshire:
Adams*, Roberts, Dawson, McKenzie, Vince, Ervine, Wheater+, Wood, Coles, Taylor, Tomlinson
An excellent century from Adam Wheater (140) and a fluent fifty from debutant Matt Coles (68) was in vain as Lancashire secured a 122-run victory over Hampshire on day four at Southport & Birkdale CC.
Wheater and Coles defied the odds in the morning session with many expecting Lancashire to wrap up the victory sooner rather than later. The Hampshire wicketkeeper brought up his second century for Hampshire from 182 balls (19 fours) whilst Coles reached his half-century from 101 balls (9 fours) as the visitors went into lunch on 282-7.
So it was a morning session that to the surprise of many, Hampshire dominated and the pair continued in the same vain after lunch as they moved past the highest seventh wicket partnership against Lancashire (previous best 124). Their stand was eventually worth 191 runs when Wheater was caught behind by Cross off the bowling of Simon Kerrigan (4-97).
And victory was in sight for the home side when Coles fell just two balls later to leave Hampshire 320-9. However, entertaining cameos from James Tomlinson (30*), who hit his highest score of the season, and Brad Taylor (20) pushed Hampshire past 350 before the last wicket fell to leave the visitors 373 all out.
Lancashire’s victory means they take 23 points from the match whilst Hampshire head back south with four points.
Day Three
Summary: Hampshire trail Lancashire by 359 runs
with four wickets remaining in their second innings
Lancshire: 421 all out (120.1 overs) & 284-5 (56 overs)
Hampshire: 210 all out (59.5 overs) & 137-7 (50 overs)
scorecard
16-year old spinner Brad Taylor (4-64) took four wickets for Hampshire, but a century from opener Paul Horton (111) helped Lancashire close on victory on day three of the LV= County Championship match at Southport and Birkdale CC.
Horton’s ton and a half-century from Luis Reece (65) helped Lancashire reach 284-5 with an excellent spell from Taylor the stand-out performance for the visitors.
Set 496 for victory, Hampshire lost seven wickets before the end of play, meaning Lancashire just need three wickets for the victory as the visitors finished on 137-7, still trailing by 359 runs.
Trailing by 250 runs overnight, it was vital for Hampshire chances of salvaging something from the game that the visitors took early wickets. However, it was Lancashire who continued in the ascendancy as Horton and Reece brought up their half-centuries to push the lead towards 400.
So it was, perhaps, a session to forget for Hampshire, but it was certainly a memorable one for 16-year old Taylor who picked up his maiden First-Class wicket shortly before lunch.
And it didn’t take long in afternoon session for Horton to reach his first century of the season from 143 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes) as Lancashire found themselves 224-1, a lead of 436 runs. The precarious situation Hampshire were in actually played into Taylor’s hands as the Lancashire batsman began attacking the off-spinner in an attempt to move the lead to 500.
And an excellent spell from Taylor helped him take three quick wickets to be just one dismissal away from a five-wicket haul on debut. But it wasn’t to be for Taylor, as Lancashire declared on 284-5 soon after, setting Hampshire a mammoth 496 runs for victory.
And unfortunately for Hampshire, Lancashire continued to pose a real threat with the ball as the visitors lost three quick wickets to find themselves 26-3. And once two further wickets fell in quick succession to leave Hampshire 63-5, it looked possible that Lancashire may wrap up the victory before the day was out.
However, a stubborn 44 from Neil McKenzie helped Hampshire see the day through as they finished on 137-7, still behind by 359 runs.
Day Two
Summary: Lancashire lead Hampshire by 250 runs with
ten wickets remaining in their second innnigs
Lancshire: 421 all out (120.1 overs) & 39-0 (8 overs)
Hampshire: 210 all out (59.5 overs)
Scorecard
James Vince hit an eye-catching century for Hampshire, but it was Lancashire who dominated the second day of their LV= County Championship match at Southport & Birkdale CC.
A record tenth-wicket partnership from Glen Chapple (63) and Simon Kerrigan (62*) early in the day led Lancashire to 421 all out in their first innings.
Vince (106) hit a fluent century from 128 balls in Hampshire’s reply, but a five-wicket haul from Kyle Hogg (5-39) helped dismiss the visitors for 210.
After opting not to enforce the follow-on, Lancashire finished on 39-0 at stumps, a lead of 250 runs.
When Chris Wood (1-76) picked up his first wicket of the match to dismiss Luke Procter (66) twenty minutes into the day, Lancashire’s first innings was looking likely to end imminently. However, a Lancashire record tenth-wicket partnership between Chapple and Kerrigan turned the game on its head.
Kerrigan reached his first ever First-Class fifty during the stand of 114 as he and Chapple battered Lancashire past 400 and to maximum batting points. Vince (2-2) continued his knack of taking wickets early in his spell to end the Lancashire innings but the damage was done as the home side finished on 421 all out.
With an excellent record against Hampshire which includes career best figures of 7-28 in 2011, it’s fair to say seamer Hogg enjoys playing against the southern county. And Hampshire soon feared history could repeat itself when the fast-bowler took four wickets within the first 15 overs to leave the visitors 51-4.
And it was an afternoon session that saw Hogg and fellow seamer Chapple take their 50th First-Class wickets of the season as they had Hampshire under the cosh. However a fluent, counter-attacking half-century from Vince gave the visitors some much-needed momentum going into the evening session on 137-5.
Despite support from Adam Wheater (22) after tea, Vince was rapidly running out of partners as Hampshire lost three wickets for eight runs to leave the visitors on 156-8. Despite wickets falling at the opposite end, Vince continued to bat impressively as the England Lions batsman brought up his century in 128 balls (14 fours, 3 sixes).
But it was Vince who became Kerrigan’s (3-48) third victim of the match to end Hampshire’s innings, 211 runs behind on 210 all out, giving Lancashire the option to enforce the follow-on. After declining the offer, the home side finished on 39-0 at stumps, a lead of 250 runs.
Words: Jamie Hopkins
Images: Neil Marshall
Day One
Summary: Lancashire lead Hampshire by 296 runs with
two wickets remaining in the first innings
Lancashire: 296-8 (97 overs)
Scorecard
Lancashire:
Reece, Horton, Prince, Croft, Agathangelou, Procter, Smith, Cross+, Hogg, Chapple*, Kerrigan
Hampshire:
Adams*,Roberts, Dawson, McKenzie, Vince, Ervine, Wheater+, Wood, Coles, Taylor, Tomlinson
Fast-bowler James Tomlinson (3-56) took three wickets on his return to the side on an even first day of Hampshire’s LV= County Championship match against Lancashire at Southport & Birkdale CC.
Ashwell Prince (63) and Luis Reece (50) both hit half-centuries for Lancashire early in the day before seamer Matt Coles (1-60) took his first wicket for Hampshire in the afternoon session.
Tomlinson and Liam Dawson (2-50) then made inroads for Lancashire order, but an unbeaten 64 from Luke Procter in the evening session led the home side to 296-8 at stumps.
Hampshire were boosted by the return of Tomlinson, their LV=CC leading wicket-taker, going into this match. And it was if the seamer had never been away when he dismissed Paul Horton (5) within the first five overs to leave the home side 8-1.
It’s fair to say neither side were absolutely sure what to expect from the pitch at Southport & Birkdale CC – a ground which was hosting a county game for only the second time in three years. But it looked to be a wicket that offered fair assistance to both bat and ball as Prince and Reece both brought up their half-centuries in the morning session.
And despite the introduction of debutant Coles and Hampshire’s youngster ever LV=CC player Brad Taylor, the league leaders looked well-placed to set a decent first innings total on 128-1.
However, a wicket either side of the lunch break, the former thanks to an impressive catch behind the stumps from Adam Wheater, brought Hampshire back into the game.
Hampshire were eager to see the back of batsman Andrea Agathangelou (30) after his century against them in their previous fixture this season at The Ageas Bowl, and it was Coles who got their man. The on-loan all-rounder was rewarded for his dangerous spell with the wicket of the 23-year old as Hampshire finished the afternoon session on top with the hosts on 207-5.
A useful partnership of 67 from Tom Smith (28) and Procter had threatened to put Lancashire into the ascendancy, but Hampshire continued to make the breakthrough at the right moments as Dawson and then Tomlinson picked up wickets to leave Lancashire 276-7.
It was a fluent knock from Procter which prevented Hampshire from dismissing the home side on the first day, but James Vince (1-2) did pick up a wicket in his first over at the end of the day as Lancashire finished on 293-8.
Words: Jamie Hopkins
Images: Getty
Recent Form
Hampshire are unbeaten in their last three LV= CC matches and currently sit in seventh place in the table. Liam Dawson is Hampshire’s stand-out performer in the competition so far with 700 runs at an average of 46 in 11 matches.
League leaders Lancashire are 89 points ahead of third-placed Essex and look in an excellent position to gain promotion into Division One. Katich is largely to thank for their current position with 1,041 runs at an average of 74 so far. Seam duo Glen Chapple and Kyle Hogg have also impressed with both having taken 49 wickets in 11 matches.