Adams Wants Good Start In Final Home Championship Fixture

Full squad and match preview ahead of Hampshire's LV= County Championship match against Essex at The Ageas Bowl

Hampshire v Essex
LV= County Championship
Tues 4 – Fri 7 September (10.30am start)
The Ageas Bowl

Hampshire take on Essex this week at The Ageas Bowl in a match which could define their LV= County Championship season.

Jimmy Adams’ side paid the price for having a few days off, slipping from second in the table to fourth and dropping out of the promotion places in the process. All of which means that this match is huge for the hosts as they look to go into the final fixture of the season against leaders Derbyshire with their fate in their own hands.

Promisingly, the table-toppers play third-placed Kent (who are currently just two points ahead of Hampshire) at Canterbury this week so somebody’s going to lose some points there. Elsewhere, Yorkshire, who start the week six points ahead of Hampshire welcome strugglers Glamorgan to Headingley Carnegie.

As far as Hampshire’s squad is concerned, there are few surprises. Neil McKenzie, who headed back to South Africa last Tuesday will have to be replaced in the batting line-up; James Vince the most likely to step in. Spinner, Danny Briggs is away with the England squad ahead of their Twenty20 International Series against South Africa so he isn’t available. David Griffiths comes into the squad in his absence and, if selected, would be playing a First Class match for the first time since early May following injury.

If this match is anything like the last LV= CC encounter between these two it should be well worth coming to the ground and watching. Then, a five-fer for left-arm seamer James Tomlinson (5-86) helped Hampshire steal a tense victory by just two runs after captain, Adams had given his opposition a run-chase of 360.

Adams said; “We need a result, basically. I think, if we get a result, going into that last round it puts pressure on all the other teams around us.

"We had a good result against them last time but they're a good side.

"Every team we've played in the four-dayers this season, it's been a tough fight. It would be nice to be able to feel, after two days, that we're well ahead in the game. But we've got to put some hard yards in first."

The full Hampshire squad for Tuesday’s game is as follows:

Full Squad:

(3) Simon Katich	(16) Michael Bates†
(4) Jimmy Adams*	(18) David Griffiths
(7) Sean Ervine	(21) James Tomlinson
(8) Liam Dawson	(25) Chris Wood
(14) James Vince	(33) Kabir Ali
(15) Michael Carberry	(84) David Balcombe

 

Coverage:

Live Text Cricket Updates	Get updates sent to your phone by texting "Follow @HantsCricket" to 86444 (see link for more details)
Live Text Weather Updates	Get updates sent to your phone by texting "Follow @TheAgeasBowl" to 86444 (see link for more details)
Match-Day Information Line (for weather updates)	02380 475 662
Online Ball-by-Ball Commentary	Hospital Broadcasting Association

Other:

Please note, each day of this fixture will start at the slightly earlier time of 10.30 as we are now in September. All timings (lunch, tea and close), therefore, will be moved forward half an hour.

Weather Forecast

Tickets

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: NJM Photography

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