McKenzie Century Seizes Early Initiative

Report from day one of Hampshire's LV= County Championship match against Essex at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford

essex v Hampshire
LV= County Championship
Day One: Wednesday 19 July 2012
The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford

Summary: Hampshire lead Essex by 303 runs
with four wickets remaining in the first innings
Hampshire: 303-6
Scorecard

Essex Team
Godleman, Mickleburgh, Westley, Pettini*, ten Doeschate, Smith, Wheater, Napier, Harbhajan Singh, Masters, Craddock
Hampshire Team
Adams*, Shafayat, Katich, McKenzie, Dawson, Ervine, Bates†, Mascarenhas, Tomlinson, Balcombe, Briggs

When Michael Carberry suffered an unfortunate injury in the nets last month, South African Neil McKenzie – primarily signed to boost Hampshire’s Twenty20 credentials this season - was asked to extend his stay at The Ageas Bowl. And, my, won’t his team be happy he agreed to, following his magnificent innings on day one of this LV= County Championship match against Essex at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford.

His as-yet unbeaten innings, which is so far worth 134* and was made, in large part, alongside Sean Ervine (55), more than anchored his side’s innings; it put them in a commanding position going into the second day.

At close, Hampshire had reached 303-6 and were looking comfortable against an Essex attack struggling to find inspiration.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the visitors suffered an early set-back when captain, Jimmy Adams (2) gloved a lifting Graham Napier delivery to Adam Wheater (deputising behind the stumps for James Foster who’s away on paternity leave) in the eighth over.

That brought Bilal Shafayat to the crease and, together with McKenzie, the first of three 50+ partnerships would be put on as the pair mounted something of a mini-comeback to reach 64. However, when both Shafayat (31) and his replacement, Simon Katich (5) fell in successive Ryan ten Doeschate overs just before lunch the morning session was confirmed as having belonged to Essex; Hampshire 70-3.

Perhaps feeling the need to re-assert his side’s authority, Liam Dawson came out after the break playing more expansively, hitting only his second delivery (from Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh) for four. But when he was caught off David Masters at mid-wicket with his side only just through the 100 mark, there was clearly some rebuilding to do. And that’s just what Ervine and McKenzie did.

The new man did survive an early scare when, on eight, he was put down by Harbhajan but, taking a particular liking to Napier (off whom he enjoyed a strike-rate of 92.30, hitting three fours), Ervine recovered and, over the course of the next 28 overs built a partnership of 110 with McKenzie.

During this time, the difference between the two player’s styles is best illustrated by how quickly their 50s came up – McKenzie’s off 128 balls (including five fours) while Ervine’s – flamboyantly registered with a sweep shot – was off just 76 and included two more boundaries than his team-mate’s.

When Ervine inside-edged Masters onto his stumps the game was only just back in Hampshire’s favour at 216-5 and so the game reached its most defining phase so far as Michael Bates – once under-rated as a batsman – put in another grafting performance (what a Championship season he’s having with the bat!) to wrestle control firmly for his side.

Bates, belying his tender years, is a classical batsman rather than a T20-style slogger and his watchfulness allowed McKenzie to accelerate. It was, therefore, no surprise that a boundary through extra cover of ten Doeschate brought up his century (210 balls, 11 fours) – the 46th of his First Class career and seventh for Hampshire.

The duo put on 72 for the sixth wicket and their side were on the verge of the 300 (and a third batting point) when the youngster left for 27 in a near carbon-copy of his captain’s dismissal much earlier in the day.

That would be just about all the action we would see as the time neared 7:30 pm (start of play had been held back by an hour due to Essex having played a CB40 match the previous evening). Hampshire will resume on day two with Dimitri Mascarenhas (7*) in support of McKenzie and 14 more overs in which to accrue additional batting bonus points.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: NJM Photography /
Getty Images

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