Late Wickets Leave Hampshire in Charge

Report from day one of Hampshire's LV= County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol

Gloucestershire v Hampshire
LV= County Championship
Day One: Monday 6 August 2012
Bristol

Summary: Gloucestershire lead Hampshire by 265 runs
with two wickets remaining in the first innings
Gloucestershire: 265-8
Scorecard

Gloucestershire Team
Nicol, Howell, Housego, Gidman*, Marshall, Cockbain, Coughtrie†, Muchall, Saxelby, Payne, Norwell
Hampshire Team
Adams*, McKenzie, Shafayat, Katich, Dawson, Ervine, Bates†, Mascarenhas, Balcombe, Ali, Tomlinson 

Good morning and evening spells saw Hampshire edge the first day of this LV= County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

By close the hosts had reached 265-8 in their first innings but it could have been more had they capitalised on a 125-run fifth-wicket partnership between Hamish Marshall (75) and Ian Cockbain (51).

In truth, a steady bowling performance which saw the wickets shared around and economy rates of 1.73 from James Tomlinson, 2.00 from Dimi Mascarenhas, 2.29 from David Balcombe and 2.30 from Liam Dawson ensured the visitors kept the pressure up.

They’ll be hoping to take two wickets in double-quick time in the morning, then aim to reach a lead of any description by stumps.

With heavy clouds overhead, Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams had no hesitation in putting the opposition into bat upon winning the toss. And his side instantly took advantage with two of the most intriguing names on the scorecard involved. Kabir Ali, named in a Championship XI for the first time in nearly a month, trapped former team-mate Benny Howell lbw for six in his third over of the day. The batsman, who returned to the top of the order for the hosts in place of reverse-fixture centurion Chris Dent (who has missed two months with a broken finger), would have been keen to impress in front of his former employers but the extra seam option that Ali gives Hampshire (spinner, Danny Briggs had made way) did the trick.

And, before too long, fellow opener Rob Nicol (10) was on his way, edging a Balcombe delivery that nipped away to Michael Bates; Gloucestershire 36-2 inside 15 overs. Balcombe, of course, had taken 11 match wickets (a career-best) when this team had come to The Ageas Bowl on the opening day of the season and it looked like he might be having all the luck once again when, with the hosts not yet through the 50 mark, Dan Housego drove one of his deliveries straight back at him only for the bowler to deflect the shot onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, running out home captain, Alex Gidman (2) backing up.

It was a blow to the home side’s confidence but not a serious one. Housego, after all, is an accomplished batter as anyone who witnessed the century he scored against Hampshire for Middlesex in pre-season 2011 will attest. And he dug in, taking his side safely to lunch on 73 without further loss, then running Mascarenhas (1-24* off 12) to the ropes for a fourth four of his innings to bring up a half-century upon his return.

Hampshire’s Friends Life t20 captain, however, would get his revenge in his next over, clean-bowling Housego (51) with an off-cutter which hit off-stump; the game still very much in Hampshire’s control at this point. But not for long. Marshall and Cockbain played watchfully at first, only hitting one four in the next 15 overs. But their interest was piqued when part-time bowler Bilal Shafayat came into the attack; the pair hit three boundaries off his two overs and went into tea having nearly doubled their side’s score; Gloucs 161-4.

The partnership would continue to frustrate the visiting attack into the evening and the hosts’ 200 came up with a four struck immediately after a Sean Ervine no ball.

But once the breakthrough was made by Dawson (1-30* off 13) - whose straight, fullish delivery rapped Marshall on the pads, attempting to sweep - the tables would turn and, as much as the afternoon had belonged to Gloucestershire, the evening belonged to their guests.

The next three wickets would come at the expense of just 49 runs as, first, Balcombe (2-55* off 24) would see off Cockbain lbw, then Paul Muchall (16) would be bowled by Tomlinson (1-33* off 19) playing no shot and finally Ian Saxelby would edge a drive off Ali (2-64* off 19) to Dawson at second slip.

By close, the match appeared to ever so slightly be favouring Hampshire who could justifiably claim to have taken two sessions to their opposition’s one. However, they’ll have to see off overnight batsmen Richard Coughtrie (24*) and David Payne (4*) quickly in the morning if they’re to retain their advantage.

Catch Up:

Match Preview:

Hants Hoping to Overcome Injury Concerns for Bristol

Keep Up:

Live Text Cricket Updates	Get updates sent to your phone by texting "Follow @HantsCricket" to 86444 (see link for more details)

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: LMI Photography (Tomlinson) /
NJM Photography (Ali)

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