Adams 70 Sets Up Final Day Sizzler

Report from day three of Hampshire's LV= County Championship match against Glamorgan at The Ageas Bowl

Hampshire v Glamorgan
LV= County Championship
Day Three: Friday 25 May 2012
The AGeas Bowl

Summary: Glamorgan trail Hampshire by 209 runs
with eight wickets remaining in the second innings
Hampshire: 316 & 273
Glamorgan: 327 & 53-2
Scorecard

Hampshire Team
Adams, Dawson, Carberry, Katich, Vince, Ervine, Bates, Wood, Ali, Balcombe, Tomlinson
Glamorgan Team
James, Rees, Bragg, North, Wright, Allenby, Wallace, Cosker, Glover, Owen, Reed 

A game of incredibly fine margins looks set to go down to the wire as Hampshire set Glamorgan 263 to win after amassing 273 all out to send this LV= County Championship game into a thrilling final day at The Ageas Bowl.

Home captain, Jimmy Adams stormed to the rescue for his team with a sizzling innings of 72 (157 balls, 11 fours) to greatly improve the South Coast side’s chances of snatching a dramatic win, with all results still possible.

And the early wickets of Nick James (0) and Will Bragg (8) were also a boost to Hampshire's hopes as Glamorgan reached stumps on 53-2, with eight wickets still remaining; 210 runs away from victory.

An early wicket brought Michael Carberry to the crease, and the stability of a 71-run partnership from he and Adams paid dividends for the home side as they brought up the team 50 (after 93 balls) to put Hants 50-1.

It certainly wasn't a day for running between the stumps in the blistering Hampshire heat and, at one stage, just one single had been obtained between the pair in the space of 107 deliveries; Hants were working predominantly in boundaries.

And they continued to coast along in the first session to 102-1 before a superb catch at fine-leg from Will Owen off Jim Allenby saw off Carberry (25), with Adams bringing up his half century just before lunch to leave Hants 120-2 at the break.

John Glover picked up the wickets of Simon Katich (16) and then the dangerous Adams, who chopped the ball onto his own stumps, to counter Hants' strong first session batting display.

Sean Ervine (22), on the back of his 109 in the first innings, was next to fall after a fantastic direct hit from mid-wicket by James and in the subsequent over, Michael Bates (0) was clean bowled by Michael Reed to leave the hosts 190-6.

There was a brief let-up from Glamorgan's spell of dominance when Chris Wood smashed a straight six over Dean Cosker's head to bring up the Hants 200. But then it was Allenby (3-58) who struck twice to first remove Wood (7) in the following over and then James Vince caught behind on 48 soon after to leave the home side 229-8 at the end of the 71st over.

Interestingly, at the same stage in the first innings, Hampshire were 227-8, two shy of their total in the second with the same number of wickets down.

As in the first innings, the tail wagged for the hosts and, with David Balcombe (26) and Kabir Ali (25) putting on an important 44-run stand for the ninth wicket, they concluded their second innings with a decent total, but in need of early wickets to consolidate their position.

Unlike the first innings, that’s exactly what they got, with Adams once again in action to take a fine catch at third slip [pictured above] off Ali to remove James. Then, Liam Dawson took his obligatory slip catch off James Tomlinson to get rid of Bragg.

A key man on day four will be one-time Hampshire player Marcus North. He came into the match having made 100 runs in the last fixture and scored 70 on day two to bolster his side’s chances in this match. He resumes on 22* along with Gareth Rees (17*); the morning session should prove defining.

Catch Up

Click here to find out how to follow all the action live

Preview:	Dimi Returns for Glamorgan Clash
Day One:	Ervine Century Gives Hants the Upper Hand
Day Two:	Balcombe Takes Four but Glamorgan Draw Level

Words: Dan Smith
Images: NJM Photography

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