Balcombe Breaks Records as Kat Battles with the Bat
Apr 13 2012
Hampshire v GLOUCESTERSHIRE
LV= County Championship
Day TWO: friday 13 ApRIL 2012
The AGEAS Bowl
Summary: Hampshire trail Gloucestershire by 132 runs
with three wickets remaining in the first innings
Gloucestershire: 314
Hampshire: 182-7 (56 ovs)
Full Scorecard
Hampshire Team
Adams*, Dawson, Carberry, Katich, Vince, Ervine, Bates+, Riazuddin, Briggs, Wood, Balcombe
Gloucestershire Team
Dent, Coughtrie+, Housego, A Gidman, Marshall, Cockbain, W Gidman, Young, Fuller, Payne, Saxelby
A momentous day for David Balcombe saw him pick up career-best bowling figures of 8-71 – a tally which also doubles up as the best ever recorded at Hampshire’s current home ground.
However, his fortunes were somewhat at odds with his team’s, as Hampshire finished the day 132 runs behind Gloucestershire with just three first-innings wickets remaining in this LV= County Championship match at The Ageas Bowl.
The size of the deficit was mainly down to another career-best of 114 for visiting opener, Chris Dent.
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Click on the image above to see highlights of this day's play
But Dent cut a mostly lone figure as, having started the day on 3-38, Balcombe tore through the rest of his opposition, at one point combining with Chris Wood (1-79) to take the final four wickets for just 12 runs. Balcombe’s magnificent numbers beat a previous record made at the venue by Alan Mullally of 8-90 against Warwickshire in 2001.
Wicket-keeper Michael Bates also deserves a mention as he took six catches behind the stumps, equalling the record number in an innings at the ground by a Hampshire wicket-keeper - a record set by Nic Pothas against Lancashire in 2008.
However, following Gloucestershire’s 314, Hampshire struggled, with returning overseas player Simon Katich (74) the only home batsman so far to make it past 35.
By stumps, Jimmy Adams’ side had made it to 182-7 with Wood (21*) and Hamza Riazuddin (3*) the men at the crease.
It means it will be a hugely important Day Three, in which the hosts need to impress with both bat and ball in order to give themselves a chance of victory in this opening match of the 2012 season.
Words: Simon Vincent
Images: NJM Photographs
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