Report: Warwickshire v Hampshire, Rothesay County Championship

Day Three

Warwickshire fell to an 89-run defeat after a fourth innings chase of over 300 proved too much against a hostile Hampshire seam attack.

Set a target of 310, Warwickshire were all out for 220, unpicked by seamers James Fuller (five for 56) and Kyle Abbott (three for 44 – eight for 91 in the match). Alex Davies (66, 106 balls) and Ethan Bamber (43, 78) offered some resistance but Bears’ top order was undone by pace, movement and bounce.

Hampshire’s second innings had closed in the morning on 203. Beau Webster took four for 57 and Bamber four for 60 but the match was decided by the visitors out-bowling their hosts on a pitch which offered encouragement to seamers throughout.

After Hampshire resumed on 159 for six, already 275 ahead, Bamber quickly struck twice when Brad Wheal edged to second slip and Fuller’s middle-stump was sent flying by an inside-edged slog. Abbott pulled Bamber for six in a handy run-a-ball stand of 32 with Toby Albert (43, 85) before Webster had Albert and John Turner caught behind in three balls.

A target of 310 offered an intriguing last chapter to an engrossing match and Warwickshire’s chase began spectacularly. They were 10 for two after three overs after Abbott hit Rob Yates’ off stump, Davies struck his first two balls for four and Tom Latham edged Abbott to wicketkeeper Ben Brown.  

Unfazed by the rocky start, Davies and Sam Hain added 68 in 24 overs. Hain looked in excellent form on his way to 30 (53) but his season’s story so far of getting in then getting out continued when he offered no shot to an Abbott in-ducker and was lbw.

Davies reached a 66-ball half-century but was among the casualties as Fuller unleashed a ferocious spell from the Pavilion End, ripping out three for three in 12 balls. Webster and Davies were trapped in front by balls that kept low, either side of Ed Barnard tickling an outswinger to the keeper.

At 126 for six, Warwickshire needed something special from their lower order on a pitch which had yielded just one half-century in each innings. It was understandably beyond them.

Zen Malik hoisted Turner to fine leg. Bamber and Che Simmons fought hard to add 43 in 17 overs before Fuller returned to complete his five-for by removing both. Bamber edged behind, Simmons lofted to long leg and Turner flattened Olly Hannon-Dalby’s off-stump.

Bears First Team Coach Ian Westwood, said: “I can’t fault the lads. The effort these boys are putting in is not in question. It’s disappointing to lose any game of cricket. We played some really good cricket at times but we can look back at moments on the first two days that left us too much to do at the back end. To even have a chance of winning after conceding that first innings deficit was credit to the lads.

“We really believed we were going to chase that down today, but the way they bowled and utilised the conditions, full credit to them. They put us under a lot of pressure with the ball and were just too good. It was a good cricket wicket and they bowled really well and kept finding movement and with a bit of inconsistent bounce that made it tricky. The top order in particular got some really good balls. They didn’t really do much wrong.

“We haven’t got carried away with the good start to the season and we know there are a lot of good teams in this division. We’re growing as a group and we knew this was going to be another tough game. We have to dust ourselves off and will look forward to going to New Road on Friday. Rushworth and Woakes are getting closer to fitness so I’ll have to speak to the physios and find out who’s available before making the call.”

Day Two

Two wickets in three balls from Beau Webster and a late wicket from Che Simmons keep the Bears in the hunt in their Rothesay County Championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston.

Earlier in the day, Kyle Abbott put Hampshire in control with an excellent bowling display.

Abbott took five for 47, his second five-for in successive games, as Warwickshire were bowled out for 194 to sustain a first innings deficit of 106. Ed Barnard counter-attacked impressively and reached an excellent half century from just 43 balls, but became the ninth wicket to fall (58, 55 balls).

Hampshire then leaned hard on Fletcha Middleton’s 76 (124 balls) as they reached 159 for six in their second innings. They lead by 265 overall, a significant advantage on a pitch still assisting the seamers.

Warwickshire resumed on the second morning on 27 for two and swiftly lost both overnight batters. Nightwatcher Olly Hannon-Dalby edged Abbott to first slip before John Turner struck a crucial blow when Tom Latham, fresh from 184 on his debut last week, fell for just five when he edged to third slip.

On a grey morning, against a swinging ball, batting was tricky. Sam Hain and Beau Webster grafted hard to add 62 in 21 overs, but Hampshire’s seamers sustained the pressure and Abbott removed both just before lunch. Hain’s dogged 23 (77 balls) was ended by a perfect outswinger. A nifty inswinger brought Webster’s fluent 41 (66) to a close when he inside-edged a drive onto his middle stump.

Barnard defied with discipline but without support. Zen Malik was late on a straight ball from Brad Wheal, and Ethan Bamber flicked James Fuller to mid-wicket. Barnard reached an accomplished 43-ball 50 but then edged Abbott to wicketkeeper Ben Brown, who collected again when Che Simmons edged Turner.

Hampshire’s second innings began in the game’s first sunshine, but the ball continued to move around, and while Middleton settled, partners came and went. None of the other top six batters passed 15 as Mark Stoneman edged Hannon-Dalby to first slip, Bamber drew fatal edges from Nick Gubbins and Tom Prest, and Beau Webster removed Ben Brown, lbw, and Liam Dawson, caught at second slip, in three balls.  

At 99 for five, Hampshire were in danger of relinquishing their advantage but Middleton and Toby Albert added 52 in 15 overs to reassert their side’s control. Albert (29 not out, 52 balls) made important runs for the second time in the match while Middleton reached 50 (71 balls) for the first time in ten attempts this season. Though he was bowled by Simmons just before the close, on a pitch which examines the batters’ powers of technique and diligence.

Day One

Ed Barnard claimed a four-fer but lower-order resistance led by James Fuller lifted Hampshire to 300 all out on Day One of this Rothesay County Championship clash at Edgbaston.

Hampshire dipped to 130 for five and 223 for eight before Fuller’s bullish unbeaten half-century (52 not out, 52 balls) marshalled the addition of 77 for the last two wickets.

Barnard took 4/56 and Olly Hannon-Dalby three for 47 for a Warwickshire team full of confidence after their strong start to the season. They then wobbled themselves, however, as they lost both openers before closing the first day on 27 for two in reply.

Hampshire elected to bat but lost Fletcha Middleton in the fourth over of the day when he edged Hannon-Dalby to second slip and Rob Yates took his 147^th catch for Warwickshire.

Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins (27, 71) gritted out 62 from 24 overs but, with the lunch interval beckoning, Hants’ batting fragility kicked in. Gubbins edged an outswinger from Beau Webster to wicketkeeper Alex Davies and Tom Prest nicked a firm-footed jab at Barnard.

Hannon-Dalby struck the biggest blow with the 32nd ball after lunch when the obdurate Stoneman (48, 106 balls) gave Davies his third catch. Ben Brown followed the pattern of batters getting in then getting out he when dug in for 29 from 56 balls but then dragged a drive at Webster on to his stumps.

At 130 for five, Hampshire were in jeopardy of coming in under 200 again for the third consecutive innings, on a good batting pitch, but Dawson (46, 84) and Toby Albert applied themselves to add 68 in 19 overs. Both then perished in the space of 10 balls. Dawson edged Barnard high to second slip and Albert flicked Tazeem Ali to mid-wicket to give Yates his 148^th and 149^th catches for Warwickshire.

The sun-soaked crowd didn’t have to wait long before his 150th Bears catch was pouched: Kyle Abbott drove mightily at Barnard but sliced to second slip when Yates triumphantly seized the ball above his head.

That was 223 for eight and Hampshire appeared well under par but the tail wagged. Former Warwickshire loanee Brad Wheal counter-attacked for a 24-ball 28 before falling lbw, struck on the back pad, to the impressive Barnard. John Turner, recalled to the side in place of Sonny Baker, helped Fuller add 34 before edging Hannon-Dalby behind.

Warwickshire were left with eight overs to bat during which Hampshire hit back hard.

Yates’ day took a downward twist when he was trapped lbw by Abbott and, with 16 balls left in the day, Davies top-edged a heave at Wheal and Middleton took an excellent catch running in from deep backward point.

Ed Barnard, said: “The pitch got a little bit flat at times but you always felt, as a bowler, you could get something out of it. I thought we bowled brilliantly. Ethan Bamber bowled really well without any luck. He didn’t take any wickets today but if he bowls like that every time he’ll take plenty. He’s shown everyone what he can do and has been a brilliant addition to our squad.

“It was a bit frustrating at the end but Fuller batted well and managed the tail nicely, but I think if you had offered us 300 at the start of the day, with them having chosen to bat first, we would have snatched your hand off.

“It was good for me to get through some overs, I am always happy to bowl and was pleased to get among the wickets. It came out nicely and I was really pleased. We have such a nice balance to the side at the moment, we have got bowling options coming out of our ears so Davo (Alex Davies) has always got somewhere to turn.”