Hampshire 2017 thread

[Durhamfootman]

judging by the scores it looks as though Somerset are up to their old tricks. Please Hampshire, put them to the sword. It would terrible for the game if they were allowed to think that doctoring pitches was a successful strategy. FTECB ain't going to do anything about it, so it's up to the counties to police this

[budgetmeansbudget]

Thanks to the seventh wicket partnership we are pushing towards a lead of 200, we have a decent chance of winning this game.

[SaintPowelly]

Abbott just scored his 200th run of the season

Even more impressive when added to his 29 wickets @ 15.27

[budgetmeansbudget]

Abbott just scored his 200th run of the season

Even more impressive when added to his 29 wickets @ 15.27

Already made a strong case for player of the season, and we're still in May!

[SaintPowelly]

New top score for Crane

Needs to use this confidence when he bowls

[budgetmeansbudget]

Very useful runs from the bottom of the order.

255 lead.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Disappointing we couldn't take a wicket before stumps but we still have a decent chance to win tomorrow.

[st_brendy]

Disappointing we couldn't take a wicket before stumps but we still have a decent chance to win tomorrow.

It is, but on the flip side the new ball hasn't done anything in this match. 1st innings, the first wicket wasn't until 13.4 overs. 2nd innings, the second wicket wasn't until 20.5 overs. 3rd innings, the first wicket wasn't until 22.2 overs.

It's once the spinners are on, and the ball starts reversing, that the wickets fall.

Fantastic first session for us, and I would say we just about won the third session. Little question in my mind though that Somerset won the middle session. And I guess that is why this game is right in the balance.

I'm not sure what my feelings are about Bailey telling everyone to go aggressive after lunch (rather than waiting for a ball with your name on it). On the one hand you it is sound logic; it would be a waste for the attacking talent in our batting line-up to dig in for a few balls, and then get a good one. But on the other hand, the last three wickets somewhat showed that the pitch is seemingly getting better to bat on. Maybe we didn't need to be as helter-skelter as we were; I mean, collectively it got us a few runs, but individually it only really worked for Berg.

And besides, after a couple of years of getting frustrated at Carberry, Adams and Smith just scratching around at the top, and the team in general struggling to even maintain a run rate of above 3, at least this is something different! Although I still maintain that the extra batter should be in the side ahead of Topley. Hopefully he can chip in tomorrow, as well as Crane.

(Just from the way that batter after batter, Ervine aside, kept on coming in and smashing it straight away after lunch made it pretty obvious that it was a tactic of ours. But Abbott confirmed it us such, as instructed by Bailey, in his post-match interview)

[st_brendy]

judging by the scores it looks as though Somerset are up to their old tricks. Please Hampshire, put them to the sword. It would terrible for the game if they were allowed to think that doctoring pitches was a successful strategy. FTECB ain't going to do anything about it, so it's up to the counties to police this

The Somerset commentator opened yesterday saying that he was expecting a 500 plays 500 pitch, saying that last year's turning pitches was simply as a result of hot end of season weather for them down there...

(I think if we can remove their top three before they have 100 on the board, then we have a great chance. Even ignoring the pitch, Somerset's middle order has been awful this season. But a decent score from any of those top three, and we might find ourselves 50 runs short)

[st_brendy]

By the way, Ervine's over at the end today was another over of off-spin for him this season. And he beat Elgar's bat twice with it. A guy who has the top score of this match so far, and plays test cricket for SA.

If Crane continues bowling full tosses, I can see a rather bizarre situation tomorrow where Ervine bowls a lot more spin that Crane does.

[st_brendy]

Not getting enough here, should have picked Will Smith

Potentially a big opportunity for him next game. With Vince and Dawson on Lions duty, Adams will no doubt come back into the side to open, leaving Smith and Alsop to fight out for the other spot. And given that we'd be losing Dawson's bowling, I suspect Smith might win that battle. Could be his one and only chance to make his case for a permanent recall.

[The Professor]

Agree with Brendy, batting like a T20 game was not the way forward today.

[st_brendy]

Dawson was all over Abell in that over.

[st_brendy]

Dawson was all over Abell in that over.

And now he has him. Get Elgar soon, and Somerset will be up against it. Hildreth sounded awful in the first innings, and apparently that is reflective of his season so far. (But there is a class batsman in him somewhere)

[st_brendy]

Crane comes on. Crane bowls a full toss.