Dawson Boosts Survival Hopes On Rain-Affected Day Three

Liam Dawson's (4-100) vital contributions on a rain-affected day three at the The Ageas Bowl helped Hampshire enter the final day of the Specsavers County Championship season leading Durham by 226 runs, 176-7 overnight.

Dawson grabbed two key wickets alongside Brad Wheal (4-39) as Hants bowled the visitors out for 361 and produced an essential 39-run knock after the home side were reduced to 108-6 by a flurry of wickets for Ryan Pringle (5-64), combining superbly with Lewis McManus (41*) in a fifty stand before close.

McManus, who has steered Hampshire out of trouble, will look to enhance a lead off 226 in the company of nightwatchman Mason Crane (1*), with a view to Hants securing Division One survival with the ball.

A morning on which Hampshire would have hoped to rip through Durham’s tail end was ruled out due to persistent showers and an early lunch was taken at midday.

The covers, heavy with precipitation, were relieved during the break and the outfield was ready for action when the players resumed at 12.40pm.

Dawson finished off Durham to take his tally to 4-100 from 33 gritty overs, but not before the visitors cut Hampshire’s lead to just 50 runs as Michael Richardson (99*) and Graham Onions (38) produced a frustrating partnership.

After Wheal removed Pringle to end an 86-run stand, Dawson killed Richardson’s formidable knock in the cruellest of ways, trapping his partner Chris Rushworth for a duck. Hampshire’s players, relieved to bowl out Durham for 361, remained gracious as they applauded Richardson, one shy of his sixth Championship hundred.

Crane had been unfortunate not to take wickets in the afternoon session, deceiving his opponents frequently and prompting cries from the Hampshire field on numerous occasions.

With a head-start of 50 runs, Will Smith and Jimmy Adams quickly doubled their advantage upon returning to the middle, scoring 11 off the first over and reaching fifty inside 10 overs.

The opening pair were both removed for thirty runs though, with two batsmen – Alsop and Vince - falling in quick succession between their dismissals. Jimmy was caught top-edging Borthwick in the tenth over, and Smith prodded Pringle’s delivery to short leg in the 17^th.

Despite leading by over 150 runs, Hampshire were on the back foot at 108-6 as Sean Ervine and Ryan McLaren both fell in the 25^th over to Pringle, who finished the day with excellent figures, taking just 45 balls to clinch his five-fer.

McManus and Dawson, who had crafted an important 45 together in the first innings, responded with firm resolve to Durham’s pressure and forged a fifty partnership.

After Dawson became Pringle's fifth scalp of the afternoon, Crane joined McManus as the nightwatchman, seeing out the final overs and giving Hampshire confidence of retaining Division One status on the final day of the season.