Hampshire v Worcestershire LVCC Day 2 9th August

Aug 9 2007

HAMPSHIRE DOMINATE AS WICKETS CRASH

Twenty-two wickets fell on a dramatic second day as Hampshire took an iron grip on their Liverpool Victoria County Championship match against Worcestershire at The Rose Bowl on Thursday.

Worcestershire, having been shot out for 86 in their first innings, ended the day at 24-0 second time around. They were still 449 runs away from victory.

Nic Pothas scored an unbeaten 71 as Hampshire, having resumed at an overnight 350-5, amassed 455-9 declared.

Dimi Mascarenhas, who made 30, shared a sixth-wicket stand of 45 with Pothas. Then skipper Shane Warne struck the only six of the match.

Gareth Batty, the Worcestershire off-spinner, picked up the last four wickets to finish with 6-125 off 36 overs.

Hampshire's declaration, coming just before lunch, proved to be inspired as paceman Daren Powell raced in to leave the visitors 5-2 at the break. The West Indian removed Phil Jaques off the first ball of the innings and followed up with the wicket of fellow-opener Stephen Moore in his next over.

Worcestershire never recovered as they slipped to their lowest first-class score in 13 years. The inspired Powell returned astonishing figures of 4-8 off 10 overs, James Bruce also took four wickets and 21-year-old David Griffiths grabbed the prize wickets of Vikram Solanki and Graeme Hick, both superbly caught in a slip cordon that at one stage numbered six fielders.

Warne declined to enforce the follow-on and Michael Lumb, who came in at 7-2, top-scored with 57 in Hampshire's modest 103-8 declared in their second knock. Lumb hit six fours and was the last man out.

HAMPSHIRE 455-9 dec (Carberry 116, Crawley 96, Brown 73, Pothas 71, Batty 6-125) and 103-8 dec (Lumb 57, Batty 3-20, Bollinger 3-21); WORCESTERSHIRE 86 (Solanki 22, Powell 4-8, Bruce 4-31, Griffiths 3-22) and 24-0.

HAMPSHIRE 8 pts, WORCESTERSHIRE 3.