LVCC Hampshire vs Warwickshire Day 4

Carberry makes first double century as Warwickshire game peters out to a draw.

Hampshire and Warwickshire head into the final day of this County Championship match with a draw as the probable outcome. Michael Carberry, who passed 6,000 First Class runs yesterday, showed no signs of slowing down as two consecutive fours from the second and third ball of the day added to his overnight 183.

Carberry soon broke a personal milestone by passing his previous First Class best of 192 by running two off Naqaash Tahir to keep Hampshire in a strong position. His previous best also came against Warwickshire.

Warwickshire managed to get themselves an early wicket when Michael Lumb, who just received a call up the England provisional squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, edged Boyd Rankin to Jonathan Trott at first slip for 20. Just two balls later Carberry surpassed yet another milestone; he scored his maiden double ton in First Class cricket off 260 balls by running a quick two off Tahir.

However he didn’t last much longer. Carberry’s wild swing outside off stump found a thick edge that fell to Ricky Clarke at point for Tahir’s first wicket of the match. Carberry finished on a career best 204 as Hampshire neared the 400 mark. John Crawley (14) soon departed as well; he was caught at second slip whilst poking outside off stump for Rankin’s second wicket.

Rankin almost had Sean Ervine caught and bowled but he couldn’t get a full hand to the ball. Rankin did get his third wicket of the morning soon after though when Liam Dawson (18) hooked to Jim Troughton for a simple catch. Rankin was giving Hampshire all kinds of problems, Dimitri Mascarenhas ducked into a bouncer that hit him through the grill and he retired hurt without scoring a run, however it has already been confirmed that he will be fit for the Friends Provident Trophy Final tomorrow.

Tom Burrows entered the fray to help to steady the ship but he was trapped lbw Chris Woakes without scoring a run. At lunch Hampshire were 390 for 6.

Play resumed as Hampshire looked to score the ten runs needed for their final batting point, whilst the visitors aimed to take more wickets. In the second over after lunch Hampshire gained their fifth batting point, as Sean Ervine and Chris Tremlett took the innings score past 400.

With Rankin bowling a hostile short length, Ervine decided to take the attack to him, hooking the bowler for a six in the 111th over. More surprisingly three overs later, Tremlett launched a straight six back over bowler Ant Botha’s head much to the appreciation of the home crowd. With the sense of the Bears’ pride being hurt, Ricky Clarke delivered a barrage of short, body lined deliveries to Tremlett who seemed unfazed by the assault.

Chris Tremlett hits for six

In the 118th over Tremlett capitalised on a short delivery from Botha and cut the ball to the square boundary taking Hampshire to 451 for 6. One over later in a game brimming with milestones and personal achievements, Ervine pushed a comfortable single to score his 24th First Class half century from 67 deliveries which included five fours and two maximums. Earlier in his innings the all-rounder passed 4,000 career First Class runs.

The breakthrough came for Warwickshire when Botha bowled Tremlett (28) leaving two stumps in the ground after sneaking a delivery through the gate to reduce Hampshire to 461 for 7. Soon after Hampshire were 470 for 8, when part-time bowler Westwood lured Tahir (8) into a loose shot as Botha caught the overseas player on the mid-off boundary.

Hampshire overtook Warwickshire’s first innings total in the 128th over when Ervine paddled a delivery from Westwood down the leg side to move the hosts onto 485 for 8. With a part-time spinner operating at either end, Ervine and Tomlinson continued to rack up the runs and they soon passed 500 and in doing so achieved the fourth highest innings total at The Rose Bowl.

The final wicket fell with Hampshire on 505 a first innings lead of 21, when reserve wicketkeeper Tony Frost claimed his first career bowling dismissal after Ervine was caught by Westwood for 82.

With only one session remaining the chance of this game ending in anything other than a draw would have been near impossible. However with the Friends Provident Trophy Final at Lord’s tomorrow it was an opportunity for Imran Tahir and Liam Dawson to get in some valuable overs. To their credit they took the new ball and bowled very tightly and accurately to limit the Warwickshire openers to quick singles.

Tahir had Tony Frost caught by Chris Tremlett for just 3 and then straight bowled England hopeful Ian Bell for a duck after he faced just six balls. An end to play was agreed with both sides gaining 11 points.

Warwickshire 484 for 7 and 23 for 2 drew with Hampshire 505 all out.  

Match report by Steve Woodgate and Michael Gales, photographs by Barry Zee.

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