Book tickets to the various music and other events hosted at Utilita Bowl
Visit Hampshire Cricket and Utilita Bowl's online store to get your hands on official replica and supporter kit as well as a range of other merchandise.
A five-wicket haul from Saeed Ajmal enabled Worcestershire to tighten their grip in the LV= County Championship match against Hampshire
An outstanding bowling display from Saeed Ajmal (5-28) saw Hampshire facing an innings defeat to end day three of the LV= County Championship match against Worcestershire at New Road.
The mystery off-spinner bowled with great skill and played a vital role in seeing Hampshire first dismissed for 183, before then later reduced to 164-6 after Worcestershire enforced the follow-on.
Half-centuries from both James Vince (56) and Will Smith (51*) were not enough to prevent a first-innings collapse, before Hampshire again struggled in the ir second innings battle to finish the third day still 131 runs behind.
The visitors began the day with high hopes of building a large total and reducing the deficit created by Worcestershire’s commanding first-innings total, and Vince had initially looked to have provided the tools to do so, as the right-hander brought up his impressive fifty shortly into the morning session.
However his departure soon after sparked a collapse, with six wickets falling for the addition of 30 runs to leave Hampshire 148-8, thanks largely to a lethal combination of both Leach and Ajmal.
The duo looked dangerous throughout and as batsman continued to succumb to their effective bowling, the total facing the away-side seemed to become gradually more daunting.
Smith provided valuable resistance to ensure Hampshire moved past 150 but with all recognised batsman already dismissed, the right-hander ran out of partners as Hampshire finished still 295 behind.
With the deficit still significant, Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell asked Hampshire to bat again, but both Sean Terry (36) and Michael Carberry (32) did their best to stabilise the innings at 74-1 having lost Captain Jimmy Adams (6) early on.
Despite their best efforts, regular wickets again fell in difficult batting conditions and the pair both departed in quick succession at the hands of Jack Shantry (3-33). The seamer claimed the first three wickets of the innings to see another flurry of wickets fall, as Hampshire struggled once again with three wickets lost for the addition of three runs.
Smith (29) looked to trouble the home-side’s attack with a lengthy stay at the crease for a second time and a 41-run stand with Joe Gatting (28*) helped lift Hampshire to 138-5, before the former departed with 10 overs still remaining in the day.
Gatting and Gareth Berg (12*) successfully navigated their way to the close with their wicket still intact, although it will take a unique batting effort from Hampshire’s remaining batsman, and perhaps some help from the weather, if they are to avoid defeat during tomorrow’s final day.
