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Alsop Fifty Stabilises Hampshire On Rain-Affected Day Three
Alsop Fifty Stabilises Hampshire On Rain-Affected Day 3
Tom Alsop hit 53 off 101 balls, as Hampshire moved to 173-4 and within 82 runs of Somerset on rain-affected in the Specsavers County Championship
Tom Alsop (52) scored his third first-class fifty to help Hampshire post 173-4 and move within 82 runs of Somerset, before showers ended the action on day three of their Specsavers County Championship meeting at the The Ageas Bowl.
Alsop forged an 89-run partnership with captain Will Smith (33) - Hampshire's highest second wicket stand of the season - to stabilise the home side after days one and two put them firmly on the back foot against Somerset.
Experienced batsmen Michael Carberry (37*) and Sean Ervine (34*) were at the helm for Hampshire when the play was stopped for bad light just before tea, and rain prevented the players from reappearing.
Having lost opening partner Jimmy Adams at the end of day two, Hants skipper Smith looked to steady the home side alongside a highly promising young batsman, Alsop.
Smith and Alsop batted appropriately for the situation, taking few unnecessary risks to keep out the Somerset bowling attack, led by Jamie Overton and Jim Allenby, and showed admirable resilience to put on 89 runs together.
Tom Alsop is a young player, but the consistency he has shown over the past few months has been greatly encouraging. His innings was crucial today and he's a really promising player. Carberry and Ervine batted well at the end there, and hopefully they can stay in for a while tomorrow - our top order batsmen are getting in but it's important now that they stay in and make big scores.
Dale Benkenstein, First Team Coach
Alsop scored his second County Championship half-ton of the season, as Hampshire went about their business with a steely resolve in the morning session, before the young batsman was trapped at lbw by Allenby, who bowled consistently before lunch.
Smith’s measured approach was one of an experienced player, and the stand-in skipper showed tremendous grit, patience and determination to face 120 balls and push only four to the boundary.
He and Carberry went in for lunch at 112-2 having made steady progress with the bat, but Hampshire were restricted by a testing spell from Lewis Gregory, who clean-bowled Smith immediately after the break and then found an edge from Dawson (4) in the 46th over.
Despite trailing Somerset by 107 runs, Sean Ervine supplied an ambitious approach with the bat, lofting one of Allenby's shorter deliveries over Jamie Overton at mid-off and on top the boundary rope below the hotel.
Zimbabwean all-rounder Ervine (34*) assisted Carberry in steering the home side back on track with a fifty stand, moving from 121-4 to 173 without further loss, as glorious sunshine fell behind grey clouds over the The Ageas Bowl.
Play then stopped for bad light as the players took an early tea at 3.20pm, and the forecasted rain followed soon after, with Hampshire assuming a stable position.
Hampshire will begin the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Somerset at 173-4 and trailing by 82 runs, with Ervine and Carberry now on 52 runs together.
