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Report of the first day of Hampshire's Specsavers County Championship match at the The Ageas Bowl.
All-rounder Ryan McLaren produced a brilliant unbeaten half-century, but it was Warwickshire who made the stronger start on day one of Hampshire’s Specsavers County Championship match at the The Ageas Bowl.
Hampshire quickly found themselves in trouble in tricky batting conditions after five wickets for seamer Keith Barker (5-44) left the hosts reeling on 59-6.
However, McLaren produced a brilliant innings to leave Hampshire approaching 200 at stumps on the opening day.
History was made before a ball had even been bowled at the The Ageas Bowl when visiting skipper Ian Bell exercised his right to bowl first, instead of having a toss, under the new regulations.
The former England man’s decision was immediately justified with left-armer Keith Barker (5-44) finding some early success. During a tricky early period, Hants lost three wickets to Barker inside the first ten overs with the experienced opener finding a lot of movement off the pitch.
And it didn’t stop there for the visitors as they dominated the morning session with Barker picking up the first five-wicket haul of the Specsavers County Championship as Hants went into lunch on 66-6.
The Hampshire fans were given a taste of McLaren’s ability with the bat in the final match of last season with a crucial 52 at Trent Bridge and he certainly showed his worth once again with a brilliant unbeaten knock of 84, his highest first-class score in England.
The 33-year old did not appear at all phased by the precarious situation Hampshire found themselves in, playing a number of fluent drives through the off-side. McLaren was well supported by debutant Reece Topley (15 off 68 balls), who reached his highest first-class score before being dismissed by Chris Woakes (1-35).
It was to Hampshire’s credit that they continued to frustrate the visitors into the evening session with James Tomlinson, not for the first time in his career, playing a suitably stubborn innings of 15 from 58 balls as he and McLaren played out nearly 20 overs for the ninth wicket.
Bad light eventually stopped play mid-way through the evening session, with Hants ending the day on 189-8.
