Daily Reports: Hampshire v Yorkshire - Specsavers County Championship

Day Four

Liam Dawson struck a magnificent 92 and Keith Barker recorded his first half-century but Hampshire fell to an innings defeat against Yorkshire in the Specsavers County Championship.

Yorkshire were held up by Dawson and Barker’s fifties in a 131-run stand for the ninth wicket - a record for Hampshire against Yorkshire and at the The Ageas Bowl - but the visitors confirmed victory by an innings and 44 runs in the afternoon session.

Ben Coad took three of the five wickets needed on the final day before Steven Patterson and Duanne Olivier finished the job in the afternoon.

Hampshire, who had won their first fixture against Essex with the full 24 points on offer, picked up four points to move to fourth place..

Yorkshire needed five wickets on the final day having catapulted the Hampshire top order the previous evening.

James Vince's side ended day three on 54 for five – following on having been bowled out for 302 in response to the visitors’ mammoth 554.

Hampshire attempted to batten down the hatches in an attempted to save the match – only scoring one run in the opening seven overs off the bat.

But Rilee Rossouw fell shortly after that spell, lbw to Coad to the 33rd ball of the day before Gareth Berg edged to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip.

Hampshire were forced to utilise the concussion rule, where a county can bring in a like-for-like replacement if a player suffers a head injury during the match, after Lewis McManus had been struck twice on the helmet by Olivier he was deemed unfit to bat – he was replaced by all-rounder Ian Holland. But he was to be struck on the pads first ball by the rampant Coad.

Dawson and Barker held up proceedings for with a131-run partnership for the ninth wicket and both played their natural game, with Dawson in particular driving freely on his way to a 90-ball fifty – his fourth in as many first-class innings this season.

Having taken the game into a 11th session, Barker raised his bat on an 88-ball maiden half century for his side.

But Barker fell for 64 when he edged Patterson behind having occupied the crease for just under 36 overs, before Dawson, after an entertaining burst to try and reach a century, skied to Kohler-Cadmore at mid-wicket.

Day Three

Sam Northeast struck an outstanding 99 but it was Yorkshire who pushed on towards victory against Hampshire on day three of Specsavers County Championship action at the The Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire were earlier bowled out for 302, in reply to Yorkshire’s mammoth declared score of 554, and ended the day 198 runs in arrears.

Yorkshire will need five wickets on the final day as they aim to follow up their draw against Nottinghamshire last week.

The match has followed a similar pattern to the The Ageas Bowl’s opener between Hampshire and Essex last week – where the hosts scored in excess of 500 before putting pressure on the rivals

Northeast was the glue throughout the first innings despite a slow and flat wicket and blue skies, which was occasionally blocked by the odd cloud.

Having watched Gary Ballance grind out 148 on the first two days, Northeast took a similar method and continued to battle bravely.

Liam Dawson offered excellent support too, reaching his second half-century of the campaign as the duo added 109 for the sixth wicket

The style was needed having seen both openers Weatherley and Vince depart within six evening overs before Markram’s wicket left the home side 70 for three at the close.

After the early loss of Kyle Abbott this morning, Rossouw joined Northeast and played his natural exuberant game – the pair adding 51 together.

But he played onto his own stumps shorlty after while attempting to drive Matt Waite through the legside, leaving Hampshire 138 for five.

Northeast reached his fifty in 99 balls while Dawson keenly put away the bad balls as he reached an 84-ball half-century.

The all-rounder fell for 57 as he attempted to attack Jack Leaning, with Joe Root plucking a catch over his shoulder while back peddling at mid-on.

Northeast batted in a determined manner and looked set to reach a third first class hundred in succession – having scored 118 against Oxford MCCU and 169 vs Essex - but it wasn't to be as he edged an excellent Olivier delivery behind.

Olivier then came back into the attack and saw off Northeast and Gareth Berg in successive overs, before finding small edges to wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall.

Olivier continued to bowl fiercley with some variable bounce causing issues – thrice striking batsmen on the head.

Patterson then dismissed McManus and Fidel Edwards in successive balls, both caught at first slip by Kohler-Cadmore.

Hampshire were unable to get going in a difficult closing period having been asked to bat again, slipping to 54-5 at stumps.

Day Two

Liam Dawson and Gareth Berg were the pick of the bowlers on a difficult second day against Yorkshire in the Specsavers County Championship match-up at the The Ageas Bowl.

Yorkshire's pening bowlers Duanne Olivier and Ben Coad continued Yorkshire's momentum late after Gary Ballance had earlier top scored with 148.

The loss of James Vince and Joe Weatherley, who both departed to good deliveries, left Hampshire 11 for two, after Yorkshire had declared having scored an impressive 554 in the first innings.

Hampshire had been given 26, and following the loss of Vince and Weatherley, Aiden Markram and Sam Northeast steadied the ship in gloomy conditions. But the South African international fell in the penultimate over of the day for an enterprising 45, leaving Hampshire 74 for three at stumps.

Yorkshire had piled on 554 runs over five sessions with five players managing to pass a half century – something the county hadn’t managed since 2014.

Ballance and Joe Root had placed the visitors into a strong position on day one having put on 182 for the third wicket, while Adam Lyth also reached fifty.

Root had fallen six the previous evening, while Ballance had reached an unbeaten 120 overnight and continued in a similarly modest style.

Ballance has an impeccable The Ageas Bowl record and passed 1,000 first class runs at the ground when he reached 141.

But he departed having added seven more runs when Gareth Berg snared him with a quality bouncer – which he glanced behind while attempting to evade it.

Berg then crashed a produced wicket when Patterson slashed to Liam Dawson at point – Berg enjoying a four over morning spell of two for five.

Kohler-Cadmore departed for 41 when he was lbw to the hard-working Liam Dawson, but Leaning continued to a half century – brought up in 116 balls.

Jonny Tattersall, who made his debut in the corresponding fixture last year, joined Leaning at the crease and added a further 95 for the seventh wicket.

Despite Yorkshire continuing to eke out runs, they didn’t come at a great rate – with the innings hovering around 3.3 runs per over throughout.

Dawson was again rewarded for toiling through 60 overs, a record in an innings on this ground, when he found a leading edge off Tattersall’s bat – with Vince completing the catch at cover.

Dawson ended with analysis of three for 184 from his epic vigil with the ball.

Yorkshire skipper Steven Patterson called his batsmen in soon after to declare on 554 for seven, with Leaning left on 77 not out, before his bowlers made early breakthroughs.

Day One

The Hampshire bowling attack battled hard but without much reward as Yorkshire's Gary Ballance struck an impressive century on day one in the Specsavers County Championship fixture at the The Ageas Bowl.

In ideal batting conditions, Joe Root continued his strong Ashes preparations with a third Specsavers County Championship score of over fifty in as many innings and he looked in good touch alongside Ballance.

Everything pointed towards a run filled day, with blue skies, a flat wicket and memories of Hampshire piling up 525 against Essex on a similar looking surface earlier in the week.

It therefore came as little surprise when Steven Patterson elected to have a toss, which he duly won and decided to bat – although the day didn’t start perfectly for the visitors.

Fidel Edwards grabbed a five-wicket haul, before ending with an eight-for, in the innings victory over Essex and continue his fiery form with the new ball.

And the paceman struck in the seventh over as Harry Brook chopped onto his own stumps.

Adam Lyth had begun his campaign with 81 in the draw at Trent Bridge and followed it up with 67 on the south coast – reaching the landmark in 68 balls.

But he fell before lunch when he gloved behind after Edwards had strangled him down the legside.

From then on in it was Ballance and Root who – having added an unbroken 252 together against Notts – formed a strong partnership as Hampshire’s bowlers worked hard in the spring sun.

Ballance took an anchored role while Root, who is making his last Championship appearances before his international commitments take over, took little risk in his run acclimation.

The former reached his fifty in 102 balls and seemingly without playing an attacking shot reached three figures 112 balls later – his 37th first class century.

Meanwhile, Root completed fifty in 97 balls – which included a brilliantly played skip down the ground and pump Liam Dawson for a six.

But Dawson eventually had the last laugh as he was rewarded for his 28 overs of hard work when he bowled Root with a well-flighted yorker.

Ballance, with night-watchman Patterson, then saw out the rest of the day ensuring Yorkshire hold the advantage heading into day two.