Edwards Takes Five But Hampshire Stumble On Day Two

Fidel Edwards claimed his second five-wicket haul of the season but Hampshire stumbled in their reply on day two of their County Championship tie with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Edwards (5-49) cleaned up the tail with a supern display of  fast bowling as Warwickshire were dismissed for 188 in their first innings, despite a battling knock from Dominic Sibley (92*).

In reply, George Bailey (55) raced to a crucial half-century, but Hampshire were bowled out for 116, with the hosts ending the day on 0-0, with a lead of 72 in their second innings.

Hampshire made a fantastic start with Liam Banks (1) run-out and Jonathan Trott (0) edging to slip in Kyle Abbott’s first over of the game to reduce Warwickshire to 1-2.

The seamer (2-5) claimed another prized scalp in his next over, with Ian Bell (0) misjudging a ball and being clean bowled whilst offering no shot as Hampshire promptly earned their first bowling point.

The fantastic start continued as the hosts slipped to 12-4 when Edwards sent Matthew Lamb’s (6) leg-stump cartwheeling away with another beautiful delivery.

Edwards has been in good form in recent weeks, and showed what he is capable of when he clean bowled Tim Ambrose (6) with a fierce, inswinging yorker as Warwickshire collapsed to 28-5.

Sibley remained at the crease as the wickets tumbled around him, and he moved to a stubborn half-century off 100 balls, whilst also bringing up the fifty partnership alongside Alex Thomson as the hosts progressed onto 79-5 at lunch.

The pair then successfully moved their side into three figures shortly after the interval, but Gareth Berg (1-30) soon found the edge of Thomson (26) with Vince taking a reaction catch to end the 80-run stand.

Jeetan Patel (14) played a lively innings, but it was short-lived when he pulled Liam Dawson (1-20) straight to Ian Holland at mid-wicket to reduce the hosts to 127-7.

Chris Wright (26) hit as succession of boundaries to move his side past 150, but he edged behind in Edwards’ second over of his spell as Warwickshire were reduced to 166-8.

A momentum of controversy followed, as Sibley, who was on 90 not out at the time, appeared to pick out the man in the deep off Crane, but after standing his ground, the decision was not out.

Edwards was fired up, and he cleaned up both Oliver Hannon-Dalby (4) & Ryan Sidebottom (2) in the space of five balls to pick up a deserved five-wicket haul as Warwickshire were dismissed for 188.

Hampshire got off to a tricky start, losing three wickets in the space of 21 deliveries as the visitors fell to 13-3 in the seventh over.

The experienced duo of Sean Ervine and Bailey came together, and soaked up the pressure from the opening bowlers Sidebottom and Wright.

However, Hannon-Dalby (4-29) was introduced into the attach and reduced the visitors to 51-4, with Ervine (16)  trapped in front.

Bailey was motoring along, playing some excellent shots, and the captain moved to a significant half-century off just 44 balls.

Bailey (55) pushed his side into three figures, but his eye-catching innings concluded when he feathered behind to Ambrose off Hannon-Dalby as Hampshire moved to to 102-8.

Patel then wrapped up the innings, picking up the final two wickets, as Hampshire were dismissed for 116.

Just eight balls were possible in the Warwickshire reply before the umpires deemed it was too dark for any possible play, with the hosts finishing on 0-0 in their second innings.