Carberry Century Gives Hampshire Strong Start

Michael Carberry (107) scored a fine century to boost Hampshire’s first innings score to 315-7 on a progressive first day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex.

Carberry and Dawson’s (87*) formidable hundred partnership for the fourth wicket placed Hampshire in a commanding position at the The Ageas Bowl, before James Harris (2-69) removed Carberry.

Dawson is 13 runs away from securing the second century of the game, having ended a successful day’s batting strongly alongside Tino Best (8*).

The toss was uncontested, enabling Carberry and Adams to test their batting skills on day one.

After the opener pair began steadily, Hampshire lost their first wicket in the seventh over when Adams edged Tim Murtagh’s (2-54) delivery behind to Nick Compton at second slip.

Carberry and Vince then began to find the boundary with great assurance, until James Vince (25) was dismissed by Toby Roland-Jones (3-87), this time Middlesex’s captain, Adam Voges, taking the catch in the slip cordon.

Will Smith (24) helped Carberry to steady the ship and took Hampshire to 95-2 at lunch, after a progressive morning’s play, but the best was yet to come.

Carberry raised his bat shortly after the break, making an impressive 50 as Hampshire surpassed 100, with Smith adding useful runs beside him.

Smith (24) then became the third Hampshire player to be caught behind, as Roland-Jones claimed his second wicket of the match with a quick and tall delivery, to leave Hampshire on 128/3 in the 38^th over.

There was a concerning moment when Middlesex captain Adam Voges collapsed after a throw from the boundary struck him on the back of the head. He left the field walking, but will take no further part in the game with suspected concussion.

Carberry then took centre stage, scoring Hampshire’s first home century of the season, having faced 184 balls and hit 14 boundaries, to push Hampshire to 218-3 at tea.

Dawson hit his second fifty of the season, compounding Carberry’s brilliant innings and bringing up the 100 partnership, but Carberry (107) was dismissed immediately after. Just when he was looking unbeatable with the bat, he edging James Harris’ ball to the substitute fielder.

Adam Wheater joined Dawson in the middle to further enhance Hampshire’s score, helping the team to 286-4 before being trapped at lbw by Tim Murtagh.

Wheater’s wicket was the first of a flurry, followed by Ryan McLaren (9) and Chris Wood (6), dismissed by Roland-Jones and Harris respectively. Dawson seemed to be unaffected, taking the helm and steering Hampshire past 300, a welcome consolation for the late dismissals.

Dawson is 13 runs away from securing a century, looking in good touch alongside Tino Best (9*) at stumps on day one.   

Words: Sam Fletcher