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Report from day three of Hampshire's Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex at the The Ageas Bowl
James Tomlinson (4-74) and Ryan McLaren (4-74) both finished with their best figures of the season so far during a relatively even third day of Hampshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex at the The Ageas Bowl.
The visitors made the stronger start to the day and it was England Lions batsman Dawid Malan who frustrated the Hampshire bowlers, hitting an impressive century in 134 balls.
However, Hants did hit back with Tomlinson and McLaren helping the hosts secure maximum bowling bonus points as Middlesex were dismissed for 361, a 25-run lead.
Jimmy Adams (16*) and James Vince (28*) then saw the hosts through to stumps on 76-1, a lead of 51 runs.
The hosts’ bowling found their rhythm in the afternoon, with McLaren and Tomlinson in particular finding their form – although they were rocked by a knee injury to Chris Wood which forced him off the field mid over.
South African McLaren looked fired up, and twice knocked the off-stump out the ground with quick deliveries – Paul Stirling done by one which angled in and Toby Ronald-Jones missing a pull-shot.
Tomlinson was rewarded for his persistence by taking his season tally to 12, after taking just 18 scalps in 2015.
The left-armer removed James Harris – for a shot-a-ball 57 – and ended the Middlesex innings when Steven Finn skied to Best at mid-off.
The visitors, who batted a man light due to Adam Voges’ concussion injury, trailed by 25 runs.
Hampshire started their second innings spritely, with Michael Carberry – scorer of a ton in the first innings – twice slapping Tim Murtagh to the boundary in the first over.
But the former England opener fell lbw to a full ball from Murtagh for 15 in the seventh over, which may have hit him outside the line.
Leg before appeals were a common cry throughout the evening as Jimmy Adams and James Vince, who supplied some jaw dropping cover drives, battled through to close.
Hampshire leading by 51 but a draw the most probably result on the final day.
I thought they batted well in the first session, they made it tough for us in the first hour – ideally we would have taken a few wickets. “You will always be happy with four wickets. I am improving day by day. I had a bad spell in Yorkshire on the first day but now I am hitting the crease better now. I did work in the week and my rhythm is better now.
