Day Four

The Hampshire middle-order and bowling attack battled well to claim six bonus points as the home-side drew with Essex at the Utilita Bowl.

Opening batsman Alastair Cook struck 84 in a typically stylish innings – reaching his half-century in 80-balls – before Chris Wood dismissed him caught behind.

The conditions had marginally brightened for the final day, although both sets of players, along with umpire Paul Baldwin, wore woolly hats.

Hampshire had made a successful dart for bonus points in the morning session, having seen bad light and rain scupper any hopes of a result in the match.

Kyle Abbott turned chief architect for the hosts’ quick-fire run scoring, with the seamer scoring 43 runs in just 35 deliveries.

He added 68 runs with Liam Dawson in just 49 balls, with Abbott smashing six off Simon Harmer straight down the ground.

Abbott, who had earlier been dropped on 36, was eventually caught and bowled by Cook and James Vince declared soon after Wood had crunched Hampshire over the 350 mark, securing a fourth batting point to give Essex their first innings of the match.

Cook managed to take the shine off the new ball during a tricky five over spell before lunch with Nick Browne.

The opening stand was worth 54 when Browne, on 26, was caught attempting to defend outside his off stump by Jimmy Adams at second slip off Brad Wheal.

That sparked a mini-collapse as Essex lost three wickets in 11 balls.

Tom Westley, who is attempting to re-capture his spot in the England batting line-up, was next to fall when he was caught wafted his bat between leaving and playing to a rising ball from Wheal to guide to Hashim Amla at first slip.

Kyle Abbott had Dan Lawrence lbw in the following over which hinted at a lack of match practice from the batsman.

Ravi Bopara joined Cook and the former England teammates added 87 for the fourth wicket, before the latter was dismissed.

Ryan ten Doeschate scored 24 before he was adjudged leg before to Edwards but Bopara continued to keep the runs flowing with a 93-ball half century.

James Foster took Essex past 250, and a second batting point, during a 76 run stand with Bopara, before he was bowled by Dawson for 46.

Bopara ended up with 84 not out as Essex reached 300 to scored an additional point before the two captains’ shock hands.

The draw meant Hampshire took 11 points to Essex’s 10.

Day Three

Jimmy Adams struck his highest total of this year's Specsavers County Championship but as bad light frustrated both Hampshire and Essex at the Utilita Bowl on day three.

Opening batsman Adams began his innings at 11.30am on the first day and reached a slow-paced 87 runs before he was finally dismissed at 3.10pm on the third day.

But overcast conditions created light issues for the second day in a row to allowed only 28 overs to be bowled on Sunday – meaning 135 overs had been lost to bad light in the match, in addition to 81 overs to rain.

Adams and Hashim Amla had batted wonderfully during the morning session, having returned on 57 and eight respectively overnight.

Batting was again tricky, despite the older ball, with dark clouds hanging over the ground with the floodlights turned on throughout the day.

South African star Amla provided the shot making, while Adams dropped anchor as he took 20 minutes to get odd the mark for the day.

Amla scored his first Hampshire half century at the Kia Oval last week against Surrey and continued in his usual classy style to record another milestone – coming off 80 chanceless deliveries.

Meanwhile, Adams was enjoying a battle with fast bowler Jamie Porter – with balls regularly speeding past the outside edge.

Porter managed to find the 37-year-old’s edge, when on 62, but Alastair Cook spilled the regulation chance at first slip –before the morning action was curtailed to just 23.2 overs.

Play eventually recommenced at 2.45pm, just two overs into the new ball.

And the fresh ball worked wonders for Porter and Peter Siddle as Amla fell to the latter in the first full over following the return to the wicket.

Australian Siddle set-up his fellow overseas, with shrewd swing bowling, as he found exaggerated movement in both directions, before catching the outside of the bat before wicketkeeper James Foster completed the catch off the last ball of the over. 

Amla departing for a well-made 52, with the wicket ending a 93-run partnership for the third wicket.

Porter then managed to end Jimmy Adams’ 264-ball, and almost six hour, stay at the crease with an angled delivery coming around the wicket to pin the left-hander lbw, for a patient 87.

The half an hour mini-session earned Essex an impressive analysis of 18 for two in 29 balls but that was all the action possible after 3.15pm.

Day Two

Hampshire batsman Jimmy Adams struck a watchful half-century as the home-side battled well on another truncated day against Essex at the Utilita Bowl

James Vince batted withmaturity on a testing wicket to reach an imppressive 47, but it was Adams who stole the show by passing the 73rd first-class fifty of his career.

Fast bowler Jame Porter took 75 wickets to help Essex to the Division One title in 2017 but he was out bowled by Australian Peter Siddle who managed to find more movement and bounce than his fellow seamers.

The overseas signing proved the point when he had Joe Weatherley caught at third slip by Nick Browne.

Thick slate coloured clouds, along with the floodlights, made it good bowling conditions, but Adams and Vince nullified any Essex advantage with sensible and patient batting.

Adams, who was unbeaten on 19 overnight, looked like a man unlikely to be hauled away from the crease as he left and defended with experience.

He took 138 balls to reach his half century and was left 57 not out when the bad light prevented any more action shortly before tea.

With only 45 overs possible as play was eventually abandoned at 5.45pm with Hampshire 154 for two.

Day One

Only an hour’s play was possible before rain stunted progress during the first day of Hampshire's Specsavers County Championship fixture against Essex at the Utilita Bowl.

Play was originally delayed by half an hour due to overnight rain, before Essex captain Ryan ten Doeschate asked Hampshire to bat without a toss.

Thick grey skies and floodlights overhead hinted at good bowling conditions, but a good-looking wicket suggested slightly easier going for the batsmen.

And so it proved as Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams (19*) and Joe Weatherley (22*) navigated the 15 overs bowled with relative comfort.

Both struck four boundaries each, with Weatherley particularly strong through the offside.

Academy graduate Weatherley, who replaced the injured Sam Northeast in the side, scored 22 in the shorted session, with Adams unbeaten on a patient 19 when play was abandoned soon after 2:30pm.

Words: Press Association

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