Hampshire Boost Relegation Survival Hopes With Notts Victory

Hampshire moved off the bottom of the Specsavers County Championship Division One table and rekindled their hopes of survival with a victory by 176 runs over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Chasing a monumental target of 468, from a minimum of 118 overs, the home side fought strongly on the final day before being bowled out for 291, with Brad Wheal taking a career best six for 51.

Steven Mullaney made 137 for the home side, batting for a total of 308 minutes. His runs came from 277 deliveries, with 19 fours and a six but after his departure the ‘Wheal’s came off’ suddenly as Notts slid to their sixth defeat of the season.

Resuming from their overnight score of 42 for two, Nottinghamshire’s only realistic aim was to try and bat through the day for a draw. That seemed possible as Mullaney and Taylor held the visiting attack at bay until just before tea.

Their fourth wicket stand of 162 began to encourage some home supporters that a dramatic and unlikely victory charge was still possible.

That all changed either side of the afternoon interval, as Wheal picked up three victims in quick succession as Notts lost five wickets in 49 balls, whilst adding only 17 runs.

Mullaney’s hundred – the eleventh of his career - had come from 191 balls, with 17 fours and shortly afterwards he passed 1,000 first class runs for the season.

His departure; a leading edge off Wheal which flew to short extra cover, opened the floodgates. Samit Patel fell next ball, caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Lewis McManus.

Taylor had reached a dogged fifty from 93 balls but edged Mason Crane to slip in the final over of the middle session. Crane’s unfinished over accounted for Luke Wood and then Wheal, who had removed Michael Lumb in the early part of the day, pinned Jake Ball lbw.

Chris Read produced his usual act of defiance in making 23 but both he and Harry Gurney were bowled by Wheal to bring the contest to an end with 24 overs still remaining.

Hampshire’s win, their second of the season – both against Notts – earned 22 points and lifts them within catching distance of a cluster of other sides. With four matches left, a repeat of last season’s ‘great escape’ remains a possibility.