Ervine & Adams Pile On The Runs Before The Bowlers Impress To End Day Two

Sean Ervine (203) and Jimmy Adams (166) shared a 367-run stand before the Hampshire bowling attack ripped through the Warwickshire batting line-up to end day two at the The Ageas Bowl.

The duo continued their partnership to help their side to 515 in the first-innings, before the Hampshire bowling attack reduced the visitors to 49-6 at the close with debutants Matt Salisbury (2-13) and Ian Holland (1-4) claiming the early scalps, before Mason Crane (2-6) claimed two wickets in the evening session's closing overs.

Hampshire began the day on 294-3, and Ervine and Adams picked up where they left off yesterday as the pair accumulated nicely throughout the morning session.

The duo batted with great fluency and with runs flowing, Adams soon reached his 150 with relative ease with the Warwickshire attack still searching for a fourth wicket.

They weren't successful however with a total of 92 runs added without loss in the opening session, Hampshire reaching 386-3 heading into lunch. 

A wicket eventually fell following the interval, Adams caught in the deep to bring an end to a superb innings and fourth-wicket partnership.

However Ervine continued to reach his excellent double-century, a drive into the off-side taking him to the landmark - his second for Hampshire and third in his career.

The all-rounder departed soon after but Holland (32) and Lewis McManus (38) came together well to add 61 for the seventh wicket as Hampshire nudged beyond 500 before the final wickets fell.

With Warwickshire beginning their innings after tea, they soon found themselves a wicket down - Ian Westwood (2) involved in a mix-up in the middle with some good work in the deep from Michael Carberry seeing him dismissed short of his ground.

Salisbury then began his Hampshire debut in style, a peach of a delivery accounting for Sam Hain (1) with his very first delivery for the club.

Ian Bell followed two balls later at the hands of Salisbury again, the seamer bowling beautifully first up.

Holland soon got in on the action too, the right-armer picking up his maiden Championship wicket with a brilliant in-ducker which cleaned up Tim Ambrose (3), to leave Warwickshire in disarray at 22-4.

The away-side would have hoped to make it to the close without further loss, but Crane had other ideas upon being introduced into the attack.

The leg-spinner, who took a five-wicket haul against Somerset last week, followed up with two scalps late in the evening to remove Rikki Clarke (20) and Andrew Umeed (14) before stumps to ensure Hampshire remain firmly in control heading into day three.