Match Preview: Somerset v Hampshire - Specsavers County Championship

Hampshire contest their fifth Specsavers County Championship fixture this season, away at the Cooper Associates County Ground against Somerset.

Hampshire Squad:

Jimmy Adams, Joe Weatherley, Mason Crane, Brad Taylor, Rilee Rossouw, James Vince*, Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Gareth Berg, Ryan Stevenson, Fidel Edwards, Lewis McManus, Tom Alsop, Brad Wheal.

A 14-man squad has been named for this week’s away fixture, seeing the reintroduction of Brad Taylor as a replacement for Liam Dawson, due to an injury sustained in the previous fixture away against Nottinghamshire.

Mason Crane also returns to Hampshire’s First Team squad, as well as left-handed batsman Tom Alsop, right-arm seamer Ryan Stevenson, and seam-bowling all-rounder Gareth Berg.

The Opposition:

Somerset, currently placed at second in the table of Division One's Specsavers County Championship, won at home against Yorkshire in their end-of-April fixture, and drew away at Emirates Old Trafford against Lancashire in their previous first-class outing where veteran opener Marcus Trescothick scored a century alongside number three batsman George Bartlett.

Another highlight from Somerset’s season to date includes a rapid century hit by overseas opening batsman Matthew Renshaw, making 112 from 99-balls, including 20 boundaries hit in his innings.

Did You Know?

• Hampshire are unbeaten against Somerset in their past five Specsavers County Championship meetings, including one win.

• Hampshire overseas batsman Hashim Amla is now at the top of the Top Run Scorers in Division One of the Specsavers County Championship this season so far with 381 runs scored, averaging 52.42.

Coverage:

Match updates will be available via the Hampshire Cricket social media channels, whilst ball-by-ball coverage and match highlights will be available at ageasbowl.com/cricket.

There will be ball-by-ball commentary available on BBC Radio Solent online at bbc.co.uk.

Weather Forecast:

Please follow the link for the latest weather forecast for Taunton: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcjf1rmhe#?date=2018-05-10.

Tickets:

Tickets for all four days of Hampshire’s match against Somerset at The Cooper Associates County Ground can be purchased online via the following link: https://ticketing.somersetcountycc.co.uk/Online/default.asp.