LVCC: Hampshire v Warwickshire

Hampshire went in search for early wickets on day 3 of this LV County Championship game against Warwickshire, as Jonathan Trott (140) and Chris Woakes (77), who dominated proceedings yesterday, looked to add more runs to their flourishing partnership.

The excellent Trott moved on to his 150 from 251 balls with a well timed four through the offside and with that Warwickshire claimed their fifth batting point passing 400.

When a breakthrough looked certain for Hampshire Imran Tahir somehow dropped Woakes after he skied James Tomlinson when the batter was just two short of his century. The subsequent Tomlinson over saw Woakes pass the hundred mark, for the first time in his First Class career, off an impressive 159 balls.

After a flurry of boundaries Warwickshire decided to declare on 484 for 7 to put Hampshire in to bat to face a few difficult overs before lunch. Trott finished 184 not out and Woakes 131 not out as the pair’s unbroken 222 run partnership put Warwickshire in a very dominant position.

Hampshire began their reply positively as openers Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams found runs relatively easy to come by in the bright sunshine. Carberry found the boundary many times in the early overs as the bowling attack of Naqaash Tahir and Boyd Rankin rarely threatened with the new ball.

The first change saw Chris Woakes enter the fray to see if he could break the developing partnership. Although Woakes did look more threatening, Carberry managed to turn on a sixpence to hit him for a big six to bring up Hampshire’s 50.

At lunch, Hampshire were 64 without loss with Carberry on 43 and Adams on 18.

The Hampshire openers resumed their innings after lunch with the imperative task of building on the 64 partnership they had crafted at the end of the morning session. Michael Carberry showed his intentions with the first delivery, when he nonchalantly drove the ball from Chris Woakes to the cover boundary for four.

Two overs later and the fluent stroke maker Carberry reached his half century with a well timed pull shot to the leg side boundary. His half century came from 57 balls including nine fours and one six. The 26th over saw the opening pair share a century partnership for the fourth time this season, the attacking style of Carberry (72) and the craftsman like innings of Jimmy Adams (26) frustrated the Warwickshire attack.

The Hampshire batsman continued their forceful batting manner; Carberry worked the ball around the ground, using a medley of batting strokes highlighted by a reverse sweep for four off spinner Ant Botha. As the sun continued to glare down on The Rose Bowl, the heat was evidently taking its toll on the Bears’ bowlers as they struggled to make a breakthrough.

In the 42nd over Michael Carberry continued with his impressive form, scoring his third first class century in four innings. His milestone was crafted in 116 deliveries and consisted of 16 fours and one six. By the time Adams reached his half century, running a delivery down to third man for a scampered two, Hampshire were 164 for 0 from 44 overs.

At the close of the afternoon session Hampshire had accumulated 191runs in a record opening partnership at The Rose Bowl. Maybe more significantly Carberry (113*) and Adams (65*) had gained valuable batting practice in time for Saturday’s Friends Provident Trophy Final.

More of the same followed after tea. Carberry, a brutal scavenger for wayward bowling, was having a field day hitting boundaries all over the place as the Warwickshire attack was out of sorts and entirely ineffective.

He and Adams were soon breaking records as well as the visitors’ patience as they passed the previous best partnership of 254 for any wicket at The Rose Bowl. Not long after though this partnership was unexpectedly broken from the unlikely source of Ian Westwood. The part-time off break bowler seduced Adams into hitting a loose delivery and the ball found Trott at cover who made a good catch for the first wicket of the day.

Michael Lumb entered the fray and could have been heading straight back. He mistimed a slow Westwood delivery that had wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose leading the appeals for lbw. Fortunately for Hampshire those appeals fell on deaf ears and Lumb scarpered a single a few balls later to get off the mark.

Hampshire brought up 300 in the 81st and the subsequent over saw Warwickshire take the new ball to look for a further breakthrough. The home side finished on 309 for 1 with Carberry unbeaten on 183, 10 short of making his highest First Class score, and Lumb on 15.

Match report by Steve Woodgate and Michael Gales

(Written for www.rosebowlplc.com)