Mo’s astonishing 17-ball spell ...
Hat-trick hero Abbas helps Hants build up huge lead
A stunning spell of bowling from Mohammad Abbas on his home debut has put Hampshire on track for a huge victory over Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl.
The Pakistan quick ripped through the visiting top order with a brilliant hattrick, bowling full and fast to expose the poor footwork of the visiting batsmen.
Abbas struck with his fifth, sixth and seventh deliveries en route to figures of 6-11 from 11 overs to leave the 2016 champions staring down the barrel of a second successive LV= Insurance County Championship defeat following last week's dispiriting loss to Somerset.
Seamer Brad Wheal chipped in with 3-9 off 3.4 overs as Middlesex were skittled for 79 - their lowest score against Hampshire for 65 years - in response to Hampshire’s first innings total of 319.
But perhaps mindful of losing to Essex four years ago after enforcing the follow-on, skipper James Vince opted to bat again as the hosts closed the day a mammoth 444 in front with Sam Northeast (99 not out) and Ian Holland (90) both closing in on their centuries following a 202-run stand.
If they reach three figures on day three, they will be the fourth and fifth Hampshire batsmen to score a Championship hundred in the first two innings of the 2021 campaign.
Hampshire had earlier added 38 runs to their overnight total, led by Kyle Abbot's fighting 58, with Steve Finn wrapping up the tail before lunch to post figures of 4-95 in his first redball appearance in almost two years.
But any hope Middlesex had of posting a challenging response were dashed after just six overs when they slumped to 14-5 - Abbas taking all five wickets in the space of an astonishing 17-ball spare.
At one stage Abbas boasted figures of 5-3 from four extraordinary overs.
Max Holden was the first of his victims, off the fifth ball of his opening over, before Nick Gubbins departed the very next delivery.
Captain Steve Eskinazi then edged behind to Lewis McManus for a duck from the opening delivery of Abbas' second over to present the 31-year with his maiden firstclass hat-trick.
Robbie White and Martin Andersson were then trapped lbw without scoring by Abbas as a shell-shocked Middlesex went to lunch at 23-5.
Sam Robson, a centurion last week at Lord's, became Abbas' sixth wicket when he was caught behind for 18 shortly after the restart before Abbott rearranged Toby Roland-Jones' stumps four balls later.
Wheal then ran through the visitors' lower order with only Nathan Sowter showing any signs of resistance with an unbeaten 24.
Abbas said: ‘It’s a great day for me. I took two wickets and before I bowled for my third wicket I realised Ramadan is going on and that is lucky for us and Friday is a day that is lucky for me.
‘I have played here before when I was with Pakistan and the pitch had something in it for me and I bowled on point in the right areas.’
Middlesex batsman Max Holden said: ‘There is a lot of gutted guys in the dressing room at the mwoment.
‘The bowlers put a lot of effort and toiled hard on what is a pretty decent cricket wicket and controlled the run rate well.
‘It was the turn of the batters to step up but we didn’t deliver. Abbas is a world-class bowler but as far we are concerned there is no excuse for getting bowled out for 79 on that wicket.’