TCP VERDICT
When Hampshire play in this form they are scintillating.
But George Bailey is right when he says there is “plenty to work on” having seen his side slump to 31-3 in the first 45 minutes of the game and then make heavy work of the steely Warwickshire tail.
They were bailed out by Jimmy Adams and Sean Ervine’s 367-run stand which ate through the best part of four sessions – with the latter eventually picking up a double ton.
The records mounted during the partnership, with it breaking a 120-year old high for a fourth wicket against Warwickshire before reaching a county best for the fourth pair.
While it was not pretty in any way the grittiness took the game away from Warwickshire before Kyle Abbott entered the proceedings with yet another six wickets.
There were also positives in Mason Crane’s bowling and the re-emergence of Matt Salisbury having been picked up on trial after he was released by Essex at the end of the 2015 season.
Conversely, Warwickshire look in trouble. Jonathan Trott, batting at No.8 in the first innings due to returning home for a family incident, and the tailenders were the only batsmen capable of preventing more embarrassment.
The bowling department wouldn’t have been much less threatening if they were bowling with a tennis ball. Sunny Singh looks a talent with his left-arm spin, but if things don’t improve rapidly, Division Two will come hurtling towards them.