Disciplined Hampshire keep Somerset in check
KYLE Abbott led an impressive display by Hampshire’s seam bowlers on the opening day of the Championship Division One match against Somerset.
Having won the toss, the home side were restricted to 211 all out, Abbott claiming three for 60. He was well supported by Mohammad Abbas, Ian Holland and James Fuller, who claimed two wickets each.
Somerset were unable to break loose from the stranglehold imposed by the disciplined line and length of their opponents, combined with swing and movement off the pitch.
Matt Renshaw, Tom Lammonby, Tom Banton, Steve Davies and Craig Overton all got starts, but the latter’s 44 proved to be the top score in a disappointing batting effort.
By the close, Hampshire had replied with 29 without loss and trailed by 182 runs.
With the pitch at the County Ground showing tinges of green, particularly in one narrow strip down the middle, eyebrows were raised when Somerset skipper Tom Abell elected to bat first.
But there looked nothing wrong with the decision when Renshaw and Lammonby, fresh from century stands in the previous two games, made a solid start.
Abbott was introduced for the 13th over and beat Renshaw with his first ball of the game.
The Australian responded with two boundaries in the same over, but Abbott made the first inroads with the score on 37 as Lammonby, on 16, edged a full delivery to second slip.
Renshaw was looking in good touch but, having reached 27, he chased a wide delivery from Holland and presented a second catch to Liam Dawson.
Somerset were 55 for three when Abell fell unfortunately, defending a ball from Abbas and watching the ball trickle back to remove his off bail. An intense morning’s cricket ended with the hosts 58 for three off 30 overs at lunch.
James Hildreth could contribute only eight before falling lbw to Abbas pushing forward, the decision being made by his former Somerset teammate Ian Blackwell.
Banton curbed his attacking instincts to play responsibly for 24 off 77 balls before being pinned lbw on the back foot by Abbott with the total on 94.
Lewis Gregory edged a third catch to Dawson, off Fuller, and Somerset were in a deep hole at 113 for six.
Davies overcame an uncertain start to lead a mini recovery before becoming the first player in the match to succumb to spin, edging Dawson’s seventh delivery to slip and departing for 29.
At tea, the scoreboard read 154 for seven, with Overton unbeaten on 22. Josh Davey had hit Dawson for a straight six and the pair continued to be positive at the start of the final session. Overton rode his luck at times, but also struck four fours and two sixes in his breezy 54-ball innings before lofting Abbott into the on-side and falling to a catch by Felix Organ. Jack Leach and Peter Siddle had their stumps disturbed by Holland and Fuller respectively, leaving Davey, who had looked as technically proficient as any of the players who went in ahead of him, unbeaten on 22.
Hampshire were left with an awkward 14 overs at the end of the day. Somerset’s seamers went past the outside edge on numerous occasions without either Organ or Holland getting a nick as the visitors completed a highly satisfactory day with all ten wickets intact.