Deja vu as Hants are skittled again
Vince’s men collapse on day one for second week running
Hampshire recorded their fourth lowest first class total since 1982 when they were routed for 79 on the opening day of their County Championship clash with Somerset.
Just eight days after they were skittled for 92 in the first innings at Surrey, James Vince’s men collapsed again - this time recording their second lowest team total at The Ageas Bowl.
Though Hampshire hit back with the ball, a fighting half-century from skipper Tom Abell helped Somerset build a 63-run lead on an eventful opening day that saw 15 wickets fall.
Abell was unbeaten on 52 - guiding his side to 142-5 after Hampshire were rushed out after being inserted on a spicy pitch in chilly and cloudy conditions.
Lewis Gregory was the pick of the Somerset attack, taking 4-26, as the hosts were dismissed inside 41 overs less than an hour after lunch.
It was the first time since 1969 Hampshire had posted back-to-back sub-100 first innings totals following their capitulation at The Oval.
The home side started the day in third place in Group Two - one spot behind Somerset - and did well to only lose the in-form Ian Holland inside the opening hour.
Holland departed for four when Gregory found the outside edge and Craig Overton took the catch at slip.
But the second hour of the day proved to be a disaster for Hampshire as five wickets fell for 16 runs inside 11 overs with Tom Alsop, Sam Northeast, James Vince and Liam Dawson all posting singlefigure scores.
Opener Joe Weatherley top-scored for his side with a scratchy 20 but was guilty of running out Northeast for just four after he took a risky single and George Bartlett hit the stumps with a direct hit from cover.
Gregory mopped up the tail 50 minutes after the lunch having received excellent support from the admirable Overton and Josh Davey who each picked up two wickets.
In all, Hampshire have scored just 350 runs in losing their last 30 Championship wickets - averaging just 11.6 per wicket during that time. In contrast, they had scored 612-5 in their opening innings of the season against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
The overhead conditions continued to favour the seamers in the afternoon session and Somerset fell to 11-2 inside four overs when new-ball pairing Keith Barker and Mohammad Abass dismissed Tom Lammonby and Eddie Byron cheaply.
Kyle Abbott then trapped James Hildreth lbw for 14 before Abell and Bartlett posted the first 50 partnership of the match following a short rain delay.
The 54-run stand was broken by Abbott who tempted Bartlett, who had played well for his 27, into playing at a rising delivery and Dawson snared a high catch at second slip.
But Abell and Lewis Goldsworthy held firm against some top-class bowling until the penultimate over of the day when Holland beat the latter’s defences with a full-length ball.
But Holland then grassed a regulation catch off nightwatchman Jack Leach who'd edged Barker to third slip.
Abbott said: ‘We seem to have a habit over the last few games of making day one interesting.
‘It was tough conditions on an interesting wicket and we are a little bit behind the game here. We probably could have bowled a bit better in the evening session.’