Pace and wrist spin put Hants on cloud nine
WITH Tino Best and Mason Crane operating in ruthless tandem, new Hampshire captain Will Smith says he has “gold dust” in his bowling attack.
Best’s pace and Crane’s leg spin helped secure Hampshire’s first win of the season in Smith’s first game as the county’s skipper, following James Vince’s England call-up.
They took 12 wickets between them, including seven on the final day, as Nottinghamshire were beaten by 69 runs at the Ageas Bowl. Smith, who captained Durham to the 2009 Championship title, said: “Having Tino bowling at 90mph and a really good leg spinner in Mason are weapons that are absolute gold dust as a captain.
“They gave the team a lot of confidence, knowing something might happen out of nowhere.”
Notts were set 305 to win in a minimum of 86 overs, but were bowled out for 235.
Best removed Jake Libby and Michael Lumb in his opening spell. He uprooted Dan Christian’s middle stump with a spectacular yorker to end the former Hampshire man’s 108-run stand with Sami Patel – before bouncing out Brett Hutton.
Crane was a constant threat, exploiting the rough outside leg stump, before applying the coup de grâce, with two wickets in two balls.
“There were a few twitchy moments but it was great to have those extra 30 runs in the bank, and Mason’s control was phenomenal,” added Smith, who had declared eight overs into the final day.
“Tino’s rhythm and control of length was perhaps not up to speed in his first game for us but he’s bowling with great control now which, when you’re bowling at 90mph, is not a bad combination.”
Best, who has 11 wickets at 16.45 in his last two matches, has also been impressed by Hampshire’s teen sensation. “I’ve seen guys try leg spin in the Caribbean and in international cricket and the only guys as good as him are Warne and Stuart MacGill,” he said.
“Leg spin is the hardest art in the world but Mason’s already a gem at 19. He can flight the ball and he has a wrong ‘un, a drifter, a top spinner . . . seriously, he’s going to be good.
“He gives me a lot of confidence to express myself even more. He’s impressing me all the time, he’s going to be amazing. He just has to keep that desire to master the art.”
Best will play in Hampshire’s T20 Blast opener against Middlesex at Uxbridge tonight, but his former West Indies team-mate Darren Sammy must wait for his debut.
Shahid Afridi and Ryan McLaren, who took two vital wickets either side of lunch on the final day against Notts, will be Hampshire’s overseas players so the latter remains registered for the Championship match against Middlesex at Merchant Taylors’ School on Sunday.
But Nottinghamshire captain Chris Read will not be fit to play in his side’s Championship match at Trent Bridge, which starts tomorrow.
The wicketkeeper was unable to bat on the final day, having broken his hand against Best.
Notts coach Mick Newell said: “There is no chance of Chris playing. There is a doctor who is looking at the scans and once he has looked at his hands he will make a better call on how long it will be.”
Reflecting on Notts’ second successive defeat, he said: “It was a good game with high-quality quick bowling, Tino Best for them and Harry Gurney for us.
“The bowlers were on top for the whole game which added to an exciting match. The no-toss rule is working. Spin bowlers are bowling more overs in mid-May which is a good thing – and it is great to see Mason bowling.”