Adams Shows Courage Under Fire As Hants Lose Penultimate Ball Thriller

Lancashire beat Hampshire by 3 wickets in their LV= County Championship match at Liverpool.

Lancashire v Hampshire
LV= County Championship Division 1
Start: Tuesday 31st August (11.00)
Liverpool

Summary
Lancashire beat Hampshire by 3 wickets
Hampshire: 160 & 405
Lancashire: 398 & 171-7
Click here to see a full scorecard

A mammoth batting performance from Jimmy Adams (194) gave Hampshire hope when there seemed there was none as the visitors lost this match on the penultimate ball of the game, having looked down-and-out since day one.

Adams’ 88-run final wicket partnership with Danny Briggs was the second highest of the match, and it was this that gave Lancashire any kind of score to chase down as they went into their second innings needing to score 168 off 198 deliveries.

What followed was a fierce bowling performance that had removed seven wickets by the time the home side went into the final over, still needing two runs to win.

Alas, a Mark Chilton boundary settled the tie with one ball remaining, but Dominic Cork’s men can leave with their heads held high even if they do so with only a measly two points.

Adams showed courage under fire

However, it still left Hampshire with only a very faint hope of even getting a draw, needing, as they did, to limit Lancashire to scoring fewer than 168 runs in the 33 overs that remained. The fact that they had some of us believing they might actually win was largely down to some irrepressible bowling from James Tomlinson (3-27) and Chris Wood (3-32).

Tomlinson started the ball rolling (and the wickets tumbling) when he bowled Paul Horton (5) and then trapped Karl Brown lbw next ball for a golden duck; Lancashire 10-2 and less than four overs into their innings. Shortly after, Tom Smith (9) would also fall victim to Tomlinson and hearts began to flutter.

But Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been a thorn in plenty of team’s sides this season and he put up another good fight here, making his sixth 50 in 11 innings for the home team before he went for 51. By that point, however, Cork had already dismissed Steven Croft and Wood had claimed the scalps of Tom Cross and Saj Mahmood.

Hampshire’s tails were up but the numbers were still against them with Lancashire 140-7, requiring 28 off the final 29 balls. From here the chase reduced seemingly at a rate of one run per ball. With 15 required off the last 18 deliveries, so tense was the atmosphere that the home crowd cheered loudly for a Dominic Cork wide.

10 needed off two overs became two needed off one and, for once, Hampshire – masters of the nail-biting finish this season – knew the pain of loss at the end of one.

The unfortunate facts are that, for all their hard work, Hampshire leave Liverpool knowing that they still need 38 points to be sure of Division 1 cricket next season. They’ll look to their final two matches against fellow strugglers Kent (next week) and Warwickshire (the week after) to keep their top-flight hopes alive.

Words: Simon Vincent - Image: Getty

Day Three

Summary
Hampshire lead Lancashire by 37 runs
Hampshire: 160 & 275-5
Lancashire: 398

Jimmy Adams showed incredible patience to claim his third First Class century of the season on an important third day of play in Hampshire’s LV= County Championship match against Lancashire at Liverpool.

The Winchester-born opener lasted all day at the crease to help his team move 37 runs ahead of their hosts. Having reached 80 with a minimum of fuss, the Lancs attack went full throttle for him. So much so that it took Adams’ 91 deliveries to gather the remaining 20!

By the time the ton had eventually come up Adams had been at the crease 379 minutes, faced 273 balls and hit ten 4s.

But he’ll feel it’s all been worth it if Hampshire can take some points from this match, which could prove vital in their quest to avoid relegation.

Click on the image above to see highlights of Thursday's play

Having started the day 223 runs behind, and having made just 160 in their first innings, there were concerns that the game could have been finished today. As such, the order from the off was to play calmly, cleverly and cautiously. And that’s exactly how it started as nearly an hour into the session the visitors were 44-0 after 20 overs.

Then came the wobble. Michael Carberry (17) top edged Kyle Hogg to Gareth Cross bringing in Phil Hughes. The Australian had woken up to the positive news that he has been selected for his country’s Test team again following injury (read more here).

But shortly afterwards the new-comer (11) edged Keedy to Horton at 1st slip; Hants 63-2 only a few overs before lunch.

Adams secured his third First Class Century of the season - his sixth in all competitions.

The afternoon, therefore, was all about making sure they steadied the ship, and excellent partnerships between Adams and Neil McKenzie, and Adams and Ervine (73 and 78 respectively) ensured Hampshire did just that.

With an hour left to go the visitors officially moved ahead. 237-5 meant they were effectively 1-5 with Jimmy on 96 at this stage.

With Michael Bates (27*) providing support with some accomplished-looking cover driven and pulled boundaries, Adams was able to claim the applause that his day-long toil had earned.

By stumps on day three his team were 275-5 having possibly saved a match that had looked potentially beyond them only 24 hours ago.

Words: Simon Vincent - Image: Neil Marshall

Day Two

Summary
Lancashire lead Hampshire by 223 runs
Hampshire: 160 & 15-0
Lancashire: 398

Chris Wood and Neil McKenzie were the unlikely pick of the Hampshire bowlers on day two of their match against Lancashire at Liverpool.

Having never bowled a single Championship over between the two of them for the club before yesterday, the pair ended up with figures of 3-85 and 2-30 respectively, helping the visitors bowl out Glen Chapple’s side for 398 - a first innings lead of 238.

It would have been even better for Dominic Cork and co had the Lancs tail not wagged, with Mahmood (47) and Hogg (81) fighting back from 225-7.

However, the Hampshire batsmen should return on day three refreshed, with a flatter track to contend with, having seen out the remaining seven overs of the day.

The morning session went well for Hampshire, who limited the hosts to just 40 runs from 30 overs. Six maidens from the opening seven overs set the tone. Indeed, at one point just 6 runs came off 13 overs for the Lancs batsmen who looked wary of pitch which had played more than its part in a tough opening day for their opponents.

Click on the image above to see highlights of Wednesday's action

James Tomlinson was chief among their aggressors, chalking up 8 maidens from his opening 10 overs, while going for just 5 and claiming a wicket. And he was joined by Chris Wood, who claimed his first ever Championship scalp when Steven Croft (3) mistimed a cut and was caught by Bates.

A third wicket fell when, from the near impossible angle of square leg, Michael Carberry swooped to run out Shivnarine Chanderpaul (38). At lunch, the visitors could feel very proud of themselves trailing Lancs by just 4 runs, with the hosts 164-5.

The continuation of the miserly bowling after the break prompted a lively debate on the Manchester Evening News twitter feed surrounding Dominic Cork. The question was asked - concerning the former Lancs man – not IF he would get into their current side but WHO he would replace!

However, the Hampshire twitter followers were more focussed on another in their attack, with @halftracker asking “what took us so long to get Wood into this team?!” And it was with good reason as the youngster took two wickets in quick succession.

Chris Wood ended with 3-85 in his first innings as a Championship bowler

First Gareth Cross (44) flashed at a delivery only to be caught athletically by Adams at gully – breaking up a partnership worth 75. Then Smith went for 30, trapped lbw; Lancs 225-7 and with a first innings lead of just 65.

With Glen Chapple moved down the order thanks to an injury picked up yesterday, what Lancashire needed was a strong partnership, and that’s what they got from Saj Mahmood  and Kyle Hogg who, together, made 87 – Mahmood whacking a 6 into the carpark registering his 500th run of the season shortly after.

So following the tea break Hants went looking for something different as Neil McKenzie bowled his first overs of the season. And the gamble worked as, first Mahmood was lbw for 47, then the South African forced Chapple (19) to edge to Adams (a feat that inspired McKenzie’s wife to tweet “My husband has taken TWO wickets for Hampshire - LOL!! What a biscuit!!!!!!!”).

The innings was finished by an unbelievable catch from Vince after he juggled to prevent a 6 on the boundary. Hants fans will be hoping for more jaw-dropping action with the bat on day three.

Words: Simon Vincent - Image: Sarah Ansell

Day One

Summary
Hampshire lead Lancashire by 36 runs
Hampshire: 160
Lancashire: 124-2

Chris Wood top-scored for Hampshire on the day he made his County Championship debut for the club and Jimmy Adams racked up his 1,000th Championship run of the season. However these proved to be rare highlights on a tough day one against Lancashire on a “result” out-ground wicket on which they were all out in their first innings for 160.

Home captain, Glen Chapple got the call spot on when, having won the toss, he put Hampshire in to bat. And straight away the wicket started playing its part when Adams was out for just 5, castled by one of the Lancs captain’s deliveries in the 9th over.

Chapple was having an excellent early game, so it appeared to be something of a reprieve for the visitors to see him leave the field a few overs after (it would later be confirmed that a sore ankle was the route cause). However, the trouble was just about to begin.

An incredible 5 overs just before lunch would see first Kyle Hogg, then Tom Smith, take two wickets each, before the pair combined to take a fifth wicket when Michael Bates (0) edged the former to the latter at second slip.

At lunch, Hampshire were struggling on 81-6 after just 29 overs.

Click on the image above to see highlights of Tuesday's play

Chris Wood top-scored for Hampshire with 35

Things looked promising as the home team came in to bat when, less than 3 overs in, Horton was trapped lbw by Cork, leaving Lancashire 4-1.

And although Mark Chilton and Karl Brown dug in to see their team through to 33-1 at tea, it wouldn’t be long before an excellent Sean Ervine delivery had Brown (21) caught behind by Bates.

Nevertheless , Shivnarine Chanderpaul – the first innings scurge of Hampshire at The Rose Bowl a month ago – came to the crease, and from then on the visitors couldn’t get a look in.

As the afternoon drew to a close and attentions turned elsewhere with the England One Day squad announced for the forthcoming Pakistan Series (see more here), Lancashire saw themselves through to 124-2 by the close of play.

Words: Simon Vincent - Image: Sarah Ansell

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