LVCC v Somerset 27th August Day 1

Adams scores unbeaten century as Hampshire end the day on 286 for 4.

On a pitch that is expected to turn, both Hampshire and Somerset named teams with three spinners. As well as Liam Dawson and Imran Tahir, Hampshire gave Danny Briggs his First Class debut as a late replacement for James Tomlinson. Somerset selected 21 year old Max Waller to play alongside Omari Banks and Arul Suppiah.

Having won the toss Hampshire elected to bat, and Somerset captain Justin Langer turned to Banks as early as the 13th over when the hosts were 24 without loss. After taking a good look at the West Indian’s off breaks, Adams hit a four to square leg off his last ball, and in his next over both batsmen enjoyed the change in pace, moving Hampshire’s score on to 37.

For the first time in First Class cricket, Adams’ opening partner was Dawson, moved up the order in the absence of the injured Michael Carberry. Dawson has regularly opened for the Second XI so was in no way overawed by the situation and played both carefully and confidently, putting away the bad balls and respecting the better ones. At the lunch interval he finished on 48, with Adams on 43 and Hampshire 91 without loss.

After a relatively quiet morning there was drama after lunch, when in the first over Adams cut to Langer at first slip, but all he could do was take enough pace off the ball so that when it hit his head the damage was minimal. But it was still a chance, with Adams on 48. In the next over Dawson reached his fourth First Class fifty, off 100 balls and with 9 fours. Shortly afterwards Hampshire’s hundred came up when Adams took a single off Banks.

Hampshire’s first wicket fell in the 40th over when Dawson offered no shot to a Banks delivery that turned. In fact it was becoming increasingly apparent that the pitch was offering something for the spinners and Langer responded to this by bringing Suppiah into the attack. In the meantime Adams passed the fifty mark with two runs swept off Banks towards fine leg.

As the afternoon progressed Langer juggled his bowlers in a vain attempt to get another breakthrough while Adams and Lumb made a steady accumulation of runs. The 200 came up in the 65th over with an Adams four off Zander de Bruyn and the score at tea was 203, with Adams on 89 and Lumb just one short of his fifty.

Lumb’s fifty came in the second over after tea with a hard run three off Thomas. Although the faster bowling combination of Thomas and Charl Willoughby slowed down the run rate it was the re-introduction of Banks in the 78th over that made the breakthrough when Lumb (68) was caught by Trescothick at slip after a great deal of juggling. This left Hampshire on 235 for 2 with Adams on 97.

But Adams was to lose another partner while still in double figures when James Vince was caught by Langer in the slips off Willoughby for 4. However two overs later Adams was celebrating, after driving Willoughby to the long off boundary and making his third Championship century this season. His elation was short lived though, as Sean Ervine (4) trod on his stumps after launching Banks for a potential four, leaving Hampshire on 249 for 4.

His dismissal brought returning wicketkeeper Nic Pothas to the crease, and he and Adams proceeded to the close without further alarms. Hampshire ended the day on 286 for 4, with Adams 113 and Pothas 27.


Match report by Jane Cable 

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