Wasim pulls out with tonsilitis as batsmen toil

Hampshire received an early blow in the Frizzell County Championship match against Somerset at The Rose Bowl when Wasim Akram pulled out of the squad at the last minute suffering from tonsilitis.

An urgent call to Taunton where the Second XI were about to play saw James Bruce rush back to make his Championship debut, having made his first-class debut at The Parks the previous week.

Captains toss

John Crawley lost the toss for a change and in overcast conditions, Michael Burns decided to bat first but must have rued his decision when three wickets fell with just 30 runs on the board.

Peter Bowler played on to a quicker ball from Chris Tremlett, Burns found the edge off Mullally and was well caught by Will Kendall at third slip and Matt Wood was trapped lbw to give the young bowler a second wicket.

Bruce meanwhile arrived just ten minutes before lunch, but did not bowl until later in the afternoon. Play was held up after lunch for 50 minutes due to rain.

On the resumption Somerset's Australian overseas star Jamie Cox then took charge as the dank conditions made batting a chore. He shared a half-century stand with James Bryant before the latter was brilliantly run out by Bruce with a direct hit.

Ian Blackwell in turn hung around for another 50 stand, but he was well caught by Shaun Udal off his own bowling just before the tea interval. In similar vein, Rob Turner stayed with Cox. Turner became the victim of Simon Katich in his first over, finding one to turn and bowling the wicket-keeper off-stump.

The best partnership of the day waited to the end, as Cox and Keith Dutch began to play more aggressively in a 62 run unbeaten stand. Cox who had batted for two minutes under five hours for a well deserved century and remained not out when bad light finally ended the entertainment for the day.

Alan Mullally looked the pick of the bowlers, although he was desperately unlucky on a number of occasions not to add to his single early wicket. James Bruce and Chris Tremlett also took advantage of the conditions.