Rainy day blues for Hampshire

Hampshire 113 for 4 (Lumb 49*) v Somerset
Scorecard

Barely half a day's play was possible at the Rose Bowl in a day of fluctuating weather, and on the whole Somerset had perhaps the better of it, taking four wickets while Hampshire battled their way to 113. The Somerset bowlers did a good job, with two wickets apiece to Charl Willoughby and Peter Trego, while the highlight for Hampshire was a sound innings from the left-handed Michael Lumb.

Due to morning rain, play was not possible before lunch, and the day itself ran virtually the whole gamut of unpredictable English weather, barring thunderstorms and snow. Hampshire won the delayed toss and batted, after a ceremony to award James Tomlinson his county cap.

There was a little movement in the pitch, and Andy Caddick and Willoughby made the Hampshire openers fight for runs. Willoughby beat Michael Carberry outside the off stump three times in his opening over, but his general line was perhaps a little too far outside off for best effect. Carberry and the dogged Jimmy Adams concentrated mainly on singles, and there were only two boundaries in the first hour, an off-drive and a cover-drive by Carberry off Caddick, who has naturally lost some pace but still looks a quality bowler.

Trego changed the situation with an impressive seven-over spell, as he moved the ball off the pitch and varied his pace well. First he moved a ball into Carberry and trapped him lbw for 18, and then completely deceived Adams with a slower ball, the batsman playing too early and lobbing the ball back up the pitch, for the bowler to race forward and take a good diving catch.

Lumb made a confident start, quickly hitting three fours, and he played a good innings, which the rain at 5.15pm sadistically cut short at 49. With the total on 93, though, he lost two partners in one over from Willoughby.

First Chris Benham, attempting to drive, dragged the ball on to his stumps via the inside edge, and then Nic Pothas, lashing at a ball well outside the off stump, was caught overhead in the covers. Not long afterwards, the weather intervened. In the prevailing conditions, though, perhaps it was fortunate to get as many as 50 overs in the day.