Warwickshire pile up runs and now need wickets
Hampshire and Warwickshire's relegation and promotion hopes still remain in the balance after an arduous second day's play in their County Championship Division One clash at the Rose Bowl
13-Sep-2011
Hampshire and Warwickshire's relegation and promotion hopes still remain in the balance after an arduous second day's play in their County Championship Division One clash at the Rose Bowl.
Hampshire's slim hopes of surviving in the top division of English first-class cricket are now dependent on them claiming maximum batting points and forcing an unlikely win over high-flying Warwickshire after fellow basement battlers Worcestershire gained a solitary batting bonus point in their clash with Durham.
Title-chasing Warwickshire, meanwhile, for whom a win would guarantee the championship, will now have one eye on the progress of top-of-the-table rivals Lancashire, who could yet pip them to the title if they can defeat Somerset and Warwickshire fail to see off their hosts.
Away from the calculations at both ends of the table, on the pitch at the Rose Bowl on the second day, Warwickshire, resuming on 296 for 3, went past 300 to gain their third batting point. However, they lost their fourth wicket soon after, when skipper Jim Troughton nicked Dimitri Mascarenhas behind to keeper Michael Bates with the score on 303.
Bates was again in the action when young seamer Chris Wood drew an edge from keeper Tim Ambrose to leave the Bears on 345 for 5. And Wood struck again just 12 runs later, when he forced former England man Rikki Clarke to play on for just 8.
But while Hampshire launched a spirited fightback, overseas star Shivnarine Chanderpaul remained an immovable object at the other end, moving serenely and unhurriedly to his 150, thanks to three sixes and a staggering 20 fours. A short but heavy downpour after lunch briefly threatened to leave both sides stymied, but play finally resumed just after 2.30pm, after which Chanderpaul was finally dismissed, falling lbw to Liam Dawson for 171.
That brought Chris Metters to the crease with allrounder Chris Woakes and the pair formed a frustrating partnership, which led the Bears from 409 for 7 to 478 for 8 when Woakes finally fell for a brisk 62 from 99 balls, caught by Jimmy Adams off young spinner Danny Briggs. The last two wickets fell quickly, Metters falling to Wood, after the paceman had helped to run out on-loan quick Chris Wright, to close the visitors' innings on 493.
Hampshire, knowing they must score at least 344 to avoid the follow-on and even more if they are to bag the win they need - began in fine form, opener Adams and Dawson moving without alarm to their half-century partnership inside 17 overs, before finally closing the day on 57 without loss.
