Adams leads Hants recovery

Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams led a bold recovery after two wickets had fallen in the first three overs of the County Championship Division Two match with promotion rivals Kent at West End. Adams made 91 and shared in a stand of 116 for the fourth wicket with Liam Dawson (51) as Hampshire recovered to 292 for 9 at the close of the first day.

Adams had chosen to bat first under overcast skies and on a green-tinged wicket and had cause to regret his decision as Kent struck two early blows. Charlie Shreck had James Vince caught behind by Geraint Jones with the fourth ball of his first over and then Bilal Shafayat departed without scoring, deceived by a leg-cutter from Mark Davies.

Simon Katich helped Adams repair the damage from 9 for 2 by taking the score to 67 before Shreck struck again, claiming Katich leg before for 32. Only then as the sun came out did Hampshire get on top of the Kent bowling as Dawson and Adams put together their crucial stand in 39 overs.

Adams was within sight of his 15th-first class century when he edged Darren Stevens to wicketkeeper Jones to end a 191-ball innings which included 12 fours. Dawson was out soon afterwards with the total on 189, snared by Davies in the deep offspinner James Tredwell the ball after reaching his half-century. Tredwell accounted for Michael Bates, sixth out at 206 before Hampshire rallied in the evening session.

Sean Ervine, Dimitri Mascarenhas and David Balcombe all took advantage of an easing wicket to add useful runs before the close. Matthew Coles dismissed Ervine at 226 but Mascarenhas and Balcombe put on 50 for the eighth wicket as Kent struggled to contain them.

But Davies and Shreck came back with the new ball, Davies removing Mascarenhas to another catch at the wicket to leave Hampshire on 276 for 8. Then, without any addition to the score, Shreck picked up his third wicket of the day when he bowled Balcombe, who spent some of last season on loan at Kent, for 28. Danny Briggs and last-man James Tomlinson saw out the remaining six overs to leave the match with honours even.

Shreck took 3 for 85 to be the pick of the Kent bowlers while Davies took 2 for 36 and Tredwell finished the day with 2 for 56.