Tomlinson's post-lunch spell sinks Derbyshire

James Tomlinson Photo © Hampshire Cricket

Five wickets in the space of 6.1 post lunch overs from left-arm seamer James Tomlinson led Hampshire to their second Frizzell County Championship Division Two victory of the season and ensured their hosts, Derbyshire, ended with the wooden spoon.

Having been held up by a stubborn stand between Andrew Gait and Luke Sutton in the morning session of the fourth day, which realised 55, Sutton fell to Dimitri Mascarenhas for a patient 30 but Gait found more steadfastness in Graeme Welch that looked like it was going to frustrate Hampshire - Welch's pre lunch single run took 50 balls to compile.

The lunch break did the trick for Hampshire and for Tomlinson in particular who inticed Gait into an edge to Pothas for a fine 71 and that started the collapse. And it was some collapse, using the new ball, after Nathan Dumelow and Graeme Welch had clattered a quick 28 for the seventh wicket.

Tomlinson got one to lift on Dumelow and he edged to Prittipaul at gully and in his next over, Welch found his middle stump flattened and Mohammad Ali drove straight back at the Wiltshire youngster.

Paul Havell, who had never been dismissed in first class cricket before, became Tomlinson's sixth victim in a career-best haul of 6-63 and an outstanding 5-9 after the lunch interval.

Set just 27 to win, Derek Kenway and James Adams took only 4.2 overs in collecting the victory with Welch's anti-climatic no-ball sealing the success.