Hampshire avoid follow on but Worcestershire hold the reigns

A stout innings from Simon Katich and a late flurry from Shaun Udal meant that Hampshire avoided the follow on in their Frizzell County Championship match against league leaders Worcestershire at the Rose Bowl, but at the close of the second day the visitors were 149 runs ahead with all their second innings wickets intact.

Resuming at 4 without loss, Hampshire soon lost openers Derek Kenway and James Adams, however Katich and skipper Crawley recovered the innings slightly before the latter fell shortly before lunch when he edged the speedy Nantie Hayward to the wicket-keeper.

Lawrence Prittipaul and Dimitri Mascarenhas hung around, but it was the arrival of Shaun Udal who with Katich took them past the ignominious mark.

Katich was finally out when he chipped spinner Gareth Batty to gully where Kabir Ali took the catch.

The fact that Batty and Kabir Ali were not named in the Worcestershire squad at the toss, had spectators scratching their heads. Under new regulations set up by ECB, players not required by the Test team having been called up are allowed to join. In the morning of this second day Mark Harrity bowled, but after lunch he left the field and Ali came into his own. So in effect Worcestershire have used 13 players in this current match.

Harrity was used extensively in the morning, knowing that he would not be required in the afternoon.

Udal completed his second half century of the season, before he became another victim of the refreshed Ali, hitting 8 fours and a six in his 59 ball stay. Chaminda Vaas batted with a flurry before his side was all out 99 runs adrift.

Worcestershire batted for 17 overs in the evening, as the September sun drew long shadows over the outfield as Peters, who passed 1,000 runs for the season and Graham Hick advanced the score by 50.