Fuller tops up Hampshire as Warwickshire let advantage slip

Lower-order resistance led by James Fuller lifted Hampshire to 300 all out after their batting fragility had surfaced again on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship game against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Bowled out twice for under 200 in last week's 366-run defeat to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, Hampshire this time dipped to 130 for 5 and 223 for 8 before Fuller's bullish 52 not out from 52 balls marshalled the addition of 77 for the last two wickets.

Ed Barnard took 4 for 56 and Olly Hannon-Dalby 3 for 47 for a Warwickshire team full of confidence after their strong start to the season. They then wobbled themselves, however, as they lost both openers before closing the first day on 27 for 2 in reply.

Hampshire elected to bat but lost Fletcha Middleton in the fourth over of the day when he edged Hannon-Dalby to second slip and Rob Yates took his 147th catch for Warwickshire.

Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins gritted out 62 from 24 overs but, with the lunch interval beckoning, that fragility kicked in. Gubbins edged an outswinger from Beau Webster to wicketkeeper Alex Davies and Tom Prest nicked a firm-footed jab at Barnard.

Hannon-Dalby struck the biggest blow with the 32nd ball after lunch when the obdurate Stoneman gave Davies his third catch. Ben Brown followed the pattern of batters getting in then getting out he when dug in for 29 from 56 balls but then dragged a drive at Webster on to his stumps.

At 130 for 5, Hampshire were in jeopardy of coming in under 200 again, on a good batting pitch, but Dawson and Toby Albert applied themselves to add 68 in 19 overs. Both then perished in the space of ten balls. Dawson edged Barnard high to second slip and Albert flicked Tazeem Ali to midwicket to give Yates his 148th and 149th catches for Warwickshire.

That left the sun-soaked crowd on tenterhooks to see if Yates would get the opportunity to take his 150th catch for Warwickshire. They didn't have to wait long before Kyle Abbott drove mightily at Barnard but sliced to second slip when Yates triumphantly seized the ball above his head.

That was 223 for 8 and Hampshire appeared well under par but the tail wagged. Former Warwickshire loanee Brad Wheal counterattacked for a 24-ball 28 before falling lbw, struck on the back pad, to the impressive Barnard. John Turner, recalled to the side in place of Sonny Baker, helped Fuller add 34 before edging Hannon-Dalby behind.

Warwickshire were left with eight overs to bat during which Hampshire hit back hard. Yates' day took a downward twist when he was trapped lbw by Abbott and, with 16 balls left in the day, Davies top-edged an inexplicable heave at Wheal and Middleton took an excellent catch running in from deep backward point.