Libby, Hose partnership gives Worcestershire the edge

Worcestershire's Jake Libby and Adam Hose came together for an unbeaten 126 run-stand as Worcestershire enjoyed a dominant day of Rothesay County Championship cricket at Visit Worcestershire New Road against Hampshire, ending the day 187 for 2.

Tom Taylor (5 for 55) led from the front as the hosts bowled Hampshire out for 293, with Tom Prest anchoring then innings for the visitors.

That was all the away side could enjoy as they toiled in the afternoon sun, as Libby (70 not out) and Hose (82 not out) saw Worcestershire to the close trailing by just 107 runs.

The home side, buoyed by the late wickets poached from the night previous, were jubilant once more as Ben Allison produced a jaffa of a delivery to remove Nick Gubbins in just the second over of the morning.

Eddie Jack continued his rearguard as nightwatchman for Hampshire, batting through the opening hour with poise, while the impressive Taylor castled Tilak Varma with a full, swinging delivery to check the visitors' progress at 171 for 4.

As the sun appeared over Visit Worcestershire New Road, Khurram Shahzad entered the attack for the home side without success, as Prest guided a single down to third-man, easing Hampshire past 200.

It was Adam Finch who reinvigorated his side after the late morning lull, with an energetic spell from the Diglis End of the ground that saw him remove Eddie Jack for a stubborn 29, before returning in his next over to have Ben Brown caught behind, as a positive morning session for the Pears saw them take lunch with their opponents six-wickets down for 213.

Prest continued into the afternoon session but was given a major reprieve when he was dropped at gully on 30, before Felix Organ's turgid 46-ball stay at the crease was ended when he was bowled by Matthew Waite for just three.

James Fuller (41 off 32) played an enterprising cameo that included five-boundaries as Hampshire reached 250, shortly after Tom Prest had secured an assured half-century of his own midway through the afternoon session.

The new ball came into effect for the home side in timely fashion, as Taylor returned to remove Prest for 54, Fuller and Baker (0) in quick succession on his way to a second red-ball fifer of the season, taking his tally in the Rothesay County Championship to 42 in what has been a standout campaign for the 30-year-old.

Having wrapped up the visitor's innings for 293, Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby started the reply in faultless fashion as they navigated their way to tea, 38-0 in the now idyllic batting conditions.

Momentum was wrestled back by the visitors courtesy of two wickets in consecutive overs, shortly after the opening pair had registered their second successive fifty-partnership, when Eddie Jack caught the edge of Roderick, who departed for 26, and James Fuller forced Kashif Ali to chop onto his own stumps.

Hose joined Libby as they eased their way through the afternoon and into the evening against a lacklustre Hampshire attack, with both batters cashing in on the loose balls on offer and rotating the strike with ease.

Having registered a record-breaking partnership against the same opponents in the reverse fixture back in June, the pair looked in similar run-scoring moods as they took the home side past 100 in the 33rd over and batted through to the close with comfort.

As stumps were called shortly after 7pm, Worcestershire left the field in the driving seat at 187 for 2 with Libby and Hose unbeaten, and Hampshire's bowling attack facing an uphill battle heading into the third day with a lead of just 107.