Superb all-round display from Craig Overton spurs Somerset to 10-wicket win over Hampshire
Josh Davey picks up five-wicket haul on final day as Keith Barker offers some resistance with 52*
ECB Reporters Network
09-May-2021
Craig Overton played a star turn for Somerset • Getty Images
Somerset 336 (Overton 74, Abell 64) and 4 for 0 beat Hampshire 79 (Gregory 4-26) and 258 (Barker 52*, Davey 5-30, Overton 5-66) by 10 wickets
A superb all-round display from Craig Overton inspired Somerset to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Hampshire as his side wrapped up a fourth LV= County Championship Group Two win at the Ageas Bowl.
Paceman Overton, who is the top wicket-taker in the country, took 5 for 66 from 40 overs as Hampshire were dismissed for 258 on Sunday, putting himself firmly in contention for England ahead of next month's Test series against New Zealand.
Overton was also the top scorer in the match with 74 on Friday and finished with overall figures of 7 for 82, with Josh Davey also playing a significant role in the triumph taking 5 for 30 on the final day.
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The defeat was Hampshire's second successive heavy loss following last week's innings and 289-run humbling by Surrey having started the season strongly by winning two and drawing one of their first three matches.
Although the hosts batted with much more gumption to pass 200 for the first time in four innings, their pitiful day one effort of 79 all out left them with too much do against their in-form opponents.
The visitors looked set to wrap up the win just after lunch when Lewis McManus departed for 17 only for Keith Barker and Felix Organ to frustrate their hosts with a two-hour stay at the crease.
Organ batted with great discipline and determination to score just 7 runs from 108 balls before falling to a diving catch by the irrepressible Overton off Davey.
Mohammad Abass was the last man out leaving Barker unbeaten on 52 before Eddie Byrom knocked off the two runs needed for the win with rain beginning to fall and the light fading.
Hampshire started the day trailing by 147 runs after rain washed out all but nine overs on Saturday, and frustrated Somerset for almost an hour with Joe Weatherley and skipper James Vince scoring just 20 runs in the first 13 overs against some tight bowling.
Davey finally got the breakthrough when he found the outside edge of Weatherley's bat and Steve Davies took a sharp catch behind the stumps to end the opener's dogged innings of 44 from 209 balls.
Davey struck again in his next over as Liam Dawson was trapped lbw to pick up only the second pair of his career
It was Overton who grabbed the vital wicket of Vince just after lunch when Davies took another fine catch to dismiss him for 42 which firmly put his side on course to an excellent win ahead of next week's clash with Surrey.