Tremlett's talent - it's in the blood

Teenager Chris Tremlett's talent runs in the blood. His father, Tim, is the Hampshire coach, and grandfather, Maurice, played for England. And the young man has ability of his own, which he showed by dismissing New Zealand A opening batsman Mark Richardson with his first delivery in first-class cricket for Hampshire at Portsmouth.

The batsman had been averaging almost 92 but here he pushed the ball into the hands of John Stephenson at short-leg. Tremlett, 18 years old and 6 ft 6 in tall, showed that the dismissal was no fluke as he also bowled Jarrod Englefield to end his first six overs spell with 2-8. The visitors recovered to be 87-3 at the close following Hampshire's innings of 204 thanks mainly to James Marshall (39 n.o.).

Tremlett and wicketkeeper Iain Brunnschweiler were included in place of county captain Robin Smith and star spinner Shane Warne. Hampshire, themselves, were in early trouble after having been put in to bat and stood at 29-3 against some lively pace bowling by Lance Hamilton. He had put out Giles White and Will Kendall but then Jason Laney and Derek Kenway affected a more spirited reply by putting on 66 runs for the third wicket. Hamilton (4-49) dismissed Laney when he was still one short of fifty.