Hants in trouble as wickets clatter

Hampshire go into the third day at the Rose Bowl precariously placed only 114 ahead of Durham and with only three second innings wickets remaining.

Sixteen wickets fell on the second day on a pitch of variable bounce which troubled batsmen of both sides. In reply to Hampshire's 246, Durham were coasting along at 141-1 but from the moment Jon Lewis (62) was caught on the third man bounday off Chris Tremlett, the batting faltered.

Tremlett, making his home Championship debut, and Shaun Udal each took three wickets and the only batsman to stand in the way was the consistent Australian Martin Love who made a patient 78 off 141 balls before misjudging a delivery from Udal which kept low.

Durham would have ended their first innings in arrears but for an aggressive last-wicket stand of 45 between Simon Brown, who hit two sixes off Udal in his 29, and Nicky Hatch.

As it was, Hampshire began their second innings 20 behind and although they made light of that by taking their score to 64 for one at tea, they soon suffered a slump every bit as complete as Durham's had been in the morning.

Hatch accounted for Will Kendall and Robin Smith in quick succession and Hampshire's cause was not helped by a stumping and run out, both needless in the circumstances.

Love made a superb slip catch to dismiss opener Giles White (44) but Neil Johnson held firm at the close when Hampshire were 134-7.