Hampshire lose opening game (From Romsey Advertiser)

Hampshire lose opening game

5:10pm Sunday 15th April 2012 in Sport By Simon Walter, Senior Sports Reporter

Hampshire lost their opening LV County Championship match against Gloucestershire - with only two overs remaining.

Jimmy Adams side was bowled out for 256 in a dramatic finish at The Ageas Bowl, losing their last three wickets for ten runs - all bowled - in the space of 22 deliveries.

They began the final innings requiring 290 to win in a minimum of 80 overs.

But they lost openers Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson in the first 12 overs.

Dawson (11) hooked to long leg before Adams nicked Bournemouth's David Payne low to Chris Dent at second slip.

And after lunching on 31-2, Hampshire soon collapsed to 56-5 during an outstanding spell from Ian Saxelby (6-2-7-3).

Simon Katich (9) was caught behind after flashing at a wide ball and James Vince (4) and Sean Ervine (0) were both caught at third slip by Ian Cockbain in the space of five balls.

Hampshire were 72-6 when Michael Carberry (18), having looked good after taking 21 balls to get off the mark, was eventually given out to a juggled catch by wicketkeeper Richard Coughtrie.

But Michael Bates (28*) and Chris Wood (26*) put up significant resistance.

They ensured there was no further loss before tea, surviving several appeals before seeing Hampshire to 115-6 at the end of the penultimate session.

They went on to put on a total of 118 for the seventh wicket, with both hitting career-bests, before Wood went for 65 (94 balls, 12 fours), scooping a leading edge to mid-off.

There were a minimum of 20 overs remaining when the pair were separated at 190-7.

Wicketkeeper Bates, who reached his second first-class fifty from 99 deliveries,went on to make 87 before he and Riazuddin (28) were bowled in the same Will Gidman over.

Then, with two overs remaining, last-man David Balcombe was bowled, having earlier finished with career-best match figures of 11 for 119.

Hampshire were left to rue the gifting of 69 extras - including 36 in no-balls - as they lost by 33 runs.