Hampshire crushed Worcestershire in their last game. At the end of the visitors’ second innings at Visit Worcestershire New Road, they were out in front by an impressive 183 runs. In a match overshadowed by great individual displays, Hampshire’s batting depth and bowling attack made the difference.
This time it was Hampshire who set a daunting target for Worcestershire with 293 in their first innings. Sonny Baker produced the performance of his career to date, returning five for 72. There is little doubt that his efforts were key in dismantling the Worcestershire batting order. Worcestershire bounced back from losing the toss to post 249 in their first innings. They missed on claiming their batting bonus point by just a few runs.
Jake Libby proved the star performer for Worcestershire, making a fluent unbeaten century – 113 not out. This century marked the first by a Worcestershire player at their home ground this summer, showcasing Libby’s resilience and skill. His hundred came off some brilliant stroke play on 235 balls. In anchoring his team’s innings he reacted from Hampshire’s early thrust effectively putting them on the backfoot.
In reply, Hampshire made a determined start to their second innings. By stumps, they had 139 runs on the board with only two wickets down. One more stretch of incredible performance cemented them comfortably in the driver’s seat of the match. Nick Gubbins played a big hand in this effort, anchoring the day’s batting and finishing unbeaten on 55 runs. Accompanying him, Tilak Varma followed a steady approach providing support as they both batted through to the day’s close.
Sonny Baker’s superb start a week earlier was very much key in tilting momentum. Effective with the red ball, he produced a brilliant spell of three wickets in 11 deliveries to leave Worcestershire reeling on 189 for five in their first innings. This pivotal period of the game limited Worcestershire’s run-scoring opportunities. It increased the strain on their other batsmen.
Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley fell to Matthew Waite, bowled LBW for 11 runs. Though this brief moment occurred with little fanfare, it left a seismic impact on the whole match. Hampshire’s home state stance remained equally steadfast. Gubbins showcased his batting mastery, leading his side to a considerable lead.
As it stands, Hampshire has earned four points from this game, meaning Worcestershire has earned three points. The ongoing play will be important for each side, especially New York, desperate to improve on their early-season league position.
Leave a Reply