Spin twins shine as Hampshire see off Somerset

28 May 2017 07:56

Hampshire spinners Mason Crane and Liam Dawson shared nine wickets as Hampshire romped to a three-day victory over Somerset at Taunton.

Twenty-year-old leg-spinner Crane claimed the second best figures of his first-class career with five for 40 and Dawson, later called up to England's one-day squad, took four for 66.

Combined with a run-out by Reece Topley, that was enough to topple the hosts for 168 and secure victory by 90 runs.

South Africa opener Dean Elgar top-scored with 60 but there was precious little support as seven batsmen made 10 or fewer.

The result saw Hampshire go top of the Specsavers County Championship Division One table with 60 points having wrapped up victory ahead of time.

At Chelmsford, highly-rated Essex teenager Dan Lawrence notched his second century of the championship season in an evenly-matched clash with Surrey.

Lawrence, resuming on 78, moved to 107 before falling lbw to Stuart Meaker as Essex posted 383 and a 14-run lead.

Meaker and Brown Caps debutant Amar Virdi, an England Under-19 international, each took three wickets before Surrey reached 55 for one in their second innings.

Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire cemented their best start to a championship campaign in a decade with victory by an innings and 50 runs over Gloucestershire inside three days.

Following-on at Trent Bridge, the visitors were dismissed for 231 in their second innings as Steven Mullaney's career-best figures of five for 32 hogged the attention. Cameron Bancroft mustered nominal resistance with 53, his best in the championship to date.

The win, Nottinghamshire's fourth in five matches - together with last week's draw with Glamorgan - equals the start they made to the 2007 campaign, their last in the second tier.

Worcestershire look set to push them all the way after making it four wins from four with a turbo-powered chase at Northamptonshire.

Chasing 148 always seemed well within their grasp after dismissing the hosts for 343 but most expected it to occupy them into a fourth day.

Instead they raced for the line, Daryl Mitchell backing up his earlier century with a run-a-ball 78 not out as they sped to a finish in 27.4 overs.

Rory Kleinveldt took two wickets along the way but it was scant consolation.

Kent will head into day four confident of seeing off Sussex after a strong showing at Tunbridge Wells.

Kent's top-four scored evenly and swiftly before declaring on 298 for two, Daniel Bell-Drummond making 90 and Joe Denly in fine touch with a 49-ball 71no.

That left Sussex in pursuit of a notional 504 and by stumps they were 182 for six, Denly joining Matt Coles in chipping in with two scalps.

Things were tight in Swansea where Durham were 147 ahead of Glamorgan on 158 for three.

The Welsh side had an 11-run advantage by making 353 but Graham Clark (63no) and visiting captain Paul Collingwood (40no) mounted a considerable partnership that will need breaking on the final morning.

Derbyshire and Leicestershire took 11 points apiece as their match dawdled to a draw in Derby.

Leicestershire declared after reaching 217 for three in 57 overs, an innings which ended any prospect of a positive result and served only to provide half-centuries for Paul Horton and Harry Dearden.

Derbyshire saw out 10 overs before the handshakes, reaching 42 for nought.

Source: PA