Hampshire (351-7) drew with Essex (300-6)

HAMPSHIRE captain James Vince was pleased to take five bonus points on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against an Essex side including former England captain Alastair Cook.

Despite rain being forecast all day, and temperatures that persuaded several players and umpire Paul Baldwin to wear woolly hats, more than 90 overs were bowled.

Hampshire, having begun the final day on 241-4, gained three more batting points before Vince declared on 351-7.

Then they won a couple of bowling points before the match ended with Essex on 300-6 in reply. “The forecast for today was poor so the points we got could be crucial at the end of the season,” said Vince.

“To come away from a game with 11 points from a game we didn’t play much cricket is a decent result.

“The boys did really well this morning. We said get to 300 and see where we are and Daws (Liam Dawson) and Abbo (Kyle Abbott) to get us to 350 was a good effort.

“We would have taken those bonus points when we went out to bowl, but it would have been nice to restrict them to under 300.

“It was very cold. Not ideal conditions for cricket but we got out there and got on with it and got our six wickets.”

Hampshire made a successful dart for bonus points in the morning session, having seen bad light and rain scupper any hopes of a result in the match.

Beanie hat wearing Peter Siddle found Rilee Rossouw’s edge off the fourth ball of the morning, which flew to a wide second slip, two balls after snapping the South African’s bat.

Lewis McManus tickled Sam Cook behind to James Foster, before Abbott fired 43 runs from 35 deliveries.

He added 68 with Liam Dawson in just 49 balls, including a smashing six straight down the ground off his fellow South African Simon Harmer.

Abbott, who had earlier been dropped on 36, was eventually caught and bowled by Cook as Hampshire declared at 12.30pm, after Chris Wood took Hampshire past 350 to a fourth batting point.

Cook began his summer with a composed unbeaten half century in reply.

He appeared in complete comfort against Hampshire’s bowling attack, on his way to 84.

Cook, who averages 77 in the Specsavers County Championship since the beginning of the 2016 season, has had his place in the England Test side questioned having only passed fifty once in seven matches in Australia and New Zealand.

But the 33-year-old batted himself into form with a typically stylish innings – reaching his half-century in 80-balls – before Wood had him caught behind.

Cook and Nick Browne took the shine off the new ball during a tricky five-over spell before lunch.

The opening stand was worth 54 when Browne, on 26, was caught by Jimmy Adams at second slip off Brad Wheal as he attempted to defend.

That sparked a mini-collapse as Essex lost three wickets in 11 balls.

Tom Westley, who is attempting to re-capture his spot in the England batting line-up, was next to fall.

Indecisive against a rising ball from Wheal, he guided the ball to Hashim Amla at first slip.

Abbott had Dan Lawrence lbw in the following over before Ravi Bopara helped Cook add 87 for the fourth wicket.

After getting a nick against Wood to McManus, Cook said: “You mark yourself on hundreds so it would have been nice to get one but it was a decent ball. I felt comfortable.”

Ryan ten Doeschate scored 24 before he was adjudged leg before to Edwards but Bopara continued to keep the runs flowing with a 93-ball half century.

James Foster took Essex past 250, and a second batting point, during a 76-run stand with Bopara, before he was bowled by Dawson for 46.

Bopara was 84 not out when the captains shook hands after Essex reached 300.

Cook added: “It has been a long four days here but you can’t do much about the weather.

“It was nice to get a couple of points and to score a few runs.

Next up for Hampshire is a trip to Trent Bridge to take on newly-promoted Nottinghamshire on Friday.

They will travel in good heart after a bonus bonus-point haul against the defending champions.