HAMPSHIRE blew away the county champions' top order at The Ageas Bowl this afternoon

Kyle Abbott (6-3-8-2) and Fidel Edwards (8-2-15-2) produced an emphatic response to Hampshire's fifth sub-300 total in six Specsavers County Championship matches.

Jamie Porter, the Championship’s leading wicket-taker, took his haul for the season to 68 by taking 4-53 as Hampshire were bowled out for 254.

But Kyle Abbott hit back with two wickets in his first three overs before Essex closed the first day on 33-5.

Abbott pegged back Nick Browne’s off stump as the left-hander attempted to drive before angling in another brilliant delivery that hit the top of Varun Chopra’s off stump.

When Tom Westley was lbw for six, playing across the line against Fidel Edwards at the end of the next over, the county champions were 12-3.

Having survived an appeal for a low catch at backward point, Ravi Bopara was bowled after leaving a Berg off-cutter.

Fidel Edwards produced a crackerkjack delivery to bowl nightwatchman Sam Cook, an away-swinging yorker that hit off stump.

Hampshire's seamers made George Bailey's 89 (130 balls, 13 fours) look even more impressive.

Basingstoke Gazette:

George Bailey reverse sweeps on his way to 89 (Neil Marshall)

Hampshire did not get the foundation they wanted when Jimmy Adams and Joe Weatherley were lbw in the first five overs.

James Vince and Tom Alsop batted fluently in tandem, adding 71 in 16 overs for the third wicket.

But left-hander Alsop lost his off stump shouldering arms to Porter after hitting five fours in his 34.

Vince was in fine touch but was out to a loose shot outside off stump, nicking off against a ball with a little extra bounce from Sam Cook.

Three overs later, Sean Ervine was out to a quite brilliant one-handed catch by Chopra, low to his left at slip, the first of the prolific Simon Harmer’s three victims.

Liam Dawson (eight) struggled for fluency  during a stand of 43 with Bailey before he was bowled by Porter attempting to work it through mid-wicket.

Ian Holland, who was preferred to Mason Crane, chopped on an attempted cut against Harmer, who had Gareth Berg caught behind with an off-break as fielders crowded the bat.

Chopra held on to another good catch - two handed low to his left at first slip – when Kyle Abbott nicked an attempted drive against Porter.

Bailey holed out in the following over - before Hampshire showed their quality with the ball, putting their total in a much more flattering context.

“That last hour and a half was outstanding," he said. "It was probably as well as we’ve bowled all year. 

“The partnerships were absolutely phenomenal, I can’t think of a loose ball. 
“They just had to fight for every run. We spoke about the new ball being key. 

“There’s been a little bit of nibble and I think the ball can soften up a little bit so it was important to make inroads during what was a hard time to bat in the last hour.”

Hampshire’s attack followed the example set by the champions.

“They bowl challenging lengths and that’s what we challenged our bowlers to do,” continued Bailey.

“We were expecting to be put in, it was a bit tacky underfoot and stayed that way all day.

“There’s still runs to be had but I think if you bowl really well it can be hard to score.”

Bailey admitted he and Vince were frustrated not to convert their half-centuries.

“We’ve had a lot of those sorts of innings throughout the year, it would have been nice for one of us to turn it into 130, 140 and the 250 into 350,” he continued.

“That’s where we need to get to, but given where the game’s at now, hopefully, they’re handy runs.”

SCORECARD
Hampshire first innings

J Weatherley lbw b Porter 8
JHK Adams lbw b Cook 0
TP Alsop † b Porter 34
JM Vince c †Foster b Cook 60
GJ Bailey (c) c Westley b Wagner 89
SM Ervine c Chopra b Harmer 11
LA Dawson b Porter 8
IG Holland b Harmer 11
GK Berg c †Foster b Harmer 14
KJ Abbott c Chopra b Porter 7
FH Edwards not out 0
Extras 12 (lb 8, nb 4)
TOTAL 254 all out (67.5 Overs)
     Bowling: JA Porter 17-3-53-4, SJ Cook 18-3-84-2, N Wagner    12.5-1-37-1, SR Harmer 12-1-47-3, RS Bopara 7-1-20-0, DW Lawrence 1-0-5-0    
     Fall of wickets:1-0 (JHK Adams, 1.5 ov), 2-14 (JJ Weatherley, 4.5 ov), 3-85 (TP Alsop, 20.4 ov), 4-121 (JM Vince, 33.1 ov), 5-144 (SM Ervine, 36.4 ov), 6-187 (LA Dawson, 49.6 ov), 7-214 (IG Holland, 56.4 ov), 8-243 (GK Berg, 63.2 ov), 9-254 (KJ Abbott, 66.6 ov), 10-254 (GJ Bailey, 67.5 ov).

Essex first innings
V Chopra b Abbott 5
NLJ Browne b Abbott 0
T Westley lbw b Edwards 6
DW Lawrence not out 8
RS Bopara b Berg 7
SJ Cook b Edwards 0
RN ten Doeschate (c) not out 6
Extras 1 (w 1)
TOTAL 33-5 (24 Overs)
     Yet to bat: JS Foster †, SR Harmer, N Wagner, JA Porter
     Bowling: FH Edwards 8-2-15-2, KJ Abbott 6-3-8-2, IG Holland 6-2-9-0, GK Berg 4-3-1-1
     Fall of wickets:1-1 (NLJ Browne, 1.5 ov), 2-12 (V Chopra, 5.4 ov), 3-12 (T Westley, 6.6 ov), 4-26 (RS Bopara, 20.1 ov), 5-26 (SJ Cook, 22.1 ov)