| LV= County Championship Group Two, The Ageas Bowl (day three) |
| Hampshire 470: Alsop 149, Holland 114, Dawson 65; Worrall 4-75, Higgins 4-78 |
| Gloucestershire 320: Higgins 73, Bracey 65, Brathwaite 60; Abbas 4-41 & 14-0 |
| Gloucestershire (3 pts) trail Hampshire (4 pts) by 136 runs |
| Scorecard |
Hampshire’s bowlers gave them hope of beating Gloucestershire as they enforced the follow-on.
In a dramatic final-session collapse, the visitors dismissed for 320 as spinners Liam Dawson and Mason Crane took five wickets between them.
Ryan Higgins’ 73 frustrated Hampshire, but the visitors lost their final five wickets for just 37 runs to fall one run short of avoiding batting again.
Gloucestershire reached stumps on 14-0, still 136 runs behind the hosts.
Having resumed on 114-2, Tom Lace and James Bracey withstood some testing bowling from Kyle Abbott and Mohammed Abbas in the first hour.
But Lace, having played with great restraint, edged a rare wide delivery from Abbas behind to Lewis McManus for 20.
Bracey played beautifully for his 65 but had his stumps rattled by an Abbas ball to which he offered no shot in a rare lapse of judgement in his four-hour stay at the crease.
Ian Cockbain was bowled by Abbas (4-41) for 24 after lunch before Higgins and Hankins guided their side to tea at 271-5 – with the draw looking the most likely outcome.
But Crane (3-70) then took three quick wickets, trapping Hankins lbw for 31, rattling the stumps of Higgins after he bottom-edged an attempted sweep and dismissing Dan Worrall.
Dawson toiled away for 41 overs and had the reward his efforts deserved when he dismissed Josh Shaw and Matt Taylor to mop up the innings and finish with 3-80.
Kraigg Brathwaite and Chris Dent survived the last six overs before the close, but Gloucestershire face a difficult task on the final day.
Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson:
“We had a chat in the changing room and we weren’t sure what to do, then we got those wickets from Mason Crane.
“We knew their middle order that, if we got them four or five down, there is a lot of inexperience there. That can play a massive part if we get a few early wickets.
“It’s a strange pitch. Some days it goes through periods where it spins quite sharply and others where it goes really dead. We kept fighting, controlled the run rate and were pleased we could make them follow on.”
Gloucestershire all-rounder Ryan Higgins:
“It would have been nice not to have to follow on but we are 130 behind and one day to go in the game.
“The wicket hasn’t been that responsive to the bowlers at this point so we are not in the worst place.
“It could be worse. We just have to show the fight again.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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