Cricket

Hampshire's Vitality County Championship clash against Warwickshire slowed to a glacial pace on day two at Utilita Bowl, despite Liam Dawson's impressive five-wicket haul.Dawson, who had five five-fors last year, now has double that number after chipping away at the Bears on a flat pitch. His five for 146 stopped Warwickshire at 455, but Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins unhurriedly scored half-centuries in reply.The duo put on 124 together for the unbroken second wicket to get Hampshire to 140 for one - 315 behind the visitors - at the end of the day.Warwickshire resumed to find a pitch that had become slow and harder to score quickly on, but equally tricky to find breakthroughs with the ball. Nightwatchman Danny Briggs kept Dan Mousley company for almost an hour, in a 46-run stand.Dawson eventually bowled Briggs, but Warwickshire fell nine runs short of 400 in their quest for a fourth batting point. The switch back to Dukes balls hasn't seen a marked difference, but Hampshire did get through five balls during their bowling effort.Mousley was given a life on 32 when Ben Brown couldn't stump him quickly enough, but Tom Prest's leg-side line tactic had him bowled three balls later. Jacob Bethell got a start before chasing Mohammad Abbas outside off stump only to edge to Brown.Either side of lunch, Hasan Ali chipped Dawson to mid-on, before Michael Burgess returned from the interval to lose his middle stump to a nip-backer from James Fuller. Dawson ended the innings when Olly Hannon-Dalby advanced, swung and was castled.Hannon-Dalby was rhythmic, accurate and impossible for Ali Orr to get in against. Orr managed one boundary but otherwise was pinned down against the tall seamer for 22 balls before he was lbw.Gubbins almost followed Orr straight back to the pavilion but was spilled at second slip, before he and Middleton found a defensive groove. It was rarely an attractive watch from either batter, but none of the seven bowlers used by Warwickshire could find a chink in their defenses.Middleton was the fastest to fifty in 129 balls, while Gubbins followed him there in 104 balls. The duo serenely reached close in the spring sun, with Gubbins ending the day on 67 and Middleton on 61.

Warwickshire's Alex Davies continued his remarkable run-scoring form, smashing a magnificent century to lead his team to a dominant position against Hampshire on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash.Davies, who has already amassed 441 runs this season, anchored Warwickshire's innings with a masterful 149, guiding his side to a formidable 340 for 4 at the close of play. The Bears' skipper has now scored over 60% of his total runs from 2023 in just three innings.Partnering Davies were Rob Yates and Will Rhodes, who contributed valuable knocks of 69 and 81 respectively. Yates and Davies resumed their partnership from last week's epic 343-run stand against Worcestershire, putting on 114 before lunch.Despite Abbott's early struggles, Hampshire's bowlers failed to make significant inroads. Davies and Rhodes combined for a 174-run partnership, with Davies reaching his half-century in 82 deliveries and his century in 166 balls.Rhodes, who has taken over the captaincy from Davies, played a more subdued role but steadily accumulated runs. His half-century came off 97 balls.Davies' innings came to an end when he edged Dawson to James Vince at first slip. A new ball soon after saw Abbas trap Rhodes lbw, while Ed Barnard was dismissed by Dawson to give Hampshire a glimmer of hope.However, Warwickshire's batting dominance was evident throughout the day, with only 22 plays and misses recorded. The Bears will resume on day two with a commanding lead and will be confident of extending their advantage.

Durham's valiant resistance against Warwickshire's mammoth total of 698 for 3 declared fell short on the third day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Edgbaston. Despite a determined rearguard action, Durham was bowled out for 517, trailing by 169 runs and facing a follow-on.Alex Lees led the Durham charge with a gritty 145 off 240 balls, while Ben Raine contributed a valuable 93 off 125 deliveries. Graham Clark (76) and Ollie Robinson (60) also made significant contributions, but Warwickshire's depleted attack, led by off-spinner Rob Yates, chipped away at the Durham batting lineup.Yates claimed a career-best four for 137, including the wickets of Clark and Raine. Will Rhodes and Olly Hannon-Dalby also played key roles, with Rhodes dismissing Lees and Hannon-Dalby removing the dangerous Matt Potts.Trailing by 181 runs on first innings, Durham closed day three on 12 for two, with the daunting task of batting out day four to avoid defeat. The pitch has proven to be relatively benign, with only 15 wickets falling in three days.The match has been characterized by high-scoring innings, with both teams boasting multiple individual three-figure scores. Durham's first innings featured four centuries, while Warwickshire's first innings included six.Despite the setback, Durham remains hopeful of salvaging a draw. The pitch is expected to continue to offer little assistance to the bowlers, and the visitors will need to dig deep and show the same resilience they displayed on day three.

Warwickshire's openers, Rob Yates and Alex Davies, tormented Durham on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship Division One clash at Edgbaston, amassing a mammoth 490 for one.Despite Durham's decision to bowl first, Yates and Davies ruthlessly exploited the flat pitch and Kookaburra ball, piling on 343 runs for the opening wicket. It marked the second-highest championship opening stand for Warwickshire.Yates, in particular, showcased his stylish strokeplay, hitting 25 fours and five sixes in his 191-run knock. Davies, the captain, displayed immense discipline and concentration, posting an unbeaten 226 with 25 fours and three sixes.Durham's bowling attack, featuring three debutants, struggled to contain the Warwickshire onslaught. Scott Boland, Callum Parkinson, and Colin Ackermann combined for just one wicket for 220 runs.Warwickshire's dominance continued after lunch, with Davies reaching his maiden double-century and Will Rhodes contributing an unbeaten 60. The pair added 147 runs in the final 34 overs of the day.Durham's decision to bowl first raised eyebrows, given the favorable batting conditions at Edgbaston. The visitors must now regroup and find a way to break through Warwickshire's formidable batting lineup.