Pears strike late against Hants on rain-affected day
Worcestershire struck two late blows after Hampshire's batters had laid a solid foundation on a truncated first day of their County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Hampshire, in search of their first championship victory since mid-May, closed on 146 for two having reached 127 without loss before losing openers Fletcha Middleston (79, 101 balls) and Joe Weatherley (62, 130) in a late burst of play in poor light.They were blows badly needed by Worcestershire, bottom of Division One and desperate for a win to sustain their slender hopes of survival.After a wet outfield prevented play before lunch, the home side chose to bowl in conditions still damp from morning rain, but the assistance for the seamers they hoped for did not materialise. Pakistan pace spearhead Khurram Shahzad was expensive as Weatherley and Middleton put 50 on the board by the 14th over.The Winchester-born openers were little troubled by a Worcestershire attack bruised by last week's heartbreaking defeat to neighbours Warwickshire. Having dominated the first half of the match at Edgbaston, the Pears suffered a devastating defeat as Warwickshire chased down 393 on the last day.Back on home turf, the Worcestershire attack, with Matthew Waite returning from paternity leave in place of Sussex loanee Bertie Foreman, again toiled. Middleton hurried to his half-century from 51 balls and Weatherley followed to his from 103.The openers were looking forward to a productive evening session only for the rain to return during the tea interval and prevent play until a late resumption at 6pm. Hampshire's openers ventured back out with little to gain and everything to lose – and the home side took advantage of the murky, moist conditions. Middleton edged Tom Taylor to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick, who took a superb catch in front of first slip, and Weatherly edged Ben Allison to Ethan Brookes at second slip.The wickets were an unwelcome postscript to a hitherto excellent day for Hampshire but they have still set down a solid platform from which to push for a victory that would lift them away from the relegation zone – and pretty much sentence Worcestershire to end the season in it.
ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Surrey boost title ambitions after taking back control at Durham
Surrey, resuming on 182 for five after bowling Durham out for 153 on the opening day, made 322 with Dan Lawrence and Jordan Clark leading the way with 88 and 82 respectively. Durham reached 222 for five at the close – a lead of 53 – with firm resistance from Emilio Gay, who fell one short of a century on 99. That's stumps in Chester-le-Street. 🏏 Durham end on 222/5, leading 53 runs. A terrific effort from the boys! 🤎 | #SurreyCricket — Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 30, 2025 Colin Ackermann went for 43 just before the close as Sai Kahore's two wickets gave Surrey hope of a fourth victory of the season. Second-placed Nottinghamshire's hopes of staying in touch with the leaders were boosted by skipper Haseeb Hameed's century at Trent Bridge. Responding to Somerset's 438 all out, Hameed made his third hundred of the season with his unbeaten 103 from 179 balls taking him past the 1,000 run mark this summer. Freddie McCann chipped in with 48 and Joe Clarke was undefeated on 26 as Nottinghamshire closed on 189 for two. Arise, skipper! Our Club Captain goes to a third century of the summer and in doing so, hits the momentous milestone of 1,000 Rothesay County Championship runs in 2025. Notts are 190-2 late on the second day.#NOTvSOM | 📺 — Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) July 30, 2025 Essex made a massive 602 for six against Warwickshire with bowlers short of joy on a batting-friendly pitch at Chelmsford. Centuries from Charlie Allison (133) and Michael Pepper (107 not out) added to Tom Westley's 148. Warwickshire also made hay with the bat to close on 140 for two as skipper Alex Davies made 58, with Dan Mousley unbeaten on 54. Yorkshire established a first-innings lead over Sussex at Scarborough after bowling out the visitors for 222. Jack White was the pick of the bowlers with three for 25 from 19 overs as the wickets were shared around. Adam Lyth (115 from 233 balls) and James Wharton (85 from 130) shared a 168-run partnership for the third wicket, and Yorkshire will resume play on day three 292 for four – a lead of 70. "I ain't stopping any time soon" 💙 Adam Lyth reacts to another Scarborough century and his third successive 1,000+ run season. — Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) July 30, 2025 Worcestershire are 106 runs adrift of Hampshire at the halfway stage with eight first-innings wickets left at New Road. The visitors were dismissed for 293 after Tom Prest's 54 and it looked an unsatisfactory score after the hosts reached 187 for two. Jake Libby (70 not out) and Adam Hose (82 not out) were defiant with an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 126. In Division Two, James Anderson celebrated his 43rd birthday with two Glamorgan second-innings wickets but the Welsh county are on top at Emirates Old Trafford. Glamorgan dismissed the hosts for 137 as leg spinner Mason Crane recorded career-best figures of six for 19 and the Red Rose county lost their last eight wickets for 64. 🎥 @jimmy9 struck twice in an over early in the Glamorgan second innings, dismissing ul Hassan and Tribe. The visitors have since reached 60-2 from 15 overs, leading by 184 runs. 🌹 #RedRoseTogether — Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) July 30, 2025 Anderson gave Lancashire hope by bowling Zain ul Hassan and claiming a catch off his own delivery to dismiss Asa Tribe. But Kiran Carlson (43 not out) and skipper Sam Northeast (26 not out) steadied the ship and Glamorgan lead by 219. Leaders Leicestershire reached 471 against Kent thanks to an incredible last-wicket stand of 108 between Tom Scriven and Josh Hull. Scriven made a career-best 99 as the Foxes secured maximum batting bonus points at Canterbury. Matt Parkinson took seven for 137 to record his best first-class for Kent and the hosts closed on 203 for three as Ben Compton made an unbeaten 101. What a performance by @masoncrane32 🌪️ The second spinner to record career best figures in the match, his effort handed @GlamCricket a crucial first-innings lead 💪#CountyChamp — PCA (@PCA) July 30, 2025 New Zealand batter Kane Williamson scored 153 to steer Middlesex to 445 at Cheltenham, with Gloucestershire 54 for one in reply. Martin Andersson was Derbyshire's mainstay with 105 in their 377 against Northamptonshire. After slipping to 154 for five, George Bartlett (60 not out) and Justin Broad (64 not out) coaxed Northamptonshire to 265 for five, 112 adrift.
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
David Gray names Hibs three stars who can fill Nectar Triantis void
The midfielder return to the Stadium of Light after impressing on loan at Easter Road David Gray insists Hibs can be proud of the platform they gave Nectar Triantis after all but confirming that the midfielder will not be returning to Easter Road. The Leith side were desperate to bring back the 22-year-old following the success of his loan stint from Sunderland last season. Even if the Sydney-born player does not get the chance to feature for the Black Cats in the Premier League, Triantis wants a fresh challenge with clubs from the English Championship, MLS and mainland European all interested. And despite facing a losing battle in his bid to re-sign Triantis as Hibs prepare for tonight's crunch second leg against Midtjylland, Gray insists there are no hard feelings. He said: 'We've also been very clear that it's not just Nectar Triantis, we can't put everything into one position or one player. 'So the hard work has been going on and whilst it was still a potential opportunity, you'd always look to try and explore it because of how well he'd done. 'But it was always going to be that with it being his second loan spell here, how well he'd done, his parent club getting promoted and what his situation was going to be. 'He was a pleasure to work with, that was one of the reasons why we wanted to bring him back in the first place. 'He's a real humble, hard working boy that's constantly trying to improve all the time and as a coach that's what you want as a dream to work with. 'I'm the head coach I've judged every week at 5 o'clock and what the result is, that's the immediate job is to win games of football. 'But my job title and my first thing is to make sure I improve every single player every day if you can, and make sure every player feels like they're improving all the time. 'Nector's a positive example of someone who came in, found a new position and has certainly improved over 12 months and that's a lot of hard work from everybody involved and the group of players he's working with.' And Gray insists he will not necessarily need a like-for-like replacement with midfielders Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan having already arrived this summer. He added: 'We've got a lot of quality in there currently in the building which is great. 'We've added to that as well with Jamie and Josh that can play centrally and still got Joe Newell to come back, he's someone that's been out for a significant period.'
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Surrey boost title ambitions after taking back control at Durham
Surrey, resuming on 182 for five after bowling Durham out for 153 on the opening day, made 322 with Dan Lawrence and Jordan Clark leading the way with 88 and 82 respectively. Durham reached 222 for five at the close – a lead of 53 – with firm resistance from Emilio Gay, who fell one short of a century on 99. That's stumps in Chester-le-Street. 🏏 Durham end on 222/5, leading 53 runs. A terrific effort from the boys! 🤎 | #SurreyCricket — Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 30, 2025 Colin Ackermann went for 43 just before the close as Sai Kahore's two wickets gave Surrey hope of a fourth victory of the season. Second-placed Nottinghamshire's hopes of staying in touch with the leaders were boosted by skipper Haseeb Hameed's century at Trent Bridge. Responding to Somerset's 438 all out, Hameed made his third hundred of the season with his unbeaten 103 from 179 balls taking him past the 1,000 run mark this summer. Freddie McCann chipped in with 48 and Joe Clarke was undefeated on 26 as Nottinghamshire closed on 189 for two. Arise, skipper! Our Club Captain goes to a third century of the summer and in doing so, hits the momentous milestone of 1,000 Rothesay County Championship runs in 2025. Notts are 190-2 late on the second day.#NOTvSOM | 📺 — Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) July 30, 2025 Essex made a massive 602 for six against Warwickshire with bowlers short of joy on a batting-friendly pitch at Chelmsford. Centuries from Charlie Allison (133) and Michael Pepper (107 not out) added to Tom Westley's 148. Warwickshire also made hay with the bat to close on 140 for two as skipper Alex Davies made 58, with Dan Mousley unbeaten on 54. Yorkshire established a first-innings lead over Sussex at Scarborough after bowling out the visitors for 222. Jack White was the pick of the bowlers with three for 25 from 19 overs as the wickets were shared around. Adam Lyth (115 from 233 balls) and James Wharton (85 from 130) shared a 168-run partnership for the third wicket, and Yorkshire will resume play on day three 292 for four – a lead of 70. "I ain't stopping any time soon" 💙 Adam Lyth reacts to another Scarborough century and his third successive 1,000+ run season. — Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) July 30, 2025 Worcestershire are 106 runs adrift of Hampshire at the halfway stage with eight first-innings wickets left at New Road. The visitors were dismissed for 293 after Tom Prest's 54 and it looked an unsatisfactory score after the hosts reached 187 for two. Jake Libby (70 not out) and Adam Hose (82 not out) were defiant with an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 126. In Division Two, James Anderson celebrated his 43rd birthday with two Glamorgan second-innings wickets but the Welsh county are on top at Emirates Old Trafford. Glamorgan dismissed the hosts for 137 as leg spinner Mason Crane recorded career-best figures of six for 19 and the Red Rose county lost their last eight wickets for 64. 🎥 @jimmy9 struck twice in an over early in the Glamorgan second innings, dismissing ul Hassan and Tribe. The visitors have since reached 60-2 from 15 overs, leading by 184 runs. 🌹 #RedRoseTogether — Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) July 30, 2025 Anderson gave Lancashire hope by bowling Zain ul Hassan and claiming a catch off his own delivery to dismiss Asa Tribe. But Kiran Carlson (43 not out) and skipper Sam Northeast (26 not out) steadied the ship and Glamorgan lead by 219. Leaders Leicestershire reached 471 against Kent thanks to an incredible last-wicket stand of 108 between Tom Scriven and Josh Hull. Scriven made a career-best 99 as the Foxes secured maximum batting bonus points at Canterbury. Matt Parkinson took seven for 137 to record his best first-class for Kent and the hosts closed on 203 for three as Ben Compton made an unbeaten 101. What a performance by @masoncrane32 🌪️ The second spinner to record career best figures in the match, his effort handed @GlamCricket a crucial first-innings lead 💪#CountyChamp — PCA (@PCA) July 30, 2025 New Zealand batter Kane Williamson scored 153 to steer Middlesex to 445 at Cheltenham, with Gloucestershire 54 for one in reply. Martin Andersson was Derbyshire's mainstay with 105 in their 377 against Northamptonshire. After slipping to 154 for five, George Bartlett (60 not out) and Justin Broad (64 not out) coaxed Northamptonshire to 265 for five, 112 adrift.
