As Hampshire closed in on victory over Worcestershire, Liam Dawson scored his eighth fifty of the season and became the first player to return 50 wickets in a Vitality County Championship season.
Dawson, a spinning all-rounder, surpassed his previous season’s 49 wicket total by adding Kashif Ali and Adam Hose to his collection, bringing his total to 50. This year, no spinner in the nation has taken more wickets than Dawson.
In addition to his bowling prowess, Liam Dawson passed 50 times more than any other player in Division One in 2024.
With a 51-run innings that put Worcestershire 394 runs ahead to win, he moved to 907 runs overall. Even though the visitors were five wickets down and 277 runs shy of victory at the end of the day, Jake Libby remained unbeaten at 55.
After Surrey’s victory against Durham ended Hampshire’s unlikely title challenge and Worcestershire’s survival was assured, both teams are now simply competing for spots.
Despite Hampshire’s second innings being disorganised and unfluent, they managed to reach a point close to their intended target after choosing not to enforce the follow-on the night before.
Joe Leach’s skill with the nipping ball—he took three for 17, including six pressure-inducing maidens—was a major factor in the team’s struggle to score runs rapidly.
The 33-year-old demonstrated that he was still as skilled as ever by taking Hampshire’s top three wickets, even though none of them were outstanding dismissals. He will retire following next week’s match against Lancashire.
First innings double centurion Nick Gubbins was caught at slip after the ball looped off the wicketkeeper’s glove. Fletcha Middleton lasted four overs before being caught and bowled while playing across one. Toby Albert fell in the second over of the morning after being strangled down leg and caught behind.
Amar Virdi straightened one to pin Ben Brown, and Ben Brown swiftly followed, but James Vince was keeping the scoreboard moving with a 44 that was sometimes spectacular and often questionable.
While sweeping, Vince pulled Virdi onto his own stumps. However, following lunch, Tom Prest and Dawson came out with a clear-cut attacking strategy, which allowed them to quickly put up a 72-run partnership under a run-a-ball.
After making his first innings century and taking five wickets, Dawson made a fifty off 63 balls, but he was dismissed shortly afterward when Logan van Beek demolished his stumps.
After James Fuller swung behind, Prest was leg before Virdi when he was stranded on the crease, Kyle Abbott was bowled on the swing, and Felix Organ was run out following a strike confusion with Mo Abbas, Virdi was spared a second career 10-wicket haul. Things then became chaotic once more.
Gareth Roderick, facing a formidable but achievable aim, was dismissed by Abbott in the sixth over, demonstrating a lack of resolve compared to the first innings.
After playing for turn that didn’t arrive from Dawson, Kashif Ali went out of the game in the 14th over, then Vince made two excellent slip catches to remove Rob Jones and Adam Hose, the latter of whom was Dawson’s 50th wicket of the year.
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Jake Libby had resolutely fought to 49, but in his first attempt to cross the mark, he dismissed his partner Brett D’ Oliveira. Nevertheless, he ultimately achieved a 47th first-class fifty with a less hazardous walk-off single off 106 balls. At the close, Libby was still unblemished, and Ethan Brookes was holding on with him.
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