- Only the two games in this game week
- Hampshire v Somerset
- Warwickshire v Essex
The third round of the County Championship started today with only the two games being played in this round. Leaders Somerset travel along the coast to Southampton to face Hampshire, and Warwickshire play host to Essex.
Hampshire v Somerset
Jake Lehmann scored 76 to rescue Hampshire after they chose to bat first against league leaders Somerset, while opener Toby Albert contributed 42—the only other notable score as the rest of the batting lineup struggled.
Craig Overton (3-50) and Lewis Gregory (3-45) each took three wickets for Somerset. The pair struck just as Hampshire began to build momentum.
Somerset’s innings started badly as Josh Thomas was out for a second ball duck, but Archie Vaughan (32) and Tom Lammonby (14) settled things down a little.
However Somerset found themselves 74-3 when James Rew and Tom Abell came together to steer Somerset to within 84 runs of a first innings lead with seven wicket remaining.
Only Kyle Abbott (1-46), Codi Yusuf (1-45) and Sonny Baker (1-18) have broken through for Hampshire as they will look to make inroads in the morning.
You can read the full scorecard here
Warwickshire v Essex
Rain brought play to a premature end at Edgbaston, with Warwickshire 113-7 after being put into bat by Essex.
The Bears have lost wickets steadily through the day with very little resistance, except for Sam Hain, who is playing in his 300th match for Warwickshire. Hain is 44*, and with the next best being 14 by Beau Webster, there hasn’t been much to cheer.
The Essex bowling has been exceptional today, using the conditions to help them. Jamie Porter took 4-36 off 11 overs, with Sam Cook (1-20), Shane Snater (1-30) and Zaman Akhter (1-19) also in the wickets.
Warwickshire, on the back of that loss to Sussex in the last game, will want to start strong in the morning, so they can get themselves into the game.
You can read the full scorecard here
Stay up to date with all the latest County Championship news at readcricket.com
