Hampshire 2017 thread

[st_brendy]

Fidel could have had RTD three times in that over.

Dropped catches?

For once with us, no.

One was an LBW shout, one beat the bat, and one was edged just out of Alsop's reach.

A cynic would say today and last week is Fidel playing for a new contract. A non-cynic would say today and last week is Fidel when he's fit and has overs under his belt.

[budgetmeansbudget]

I'd say a bit of both.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Good start, Abbott gets Lawrence, 40/6.

Looks like a bowlers day, low light levels.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Three lbws bowled Abbott take the score to 75/9.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Enforce the follow on?

[budgetmeansbudget]

Enforce the follow on?

Yep.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Should have batted!

[haggishants]

Let's hope this isn't a replay of 1992.... http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHI ... N1992.html

[budgetmeansbudget]

It's looking that way.

I can understand why they did enforce the follow on, but Essex aren't the Champions for no reason, and they fully intend to defend their unbeaten record.

[andy]

This is why we are champions...great fightback! Young Lawrence leading the way...good to see Ravi knuckling down too!

[st_brendy]

This isn't me saying it with hindsight. I would never have enforced the FO. It was always the most likely way of letting Essex back into the match. Why would we want to risk having to chase 150 or 200 or 250 against the best bowling attack in the division? The match wasn't even four sessions old, so it's not like the lack of time dictated that had to enforce it (even if the weather tomorrow is apparently a bit iffy).

Win the game, and we quite possibly finish the season in second place. Our highest finish in years. But lose the game, and suddenly we're in all sorts of trouble potentially.

I could take losing this game through Essex chasing down 350 or 400 to win. Fair play to them. But losing this game having handed them the advantage, we'd only have ourselves to blame.

But hey, they are only 30 ahead and crucially the new ball is only six overs away. Break this partnership before the new ball, and we still might get away with only needing to chase down 70 or 80.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Doesn't look like much play after lunch tomorrow, and Friday looks like a sunny day, so maybe better for batting.

Hopefully Essex have used up a good chunk of their good fortune in their current partnership, 45 play and misses apparently, so still plenty of help for the bowlers, and a new ball around the corner tomorrow morning.

Apparently the decision to follow on wasn't clear cut, but they decided that Essex were in a hole, and they thought they could keep them in it.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Looks like the rain is coming earlier than forecast.

Bad light delaying the start but will probably be followed by the wet stuff.

[st_brendy]

Subject to tomorrow being clear, losing today works to our advantage in my view (should it come to that).

Either we skittle through the rest of the Essex batting line-up, meaning they set us very little. In which case one day of play is sufficient for that action to take place.

Or Essex bat for quite a lot longer, meaning they set us something a bit challenging. In which case one day is play is insufficient for them to potentially bowl us out before we reach that target. (And as I say, a draw is not a bad result for us - indeed, it would mathematically keep us up, if Somerset and Middlesex both lose - albeit the latter have started well today).

[budgetmeansbudget]

Carnage at Lords this morning, looks like a Middx win right now.

Somerset look like they are unlikely to win, which is something.

Warwickshire also level with Yorkshire with nine second innings wickets left.