Cricket: Hampshire stand firm

Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172-7

Notts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148-9

Hampshire win by 24 runs

THERE was sadly little substance to the main Nottinghamshire batting when they set out to try and score 173 to beat Hampshire in the Sunday League here yesterday. Nottinghamshire made 148 for 9 from their 40 overs and Hampshire won by 24 runs.

The ball moved around off the seam all day and Hampshire's relatively small score was always going to take some getting. In the end, Hampshire's seam bowling was altogether tighter and more searching than Nottinghamshire's had been earlier.

Hampshire had themselves been given an excellent start by Tony Middleton and Paul Terry, who put on 86 for the first wicket. Terry was the only batsman all day to play with any real authority. He made 69 from 81 balls but after he had got into a muddle with Kevan James the middle order fell apart.

Nottinghamshire made a disastrous start. Derek Randall off- drove the first ball of the innings from Cardigan Connor for four but when he drove at a wide one from James in the second over he was extremely well caught by Raj Maru at backward point.

Mark Crawley then drove James to short extra cover and the score became 39 for 3 when Tim Robinson could only push James gently to short mid-wicket. James bowled his eight overs straight off and took 3 for 25 in an excellent spell.

When Malcolm Marshall came on he removed Paul Johnson and Wayne Dessaur in quick succession and when Chris Cairns was lbw pushing at Maru from the crease, Nottinghamshire were 63 for 6 in the 23rd over and without hope.

The loss of three wickets for 11 runs in the closing stages could not prevent Somerset overhauling a modest Derbyshire total of 160 for 9 at Taunton. Andy Hayhurst's 54 and Chris Tavare's 33 had apparently set up a comfortable victory for the home side but they were taken to the final over, bowled by Allan Warner, before wrapping it up.