Bitter blow for Hants as Cummins takes five

OUR CORRESPONDENT

reports from Southampton

Hampshire 192 West Indies 135-1

Anderson Cummins responded to his call-up to the injury-depleted West Indies squad by taking five Hampshire wickets in the Tetley Bitter Challenge match. Cummins, who has been playing in the Kent League, took 5 for 60 from 17 overs after Hampshire had elected to bat and were all out for 192 in 62 overs.

The West Indies rested their fast bowlers Ian Bishop, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Kenny Benjamin with the sixth Test at the Oval looming, drafting in Cummins and Phil Simmons as replacements.

For Hampshire, only John Stephenson and later Martin Thursfield offered any prolonged resistance. Stephenson and Adrian Aymes put on 50 for the sixth wicket and Thursfield and Cardigan Connor made 50 for the ninth.

Simmons, who has been playing in the Lancashire League, opened the West Indies innings with Sherwin Campbell and put on 45 in 12 overs before Simmons was caught in the covers by Matthew Keech off Thursfield.

Keith Arthurton then joined Campbell in an unbroken stand of 90 for the second wicket. Campbell reached his 50 from 74 deliveries and soon afterwards became the first West Indian to reach 1,000 first-class runs on the tour. At the close he was 76 not out.