Hampshire’s hopes of avoiding defeat against reigning champions Surrey dwindled on the third day of their Vitality County Championship clash at the Kia Oval. Despite battling through a rain-affected day, Hampshire still trail by 92 runs with five wickets remaining in their second innings.
Resuming on 31 for 2, Hampshire lost three top-order wickets in quick succession. Nick Gubbins was caught behind off Dan Worrall, while Tom Prest and James Vince fell to Gus Atkinson and Kemar Roach respectively. Vince, who had shown resilience and quality in his innings of 26, was particularly crucial for Hampshire.
The early wickets left Hampshire in a precarious position at 87 for 5. However, Liam Dawson (18 not out) and Ben Brown (7 not out) showed some resistance in the final overs, seeing out the day with Surrey’s seamers still in control.
The day’s play was significantly impacted by rain. Heavy overnight rain ruled out any cricket before lunch, while further showers in the afternoon delayed the start of play. When play finally commenced at 4.30pm, Hampshire faced an uphill battle against Surrey’s formidable pace attack.
Worrall struck early, removing Gubbins with just ten balls bowled. Prest, who had been dropped on 22, added only one run before being caught by Ollie Pope. Vince’s dismissal to Roach was a major blow for Hampshire, as he had been their most reliable batsman in the second innings.
Despite the setbacks, Hampshire showed some fight in the face of adversity. Prest and Vince had put on a gritty 46-run stand, while Dawson and Brown showed some resilience in the final overs. However, Hampshire still face a significant challenge to avoid defeat on the final day.
