Hampshire’s Century Hopes Dashed by Lancashire Fightback
Hampshire’s hopes of securing a victory over relegation-threatened Lancashire were dashed on the first day of their Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. Despite a century from Fletcha Middleton and a solid partnership with Nick Gubbins, Hampshire could only manage a score of 330 for 9 at the close of play.
Middleton’s second century of the season, a 173-ball knock with 13 fours, and Gubbins’ 75 helped Hampshire establish a strong position at 158 for 1 in the mid-afternoon. However, Lancashire’s bowlers fought back admirably, taking six wickets in the evening session to leave the visitors in a precarious position.
Tom Aspinwall and Luke Wells were the most successful bowlers for Lancashire, claiming three wickets each. Aspinwall’s wickets included the crucial dismissals of Brown and Prest, while Wells accounted for Gubbins, Middleton, and Turner.
Hampshire’s skipper, James Vince, made a brief appearance at the crease but was dismissed for just five runs. Ben Brown and James Fuller also made contributions, but their innings were cut short by Aspinwall and George Balderson, respectively.
Liam Dawson remained unbeaten on 46, hitting a six and a four off the last two balls of the day to give Hampshire a glimmer of hope. However, Lancashire will be confident of securing a positive result on the second day, with Hampshire’s batting lineup depleted and the pitch offering assistance to their bowlers.
