Somerset’s batting collapse contrasts with Hampshire’s decision to avoid follow-on in County Championship

Keith Barker Shines as Hampshire Takes Control

In a stunning display of skill, left arm seamer Keith Barker blew Somerset away with his first County Championship five-wicket haul of the season. After a lackluster start to the red-ball campaign, where he only managed to take 14 wickets in eight matches, Barker’s outstanding performance saw him claim figures of 5-32 and dismiss Somerset for just 137 runs.

Somerset was not without its moments though. Andy Umeed showcased his talent with a solid knock of 43 runs, following Jack Brooks’ remarkable five-wicket haul earlier in the season. However, their hopes for victory were dealt a significant blow.

A Dominant Lead for Hampshire

Despite already holding a commanding lead of 171 runs over Somerset, Hampshire decided to bat again. In an evening session marked by cautious play and careful shot selection, they reached an impressive total of 45 without loss in just under two dozen overs. This extended their overall lead to a formidable score of 216 runs.

Barker’s Brilliance Triggers Collapse

The early dismissal came when Sean Dickson was brilliantly caught at third slip by James Vince off Barker’s delivery in the third over. Tom Lammonby and Tom Abell then steadied the ship for Somerset with a partnership worth more than an hour either side of lunch.

The duo put on an encouraging stand of 51 runs, but their hopes were dashed when Abell was given out lbw to Barker. This sparked a sudden collapse for Somerset, with the score plummeting from 51-1 to a dismal 67-5. Sadly, Somerset never fully recovered from this setback.

Barker Bounces Back

Keith Barker’s performance in the County Championship has been underwhelming thus far due to missed matches caused by fractured hands sustained during batting practice early on. However, his impressive tally of 10 wickets in six One-Day Cup matches served as a warm-up for the final month of the season.

In today’s match against Somerset, Barker took full advantage of Lammonby’s mistimed shot and trapped Tom Kohler-Cadmore lbw. He continued his successful spell by taking James Rew’s wicket off Liam Dawson’s bowling and dismissing Lewis Gregory through an inside edge that crashed into the stumps.

The relentless onslaught ended with Ben Green edging behind off Kyle Abbott and Neil Wagner being clean bowled by Barker himself. The efforts of Umeed – fresh from scoring an outstanding total of 613 runs in the One-Day Cup – could not save Somerset as he was eventually stumped after reaching an admirable individual score of 43 runs.

Hampshire’s Dominance Continues

Despite facing a significant first-innings deficit of 171 runs, Hampshire captain James Vince opted not to enforce the follow-on against Somerset. Toby Albert and Fletcha Middleton followed batsman Liam Dawson’s advice to bat carefully in order to accumulate more runs.

This strategy resulted in an uneventful end-of-day session where only Wagner attempted any aggressive play on a pitch ill-suited for such tactics. It ultimately made for a dull conclusion to day two at the Ageas Bowl.

Brooks’ Impressive Performance

Prior to Barker’s heroics, Jack Brooks showcased his skill at the Ageas Bowl by taking two early wickets and bringing his total tally at the venue to an impressive 21 dismissals in just four matches. With figures of 5-56, this marked Brooks’ third five-wicket haul on the ground and his first in this season’s County Championship.

Hampshire added a modest 26 runs to their overnight score before being bowled out for a total of 308 runs. The dismissal of Kyle Abbott was a key moment as it sealed Brooks’ five-wicket haul for the match.