By grockle
May 22 2003

Matt Wood starts his first 2003 match and we mix and match with the bowlers we have. Two spinners and no Laraman or Johnson - is this the start of a bowling crisis - just as we get the batsmen sorted - specially Mr Cox!!

v HAMPSHIRE CC2 @ Rosebowl 21 May 2003

DAY ONE

DAY TWO

DAY THREE

DAY FOUR

Strange day, strange team - at least the bowling.  It suggests at least a couple of injury worries.  Matt Wood makes his first appearance of the season with the departure of Marcus Trescothick and both Johnson and Laraman are missing.  In comes Gareth Andrew who has impressed with the ball in the one day games (partly because he has been the one who looked like he might take a wicket in an insipid attack).   Nixon is back but the presence of Andrew suggests that Laraman has an injury and, at best Johnson is being rested - hands up all those who think that that's the case.   Two spinners?  I think it's more a case of no seamers - we'll have to see what happens on days three and four won't we?

Burnsy won the toss and decided to bat.  83 overs in the day because of bad light stopping play early and a big rain gap just after lunch.  We started badly and Matt's return was probably not the one he would have wanted.  First Peter B went after facing three balls and adding the same amount.  Burns didn't stay long either and 2 for 18 became 3 for 30 when Wood became the third victim with a back foot LBW.   Nothing new really.  Except the next bit.

Backbone from Mr Cox and some support from Bryant (18), who was run out before he started really, Blackwell (19) and Turner (11).  Nothing spectacular on what seems to have been a slow day.

Finally Dutch stayed around for much longer and allowed Cox to settle into a rhythm and go past three figures again.101 of over 230 balls and a final first day total of 224 off 83 - not exactly zooming along but still something to defend with 4 wickets to go.   It was one of those days in county cricket where little happens.  We got a few runs but nothing phenomenal and they got 6 wickets which they are probably happy with as well!