County Championship: Hampshire hold out for draw against Somerset
Last updated on .From the section Counties
| LV= County Championship Division One, Taunton |
| Hampshire 240 & 411-4: Adams 136, Vince 77, Carberry 56, Smith 50 |
| Somerset 630-9 dec: Trescothick 153, Abell 131; Dawson 5-139 |
| Somerset draw with Hampshire |
| Hampshire 7 pts, Somerset 13 pts |
| Match scorecard |
A half-century from Will Smith helped Hampshire complete a rearguard effort to draw with Somerset at Taunton.
Resuming their second innings still 132 runs behind, Hampshire had plenty of batting to do to salvage the game and maintain their survival hopes.
Overnight centurion Jimmy Adams and captain James Vince fell before lunch to keep the hosts on top at 314-3.
But Smith and Liam Dawson (44 not out) shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 72 to help the visitors to 411-4.
Both sides shook hands early to settle for a draw, which had looked highly unlikely after the second day.
Hampshire had to claw back a first innings deficit of 390 as Marcus Trescothick and Tom Abell struck centuries in a mammoth total of 630-9 declared.
The result means second-from-bottom Hampshire trail Somerset by 11 points in the race to avoid relegation from Division One. Both sides have two matches left to play.
Hampshire face champions Yorkshire at home before a final week trip to Nottinghamshire, while Somerset travel to fellow strugglers Sussex before hosting Warwickshire.
Hampshire captain James Vince told BBC Radio Solent:
"After the way we started the game, we're delighted to come away with a draw.
"It was not the ideal start the way we batted in the first innings and they batted really well.
"Everyone who had the opportunity (in the second innings), applied themselves really well and there's some good confidence from an individual point of view as well.
"There's two big games to come. One win, maybe two, depending on other results can get us over the line and hopefully we can stay up."
