Kyle Abbott has Bears in trouble
A searing post-tea burst from Kyle Abbott put Hampshire in total command against Warwickshire on the second day of their County Championship clash at Edgbaston.
After Hampshire were lifted to a solid 354 by Tom Alsop’s classy, career-best 150, the home side advanced to 135-3 before South African paceman Abbott took three wickets for four runs in eight balls.
Suddenly, the follow-on figure of 204 was far from a formality for the hosts and they still have work to do to reach it, having closed day two on 184-7.
The injury-ravaged Bears were left leaning heavily on Dominic Sibley. The former Surrey opener, who has scored centuries in each of his previous five First Class matches, ended day two five short of another – unbeaten on 95.
In the morning session, Hampshire added 63 to their overnight 291-6. They advanced to 327 without further loss before Jeetan Patel took the last four wickets in 33 balls.
He finished with 6-94, his 35th First Class haul of five-or-more wickets, after Gareth Berg fired back a fierce return catch, Alsop skied to mid-off, Abbott played on and former Warwickshire player Keith Barker edged behind.
In reply, Warwickshire lost three wickets in the afternoon session.
After Will Rhodes edged an excellent ball from Abbot to second slip where Joe Weatherley took a smart catch, debutant Rob Yates’ first first-class innings was ended by a Liam Dawson.
Having opened his first-class account with a sumptuous cover-driven four off Abbott, Yates offered no stroke to Dawson’s second delivery only to see it turn in a long way to strike off-stump.
Sibley and Adam Hose began to rebuild but - having added 40 - they were separated in the last over before tea when Fidel Edwards speared a yorker through Hose’s defence.
Liam Banks settled alongside Sibley to add 47 in 17 overs but then came Abbott’s purple patch - a textbook example of aggressive, straight fast-bowling.
He bowled Banks through the gate then removed Alex Thomson, who offered no shot, and Tim Ambrose lbw with successive balls.
That left Warwickshire still 59 short of the follow-on figure with four wickets left.
Sibley and Craig Miles added 26 but Edwards, brought back just before the close, had the latter caught at short leg.
