Hampshire duo’s tons take game away from Bears
James Vince and Liam Dawson harvested merciless centuries as Hampshire piled pressure on Warwickshire on the third day of their Vitality County Championship match at Edgbaston.
Vince scored an unbeaten 166 (197 balls), his 29th first class century, and Dawson 120 (157), his 15th, in a sixth-wicket partnership of 255 in 53 overs as the visitors amassed 453 for six declared.
That set the home side a victory target of 498 in a day and 12 overs and Warwickshire reached 40 for one by the close. Both teams will enter the final day with a chance of victory, but a draw is much the likeliest outcome on a pitch that is flattening out by the hour.
It remains to be seen whether Hampshire’s pragmatic approach on the third day proves successful. They plumped for steady accumulation, only very belatedly showing some aggression after tea when Vince and Dawson were each past 100. That policy of attrition may well transpire to have asked too much of their bowlers to force victory in such batter-friendly conditions.
Warwickshire captain Alex Davies said: “It was a tough day. It was very hot day and the pitch is good now and very nice for batting on. The partnership between Vince and Dawson was massive. It just broke the back of our attack. The ball got soft and in that heat the fast bowlers can only bowl so many overs.”
