Window Cleaner

Batting looks hazardous again this morning.Pinned down again, Weatherly caught at slip, Holland dropped at slip a few balls later.

Provided that he can adapt to English conditions yes, looks handy from the video clip on the OS. That said Handscombe looks a right old duffer with the willow on English Spring wickets. Still, wickets later inthe season should improve.

Hope that the weather holds up for you then. Bonus week, football on Tuesday, I assume that you'll be going and cricket from Thursday to Sunday. I see that we've signed an Australian batsman who bowls a bit for the T20. Only 7 home matches though, why aren't there at least 8 as there are 18 county sides?

Holland and Weatherly looking solid so far, keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Might finish today.

Hopefully not, don't want to see any swishing outside of the off stump. they'd probably do that if they need 66 from about 32 overs. Wicket looks realy, really difficult to bat on.

Right. Hants need 66 to win in about 130 overs, rain permitting. Can't possibly cock this up surely.

5 in front, 4 down...

Middlesex 3 down for less than 30 would be a great start, t'were it Hampshire it would be far more likely. Still at least we managed to recover a bit from the catastrophic start, thanks to Vince and Barker. Don't think the rest, including extras, made 60 between them.

When you look at the number of our runs that are scored behind the wicket it's no real wonder that our batting is so fragile. What was Dawson thinking? 67/4 and he has to have a one day slash outside of the off stump.

Not getting any better 9/3.

Oh dear, Hants 9/2 again after bowling out Middlesex for 172.

A better, if shortened, day yesterday. Put Middx in and they were 90/4 at the close. 3 wickets for Abbott. Abbas bowled pretty well but isn't getting wickets just now. Hope we'll get nigh on a full day's play today because we need a win.

Yes, the two straight losses for Hants is a bit of a downer. I just don't see how we're going to correct the batting disasters against decent seamers on a track that's doing anything at all. At least we made an effort of it yesterday but losing Abbott to a nothing ball on Saturday evening really didn't help. Northeast doesn't seem to be the solid top order batsman that he seemed to be at Kent. I didn't watch a lot yesterday but I do wonder if our batsmen are taking the off stump guard that seems to be relatively successful against our pace bowlers.

Perhaps not. In an ideal world we'll finish them off for not too many this morning, have a solid 2nd innings, rain tomorrow and get a draw on Sunday. Then again they'll probably make 400+, skittle us again and take maximum points..

Well no, the opposing teams have worked out that all you need to put Hants in trouble when batting is a couple of average, work-horse seamers bowling straight and on a length and flawed batting technique will do the rest. Shambles 72/8

Not a great start again today, Hants 26/2 . Survived a fair few passable appeals for leg before and caught behind as well.Still as we look to bat down to 10 we might get past 100 this time.

A very poor day for Hants so far. Might as well write off this match I think. Might even be a zero pointer, although that would take some doing .

Anyone else think we should get some extra points for a first innings lead equal or superior to the follow-on number? Gloucs obviously went into this match looking not to lose, aided and abetted by a dead wicket they'll probably succeed with some awful slow batting. We weren't a lot better but at least our blokes tried the odd shot now and again.

Looks like the rest of this game is going to be a bit of a slog. Nothing in the wicket for either batsmen or bowlers. Will probably end in a high scoring draw.

Hants won the toss and are batting first. Weatherley looking as inept as usual, was lucky to survive what looked like a dropped catch behind the wicket in the first over and was eventually out for 8,lbw to the first ball of the first change bowler. Since then unspectacular but solid stuff from Holland and Alsop to put us on 65/1 from 32 overs.

Holland having a bit of a good match this week. Top scorer in both innings and got vital breakthroughs with the ball to boot. Pitch looks absolutely dead.

Yes I do think we're still lacking a serious opener. Then again us older followers have been spoilt for great openers in years past. When you've seen Richards, Greenidge, Carberry, Terry and others it's hard to accept that Weatherly is the best you can find to open.

No follow on enforced. At 2 for 2 already Hants might well regret that decision. Batting really doesn't look easy on this track.

Abbas hat-trick already, Middx 8 for 3. Wicket obviously isn't all that docile.

Grosso Modo yes, the never ending we're crap, going broke..oh wait we won a game so we're world beaters after all on the football threads gets tiresome after 15 years or so.