Wells double compounds Surrey struggle

Surrey 351 and 66 for 1 (Smith 43*) trail Sussex 526 (Wells 208, Joyce 98) by 109 runs
Scorecard

Sussex haven't won at The Oval since 1994 but have a chance to break that run after building up a good lead and asking Surrey to bat out the final day for a draw.

Graeme Smith, Surrey's captain, led an excellent riposte as his side faced 17 overs before the close with an unbeaten 43 in 46 balls. He will be relieved after failing in his first two innings for his new club but will know tomorrow's biggest challenge may well be against Monty Panesar on a wearing wicket.

Panesar may be the only hope for a positive result on a surface that appears to be getting slower and lower. Sussex would have liked more than their solitary success by the close, Steve Magoffin swinging a full ball into Rory Burns who drove and edged behind, but the reality is the wicket is not competitive enough.

Panesar's initial burst on the third evening did not suggest he can win the match on day four. Smith biffed his first over for 14, putting a full toss past mid-off, a half-volley past mid-on and a short ball through square leg. Smith has already negated a much-vaunted English spinner on this ground in the past 12 months - Graeme Swann finding no joy in the Test match last July - and Smith will undoubtedly seek to unsettle Panesar tomorrow en route to a morale-boosting draw.

His side have been on the back foot for the past two days, having failed to take advantage of being 247 for 3 in their first innings. They crumbled to the second new ball, whereas Sussex thrived against it on the third morning and picked up the scoring rate.

Luke Wells predicted a fresh ball would be easier to score against and so it proved as he and Ed Joyce extended their partnership to exactly 200 before Joyce, like he did in the season opener at Headingley, failed to move through the 90s and was bowled by a Gareth Batty slider. It was the high point in Batty's day. He recorded an undesirable career record, with the most expensive innings figures he has sent down in the Championship.

Matt Prior played around with him in a typically jaunty half-century in 36 balls. Batty tossed it up just outside off stump and went over extra-cover; he bowled straighter and went past fine leg; he bowled flatter and went past backward point. Prior was a breath of fresh air that broke up what was an uninspiring day as the contest between bat and ball that thrived on the second afternoon was totally lost.

Luke Well was the beneficiary, going through to a career-best 208. The way he plays suggests that he is not one to waste opportunities. He took full advantage to become only the fourth Sussex batsman, after CB Fry, Murray Goodwin and Ranjitsinhji to make a double century against Surrey. It was also the highest individual score by anyone in a first-class match involving these two teams and the first Sussex double-hundred at The Oval since 1903.

His century was completed off Vikram Solanki on Thursday and it was the same bowler that allowed Wells to flick to deep point to bring up his double hundred as he emulated his father, Alan - whose sole Test cap came at The Oval - and uncle, Colin, in scoring double centuries in the County Championship.

"Luke was brilliant," Sussex captain Ed Joyce said, "200 from a young man is an incredible achievement. It's great that he's got runs because he failed in the first game and didn't look in great nick but it's good to know that everyone's now got a few.

"He loves batting. When he got his hundred he was talking straight away about getting 150 and then 200. He just keeps going and it's great to see because even if he's in bad form, if he does get that score he'll make it a big one. He's got a bright future for sure."

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Taylor accepts England challenge

Derbyshire 256 and 143 for 5 (Chanderpaul 57) trail Nottinghamshire 443 (Taylor 112, Cowan 59, Hales 56) by 44 runs
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If Derbyshire do turn out to be the whipping boys of Division One - not that anyone should wish that upon such well-managed and progressive newcomers - then James Taylor's century in this match may not be held to be of particular value. On the other hand, if Taylor's Test career is rebooted sooner rather than later, it could be seen as an important moment.

Either way, it has put Nottinghamshire in a position of strength, with the potential to complete a victory here despite the threat of showers on the final day, especially after the fillip of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's wicket late in the afternoon, soon after he had completed his second half-century of the game and when looking absolutely set. With Wayne Madsen gone too, not much batting remains for Derbyshire to clear their arrears, let alone give themselves anything to work with.

If there is a batsman with something to prove in the early part of this summer, then it is Taylor, whose rise from pint-sized wreaker of terror among Division Two bowling attacks to Test-class middle-order batsman might have seemed inevitable to some of his admirers but when it came last August suffered a false start.

Taylor, who moved to Nottinghamshire the winter before last after scoring freely for Leicestershire, was picked when Ravi Bopara withdrew from the second Test against South Africa. It did not help his cause to find himself unwittingly caught up in the Kevin Pietersen storm, although he will not fall on that or any other excuse to explain his modest performance. It was not seen as good enough to be retained for the winter tours and his absence from the list of names in the England Performance Squad indicated all too clearly that the selectors want to see more.

Taylor, for his part, has no quarrel with that assessment. "It was a disappointment," he said. "I had a taste of Test cricket and it was amazing to get in that England side in the first place but I didn't deliver the way I wanted to.

"But I learned a lot from last season and in some ways it is good to have a setback to kick you up the backside. There is a difference in quality between second and first division. It is definitely a step up, although I don't think my own performances were a reflection of that.

"Sometimes though you need to take a step back to take two steps forward. I know where I stand with England and it is just down to me to score as many runs as I can."

In the event, it was just the mindset that was needed here, on a slow pitch that has rewarded graft. Taylor's approach was first not to get out, taking his cue from Chanderpaul. From 67 overnight, he scored only 26 more before lunch, without one boundary, negotiating 77 balls against a Derbyshire attack who maintained their discipline and again offered few easy pickings.

When his century came - incongruously from a false shot, an edge between first and second slips that brought only his fifth four - it was the slowest of his 14 so far in first-class matches, from 265 balls and 14 minutes short of six hours. He shared a stand of 52 with Stuart Broad but the support he had from Luke Fletcher was equally important in getting him over the line, the bowler sticking by Taylor more than an hour.

Broad's knock was eventful, to say the least. He can bat when he is of a mind but he rode his luck spectacularly as Derbyshire's fielders somehow managed to drop him three times in the space of five balls before Tim Groenewald at last clung on to a top-edged hook.

The stricken Andre Adams batted with a runner in his last appearance before an anticipated five-week lay-off with a torn calf muscle and though he could contribute no more than a swing and a nick Nottinghamshire did finish with a lead of 187. Taylor fell for 112 when, finally taking a risk or two, he skied David Wainwright to mid-off.

Derbyshire were soon up against it, losing two wickets for 24 and though Chanderpaul gave them hope in a partnership of 83 with Madsen the departure of both in the space of five overs put Nottinghamshire back on top. Chanderpaul felt he was unlucky to be given out caught behind, claiming the ball brushed his thigh rather than the bat, but the wicket was one that Fletcher deserved. Broad went wicketless and it was Harry Gurney, an improving left-armer, who struck the second decisive blow when Madsen was leg-before. Then Patel had Ross Whiteley taken at slip to leave Derbyshire hoping for a good last morning and a wet afternoon.

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Tendulkar emphasises on 'situational awareness'

Sachin Tendulkar stressed the importance of "situational awareness" as a key factor in succeeding in the closing stages of IPL games. Tendulkar was speaking at an event in Mumbai and was asked by an audience consisting of children, amateur and aspiring cricketers, how to score ten runs off the final over to win a T20 games. He said there could be no set formula.

"Basically you have got to see what the bowler is bowling and what his strengths are, weaknesses are," Tendulkar said. "What are the areas where you can score off that particular bowler. There are many factors like the kind of surface you are playing on, the kind of field setting." Tendulkar said what a cricketer needed at a time like that was "awareness." "You have got to have situational awareness. Once you have that, you respond to the situation according to the bowler and the opposition."

At a gathering of about 200 people, Tendulkar answered a range of questions: about how he related to the new Mumbai Indians' captain Ricky Ponting, the technique behind his trademark straight drive and the formula for his success.

Tendulkar said he didn't think twice before passing on a tip to Ponting. "Because I know little bit about our cricketers, which Ricky hasn't had the opportunity to watch them much. Also a lot of things are planned in team meetings. But there are things that spontaneously come to your mind and you share your thoughts. So it is basically about sharing our knowledge and giving some background about the bowler."

Excellence on the cricket field, he said, had to be priority for any cricketer who was trying to succeed. A young cricketer he said needed to be, "madly in love" with the sport and due to that to immerse himself in his training. "You can't count the number of hours, the number of balls you have practised, the number of balls that you have bowled. You can't be counting. You can't look at your watch. You have to just practise and practise."

He gave an example from his childhood to his audience, saying that his practice began at 7:30am and ended 12 hours later. "Eventually my coach had to sort of pack my kit bag and send me off saying 'it is too dark to play cricket and we all want to go home'. " Tendulkar said his passion for cricket was still alive, "Boys like you or even girls now, whoever wants to become a cricketer, should be passionate about the game. Cricket should be in your heart first and then as you mature and grow, slowly you will find how to score runs and how to bowl [an] over, how to bowl spells. First cricket has to be in your heart and the rest follows."

The straight drive, his signature shot, Tendulkar said started from a correct head position and balance. "If your balance is not good then you are not going to be able to play straight, you either drag it with bottom hand to midwicket or you slice it to cover or cover point." When the body was correctly aligned, "then you can hit bowlers straight. For batting or bowling, generally on a cricket field, you have got to have good body balance."

It was also Tendulkar also stressed on the importance of concentrating solely on the game when on the field. "I don't think about watching movies [when I bat]. You can't think of anything else. Your mind is full of ideas, how to score against a particular bowler." The focus he said has to be on the ball and the bowler. "The bowler is constantly asking you a question and you are responding to that question, whatever is delivered... So I have no other thoughts on [the] mind. I am just thinking of how many runs I can score and how we can win."

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Northants close in on victory

Gloucestershire 192 and 280 for 9 (Gidman 87, Howell 56, Dent 50) lead Northamptonshire 404 by 68 runs
Scorecard

Northamptonshire look set to claim their second Division Two win of the season despite half-centuries from Alex Gidman, Benny Howell and Chris Dent for Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The hosts, trailing by 212 on first innings, were largely indebted to Gidman (87), Howell (53) and Dent (50) for guiding them to 280 for nine at stumps and an overall lead of 68.

But the Northamptonshire attack stuck well to their task on an easy-paced pitch and there were three wickets each for Andrew Hall and Steven Crook as they closed in on victory.

Gloucestershire started the day on 34 for 1 and, with no addition to the total, Dan Housego fell to the fifth ball of the morning when he was caught down the legside by wicketkeeper David Murphy off Copeland.

Gidman and Dent applied themselves well to add 56 in 21 overs, but Dent then attempted to withdraw his bat to a delivery from David Willey and only succeeded in getting an edge on to his stumps. Marshall departed five overs later, caught at first slip by Copeland off Andrew Hall, and Gloucestershire went into lunch in considerable trouble on 111 for 4.

The afternoon session started well for the hosts as Gidman and Howell put on 69 for the fifth wicket with few alarms.

Gidman brought up his 95-ball half-century by cutting Copeland to the cover boundary and the county's former skipper then took three fours in quick succession off Hall. He also hit off-spinner James Middlebrook for a straight six and appeared on course for a century until he pushed forward to Hall and edged low to Copeland at first slip.

Will Gidman, Alex's younger brother, was dismissed six overs later when he was caught behind off Crook. Gloucestershire took tea on 188 for 6, still 24 short of making Northamptonshire bat again. The visitors only had to wait one over after tea to take the second new ball, but Howell and Cameron Herring successfully saw off the shine with some attractive strokeplay in a partnership of 54.

Teenage wicketkeeper Herring was dropped on nine by Rob Newton at backward point off Crook, but otherwise played impressively in only his second first-class innings.

Howell progressed to a patient 142-ball half-century, with five fours, before he edged Hall to David Sales at second slip to give the South African his third wicket.

Jack Taylor took successive boundaries off Hall, to midwicket and backward point, on his way to an unbeaten 30 at stumps, but there were still two more wickets for Northamptonshire to celebrate in the closing overs. Herring chipped Crook to Alex Wakeley at midwicket to depart for 32 and the seamer then bowled David Payne for a duck.

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Honours 'even' after first day - Tamim

When cricket no longer pays Tamim Iqbal's bills, he should look for work as a raconteur because that was exactly how he dealt with the media after the first day's play. He could afford to because Bangladesh are in what he calls an "even," position and most of their blushes were saved by a big partnership of 123 between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Better still, Tamim's comments about the Zimbabwean attack and Kyle Jarvis, in particular, being "ordinary," in 2011, did not come back to bite him. In truth, Jarvis looked decidedly so and Tamim could not hold back a smile when he was asked if he still thought of him as nothing more than mediocre.

"I knew this was coming," Tamim said. "Even if I make a thousand comments now, it is never going to change. Look, Jarvis is a good bowler. He is a very good bowler. But I don't want to tell him he is a good bowler because I am the opposition."

As long as no-one tells Tamim this is a public site, he won't have to realise that his showering of compliments on Zimbabwe's spearhead is known to all who read it and will wash away some of the string from two years ago. "Jarvis has improved a lot and he is now the best bowler in their team," he said.

Today, that could come across backhanded. Zimbabwe's bowlers were woeful on a surface that was supposed to suit them. Elton Chigumbura admitted it did a lot less than they expected it to do when they decided to field first and when they saw that, they grew anxious. "It was a bit soft in the morning and we didn't hit the right areas. When that happened, we also got a bit impatient," Chigumbura said. "It's a much better wicket than in the first Test."

Runs came easily and the bowlers looked unthreatening, so much so that none of them could lay claim to Tamim's scalp. He ran himself out in search of his 50th run and accepted that it was an irresponsible decision to opt for a quick single. "My wicket was a disgrace," he said. "It was, maybe a rush of blood or something like that. It was a very stupid dismissal."

It was not the only one. The rest of Bangladesh's top five also gifted Zimbabwe wickets and for that Tamim was regretful. "We all gave our wickets away, except the captain at the end. It really wasn't doing that much," he said. "If we had only lost four wickets, that would have been ideal for us but 300 on this ground is worth 375 on other grounds because it's a slow outfield so that's why I say we are pretty even."

Zimbabwe helped that with a poor display in the field which Chigumbura had no explanation for. Tamim offered his, though. "I'm telling you there is something in this ground. If you look at the first Test, we dropped a catch in the first over and then they did and now they did again," he said, grinning.

"But catches are something that helped us, it's something we have to be serious about when we are in the field. We don't want to give them any chances, like we did with [Brendan] Taylor in the first match."

They also don't want to give away any chances when batting on the second morning. Tamim is eyeing 400 as a target while Zimbabwe are hopeful of nipping out the last four wickets cheaply. "If we can bowl well and get them out for less than 50 runs that would be good. Less than 350 will be good for us," Chigumbura said. "Then, if we can apply ourselves with the bat, we can get a big score on that wicket."

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Petersen and Buttler give Somerset initiative

Somerset 358 for 6 (Petersen 136, Compton 52, Trescothick 51, Buttler 90*) v Warwickshire
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If Alviro Petersen had his own tankard in the local pub and a cider named after him, he could hardly have taken to life with Somerset more comfortably.

Petersen, fresh from the 258 runs he scored on debut at The Oval, followed up with a century in his first game at his new home ground to help Somerset establish a commanding position by the end of the first day of this game against Warwickshire. A total of 394 runs in his first three innings does not just bear testament to some good wickets, but also a batsmen in supreme form.

Some might look at the scores and conclude that Petersen is filling his boots against soft county attacks, but it is not so. There was nothing soft about this innings. Somerset, choosing to bat on a green-looking pitch on which Warwickshire would have chosen to bowl, were up against a fast-bowling attack that contained three men pushing for an England place. And while a couple of them were not absolutely at their best, a crowd of over 2,000 was treated to a high-quality encounter between two strong teams that would not have disgraced many international matches. The standard of county cricket at the top of Division One really is impressive at present.

That Somerset have, at this stage, had the best of it is largely due to the strength of their top-order batting. A trio of Marcus Trescothick, Nick Compton and Petersen would grace many international sides and they responded to the challenging circumstances with classy displays.

While Petersen will gain the headlines - he drove beautifully, but also cut and pulled fluently - the foundations for this innings were laid by Compton and Trescothick in an opening partnership of 103. Progress was not easy - runs to third man were plentiful as Warwickshire's bowlers found the edge regularly - and Trescothick was hit a crunching blow on the side of his neck in the middle of a fierce spell from the dangerous but expensive Rikki Clarke.

Perhaps Warwickshire were a little unfortunate, too. Compton, on 2, survived an edge off Chris Woakes that flew between the slips and gully, while Trescothick, on 9, was lucky to see his slashed edged go high over the cordon. But both batsmen leave so well and allow so little margin for error that, having survived the early challenges, they gradually gained the initiative.

"Our openers did a great job seeing off the new ball," Petersen said afterwards. "That made my job easier. I'm pretty happy with where my game is going and I hope I can go from strength to strength in the next two years."

Warwickshire may also reflect that they were not absolutely at their best. Chris Wright, perhaps anxious to make an impression in front of the TV cameras and the watching selector, Ashley Giles, struggled for rhythm just a little and drifted down the leg side more than normal, while Oliver Hannon-Dalby, in for the injured Keith Barker and preferred to Boyd Rankin, struggled to maintain the pressure with a few spells of floaty medium pace. It meant an attack that usually has a relentless nature to it instead had a weak link that allowed the batsmen to settle and regroup.

Maybe Warwickshire chased the game for a while, too. After clawing their way back into contention after lunch, they seemed to strive too hard for wicket-taking deliveries rather than maintaining discipline and patience. It saw Petersen and Jos Buttler counterattack fluently in a partnership that eventually yielded 193 runs in 47.1 overs. Woakes, the pick of the bowlers, always demanded respect, but his colleagues overpitched and underpitched more than would, by their own high standards, have pleased them. Wright, in particular, improved during the day and produced several searing bouncers - one of which struck Buttler on the gloves - but with Graham Onions prospering elsewhere, may have ended the day further from the England team than he started it.

Buttler will certainly have gone in the other direction. He is an unusually gifted batsman and will resume in the morning 10 short of the third century of his first-class career. There are times, such as when he throws his hands at wide deliveries without foot movement, when you worry for his technique but, when the ball disappears for four as often as it did today, such concerns fade. For the second game in succession, he added over 100 with Petersen and, perhaps more pleasingly, for the second game in succession, he tempered his own attacking instincts for the good of the team when a break for bad light and the loss of two late wickets threatened to reverse Somerset's progress.

For a while it appeared Somerset might squander their good start. They lost four wickets for 40 runs either side of lunch as James Hildreth pulled to square leg and Craig Kieswetter's 17-ball duck ended when he fended one to slip as if providing catching practice. Earlier Compton was unfortunate to be adjudged lbw - there was more than a hint of inside edge on the ball - and Trescothick, just starting to show glimpses of his imperious best, played down the wrong line to the first ball of offspin from Jeetan Patel.

Later Petersen, slashing at a cut, was brilliantly held in the slips, before Peter Trego, in the middle of a run of batting form so grim that his last six first-class innings have garnered just 19 runs, top-edged a pull and was also athletically held by Tim Ambrose. Ambrose's days as an England player are surely gone but, on merit, he and Chris Read really should be considered among the very best of the contenders as No. 2 to Matt Prior in the Test team.

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Northants depth leaves Gloucs in trouble

Gloucestershire 192 and 34 for 1 trail Northamptonshire 404 (Wakely 88, Middlebrook 62, Crook 53, Gidman 4-109) by 178 runs
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Half-centuries from Alex Wakely, James Middlebrook and Steven Crook put Division Two leaders Northamptonshire in control on the second day of their Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Wakely led the way with 88 as the visitors ran up 404 all out in reply to 192, Middlebrook making 62 and Crook 53. Gloucestershire were left with an awkward period to bat before the close and lost skipper Michael Klinger for a single in moving to 34 for 1, still 178 runs behind.

Northants began the day on 107 for 3 and Rob Newton soon set about adding to his score of 14, pulling a ball from Alex Gidman over fine leg for six. Newton had moved brightly to 39 when caught at backward-point by Jack Taylor off Benny Howell.

Wakely, unbeaten on 23 overnight, looked in good touch as he was joined by Andrew Hall, who was given a life on 18 when dropped by Chris Dent at second slip off David Payne. The pair had added 77 by lunch, which was taken with Northants 226 for 4.

Hall was 27 not out at the interval, but could add only a single in the afternoon session before falling leg-before to Will Gidman. Northants fell to 242 for 6 when Wakely departed, also lbw to Gidman, having faced 166 balls and extended his boundary count to 11.

When the second new ball became due, not surprisingly, Klinger opted to take it immediately and Payne was the bowler to capitalise as David Murphy was caught by diving wicketkeeper Cameron Herring for 16 and three balls later David Willey had his middle stump uprooted.

The Northants lead was just 91, but their tail wagged energetically as Crook joined Middlebrook to produce the most attacking batting of the day. Middlebrook hit eight fours in reaching a 72-ball half-century, while Crook also punished anything loose. By tea they had taken the score to 353 for 8, earning Northants a third and fourth batting point in the process.

The final session saw Middlebrook caught behind off Taylor's offspin without adding to his score but last man Trent Copeland then contributed 27 not out to a stand of 46 with Crook. Will Gidman claimed his fourth wicket when Crook chipped a catch to Dent at midwicket, having helped Northants to maximum batting points.

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Onions makes Yorkshire wince

Yorkshire 177 (Root 49, Onions 5-63) trail Durham 237 (Mustard 70, Bresnan 4-41) by 60 runs
Scorecard

Batting is a tough proposition in Durham in April and it gets no tougher than when Graham Onions is scowling at you at the end of his run. Durham traditionally refers to itself as the land of the Prince Bishops, but when Onions gets the ball in his hand it becomes the land of the High Fives. He even high fives in slightly menacing fashion. You get the impression that it is best not to mess up a high five with Onions, never mind put a catch down in the slips.

Under northern skies, nobody can match Onions' threat. Stern-faced and hostile, with jet black hair, he gives the impression that he might have been chiselled from the landscape itself; the harshest side of the hill, the one forever exposed to the blast of northerly winds. Nobody carries a county side with more resolve, nobody suggests more often that they are capable of turning a game single-handedly.

He nagged away constantly, unpicking the merest hint of a slovenly technique, his length full and insistent, his bouncer quick enough to keep a batsman honest. Yorkshire, newly promoted and not yet hardened to their challenge, surrendered five wickets to him and will have to meet him with more acumen second time around if they are to recover a first-innings deficit of 60. They came into Division One with a long unbeaten run behind them, but they are struggling to up their game.

While Onions rests, Durham privately wonder whether they have the capacity to maintain their first division status. When they throw him the ball, they feel like world beaters. Drizzle prevented play until after 4pm but, when Onions was finally allowed on the prowl, two England players, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, succumbed to his 10-over spell, as did another batsman increasingly attracting glowing reports, Gary Ballance. Add his two wickets overnight, and he had five of the first six Yorkshire wickets to fall.

Onions had an inactive time with England in the winter, when the wickets were deemed too unresponsive to suit him. He might have anticipated as much in India, as the Test series was contested on turning decks, but to arrive in New Zealand in the New Year to find the pitches unusually moribund was deeply frustrating. He never made England's final XI; en entire winter spent waiting and watching. Nobody took more wickets in Division One last season - 64 at only 14.98 - and he looks bent upon retribution.

Root suffered for sluggish footwork, half forward at best and bowled off stump. Until then, his 49 had been made with good tempo, which was good to see after his travails of the winter when spinning pitches in India, followed by turgid surfaces in New Zealand, allied to England's need to show defensive intent and his own limitations, all contributed to dogged Test innings of near-strokelessness.

Bairstow's dismissal was a soft one. Onions stopped at the end of his run and waved his two fielders on the hook 10 yards finer. He banged in the bouncer wide of off-stump, Bairstow tried to paddle it to the leg side and plopped it into the hands of Mark Stoneman at deep square leg. It has to be said that with a shot like that Bairstow did not look as if he had been chiselled from any sort of landscape at all. Ballance then edged to the wicketkeeper.

With Onions spent, Yorkshire might have imagined that the threat had subsided, but four overs later Ben Stokes had Adil Rashid lbw and, in the following over, Tim Bresnan slashed at Chris Rushworth and Paul Collingwood clung on in the slips. Under blue evening skies, Liam Plunkett, remained undefeated against his former county but two more wickets for Stokes brought Durham a useful first-innings lead.

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Adams' ton helps Hampshire dominate

Hampshire 367 for 6 (Adams 151*, Carberry 62, Vince 52) v Worcestershire
Scorecard

At this level, on this pitch and against this Worcestershire attack, Jimmy Adams will score runs. Just about every time he goes out to bat. The 17th first-class century of his career, and fourth since becoming captain of Hampshire, was made with characteristic application, concentration and an unerring ability to dispatch the loose ball.

There was little discernible difference in Adams' approach to this innings at the start of the day, after he had won the toss, and in the final session, when he was well into three figures. John Woodcock once wrote an appreciation of another accumulative left-hand opener, John Edrich, noting that after falling asleep and waking to find a century had been reached, he had no need to ask how the runs had been scored.

So it is with Adams. He is not as good as Edrich was, but he plays to similar strengths. An innings progresses at a certain pace. It is for the likes of Michael Carberry and James Vince to play the more expansive shots, as indeed they did on Wednesday. Already, Hampshire have a substantial first-innings total.

Carberry added 113 with his captain, making 64 with 11 fours before Moeen Ali had him leg before, the front pad relatively far forward. This was the first of three wickets taken by Moeen, a talented batsman who looks as if he will be given more bowling this season than his record would suggest he might have. George Bailey, who will not be a part of Australia's Ashes party this summer, was caught at slip aiming to drive and Vince rather casually lofted a drive to wide mid-on.

Before that, Liam Dawson was caught at point aiming to turn to leg. Adams reached his century with his 12th four, driven through mid-off. His innings moved by reader on the ESPNcricinfo blog to describe his technique as akin to "a crab attempting to line dance" but this shot belonged to the textbook of nuggety left-handers. Meanwhile, Vince was batting about as well as he did in his century against Leicestershire in the first match of the season, even if the manner of his dismissal was unnecessary. His 52 included six fours.

There was scant help for any of Worcestershire's bowlers, fast or slow. Chris Russell, who once played lamp-post cricket on the Isle of Wight with his schoolboy friend, Hampshire's Danny Briggs, had an extended bowl in the morning, his flowing action more impressive than his direction, although he did pick up two wickets later on. Had David Griffiths been playing for Hampshire, there would have been three representatives from the island, to which the club would like to return. There is talk of county cricket being played on the Isle of Wight, at the New Close ground, for the first time since 1962.

That Russell was not playing for Hampshire owed to his manager having introduced him to clubs in the west Midlands; this was the first time he had played on this ground. Doubtless he will be able to learn from Alan Richardson, who just keeps on bowling. He took a wicket late in the day when Sean Ervine and Adam Wheater, again preferred to Michael Bates, came and went.

Both this total and their first innings against Leicestershire a fortnight ago were higher than anything Hampshire managed at home last year, so it has been a good start to the season. Having been foiled by the weather in their opening fixture - the final day's play was abandoned - they need to make the most of this.

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Calm Namibia seal title win

Namibia 188 for 5 (Ya France 54, Williams 42) beat Kenya 187 for 5 (Mishra 68, Obanda 30) by five wickets
Scorecard

Namibia won the T20 Quadrangular title, beating Kenya by five wickets in a last-ball finish.

Set a target of 188 to chase, Namibia raced to 68 in the eighth over, before a couple of quick wickets pegged them back. Opener Pikky Ya France guided the chase and once he departed, Craig Williams and captain Sarel Burger stepped up. With 15 runs needed in the last over, Burger hit a crucial six and took a few crucial runs with Nicolaas Schotlz as Namibia scored the winning runs off the last ball.

Earlier, Kenya, who were put in to bat, had a strong start as the openers, Alex Obanda and Tanmay Mishra put on 73 in 8.3 overs. Mishra fell in the 16th over for a 53-ball 68 but a couple of quick knocks from Morris Ouma, Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel took Kenya to a strong 187 for 5.

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