CRICKET: HAMPSHIRE beat the rain by skittling Warwickshire out for 167 to go top of the County Championship Division One table.
Kyle Abbott and spin twins Mason Crane and Sean Ervine whipped through Bears’ batting line-up to pull off an innings and 94 runs victory – with dark clouds circling at the Ageas Bowl.
Ian Bell reached his 99th first class fifty, as he looked the only player at home on a tricky wicket, before he was bowled by Abbott.
Jonathan Trott, who had batted all but 13 balls on day three, departed soon after as Mason Crane found turn and bounce to find his outside edge – a simple catch for Sean Ervine at first slip.
Abbott’s golden arm then saw him pin Sam Hain lbw, the umpire noticing the ball had just struck pad before pad, before the South African had Rikki Clarke leg before to a bowl which failed to get up.
Gareth Berg replaced Abbott at the Pavilion End and had his own success in his second over when he had Tim Ambrose lbw – leaving Warwickshire in dire straits at 131/7.
The only blip on an otherwise perfect morning for Hampshire was Jimmy Adams’ drop at second slip – which saw Keith Barker earn an extra life.
After the interval, Crane pulled off a sensational googly, which kept very low, to baffle Grant Thornton and wrap him on the pads.
Then the rain arrived and frustrated the hosts by forcing the players off for 20 minutes.
But when Hampshire came back onto the pitch they took little time in rolling through the tail.
Boyd Rankin was bowled leaving a Sean Ervine straight ball, before the Zimbabwean finished things off by pinning Sunny Singh lbw.
Hampshire move 14 points clear of Essex at the top of the table, having played a game more.
The win was their third of the season, with Warwickshire taking three bonus points from the match to stay second from bottom.
