HAMPSHIRE are hoping history does not repeat itself after enforcing the follow-on against Essex - only for the champions to threaten an unlikely victory.

Essex were the last team to beat Hampshire after following on, a feat they managed during their last county championship-winning season, at Dean Park, in 1992.

They will begin day three with hopes of a repeat after a brilliant counter-attack led by Dan Lawrence  (74no) and Ravi Bopara (52no), who rode their luck during an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 127.

The champions turned the match on its head after Hampshire’s efforts in bowled out Essex for the lowest total by any side in division one this season.

Essex, after resuming on 33-5, added another 43 while losing their last five wickets in 11.2 overs.

Hampshire then enforced the follow-on with Essex 178 runs behind their 254.

Abbott, who now has 54 wickets in the Specsavers County Championship this season took the first four wickets to fall to in a devastating spell (5-4-12-4) to finish with 6-20 from his 11 overs.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Photo by Neil Marshall


He bowled Dan Lawrence spectacularly in the second over of the day (above), an off-cutter by passing the full face of the right-hander’s forward defensive before uprooting the off stump.

Abbott had his fourth five-wicket haul of the season when Ryan ten Doeschate and Simon Harmer were pinned lbw in successive overs.

When the left-handed Neil Wagner was also pinned in line next ball, Abbott had three lbws in five deliveries and his best figures since his 7-41 in the opening game of the season at Yorkshire.

Ian Holland completed the rout when he trapped James Foster in front.

It is Essex’s lowest total since being skittled for 20, the worst total in the county’s history, by Lancashire four years ago.

It is not their lowest total against Hampshire. In 1969, they won by two wickets despite being bowled out for 69 at Colchester.

But they could make history by repeating the feat achieved by the likes of Nasser Hussain, Mark Ilott and Derek Pringle at Bournemouth 25 years ago.

Shane Warne often said “the follow-on was over rated” and George Bailey may come to regret his decision.

After Varun Chopra gloved Gareth Berg behind, Nick Browne and Tom Westley put on 43 to begin a turn in fortunes.

Browne fell lbw to Liam Dawson, while Westley made 36 before drilling a return catch to the slow left-armer.

At 81-3, Essex were still 97 runs behind but, after getting off the mark with a six over mid-wicket, Lawrence helped Bopara wipe out the deficit.

SCORECARD

Essex first innings (in reply to Hampshire's 254)
V Chopra b Abbott 5
NLJ Browne b Abbott 0
T Westley lbw b Edwards 6
DW Lawrence b Abbott 11
RS Bopara b Berg 7
SJ Cook b Edwards 0
RN ten Doeschate (c) lbw b Abbott 26
JS Foster † lbw b Holland 10
SR Harmer lbw b Abbott 4
N Wagner lbw b Abbott 0
JA Porter not out 0
Extras 7 (lb 6, w 1)
TOTAL 76 all out (35.2 Overs)
     Bowling: FH Edwards 9-2-16-2, KJ Abbott 11-7-20-6, IG Holland 8.2-2-20-1, GK Berg 7-3-14-1.
     Fall of wickets:1-1 (NLJ Browne, 1.5 ov), 2-12 (V Chopra, 5.4 ov), 3-12 (T Westley, 6.6 ov), 4-26 (RS Bopara, 20.1 ov), 5-26 (SJ Cook, 22.1 ov), 6-40 (DW Lawrence, 25.4 ov), 7-69 (RN ten Doeschate, 31.5 ov), 8-75 (SR Harmer, 33.2 ov), 9-75 (N Wagner, 33.3 ov), 10-76 (JS Foster, 35.2 ov)

Essex second innings (f/o)
V Chopra c †Alsop b Berg 5
NLJ Browne lbw b Dawson 24
T Westley c & b Dawson 36
DW Lawrence not out 78
RS Bopara not out 52
Extras 13 (b 8, lb 5)
TOTAL 208/3 (f/o) (74 Overs)
     Yet to bat: SJ Cook, RN ten Doeschate (c), JS Foster †, SR Harmer, N Wagner, JA Porter
     Bowling: FH Edwards 13-3-29-0, GK Berg 16-7-26-1, IG Holland 12-3-27-0, KJ Abbott 12-1-48-0, LA Dawson 20-4-56-2, JJ Weatherley 1-0-9-0
     Fall of wickets:1-11 (V Chopra, 5.1 ov), 2-54 (NLJ Browne, 23.1 ov), 3-81 (T Westley, 33.2 ov)