Vince makes brisk 75 on County Championship opening day

James Vince made a breezy 75 for Hampshire in the only game that saw a full complement of overs on the opening day of the County Championship.

Vince’s Hampshire side made 290 after visitors Worcestershire took up the option of inserting them without a toss. With young wicketkeeper Lewis McManus promoted to open and removed early for 2, Vince put on 106 alongside Jimmy Adams (33), hitting 14 boundaries in a 74-ball innings that seemed to belie the conditions.

The weekend is here ?#FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/CwtIJBtBGC

— County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 13, 2018

His wicket, clean bowled by new Worcester signing Steve Magoffin, brought Hashim Amla to the crease alongside fellow newbie Sam Northeast, who joined from Kent to much fanfare over the winter. Both players got a start but neither kicked on, Northeast clean bowled by an in-ducker from Pears captain Joe Leach for 17 and Hashim Amla – seemingly being protected from the new ball at No.5 – lbw to young quick Josh Tongue for 36.

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But it was veteran seam-bowling all-rounder Gareth Berg who played the defining innings and made it Hampshire’s day, hitting 75* from No.8 including 10 fours and two sixes.

Worcestershire lost two wickets before the close – Brett D’Oliveira caught off a leading edge off Fidel Edwards and Tom Fell cleaned up by a nip-backer from Kyle Abbott. Hampshire, 250 runs ahead, have the advantage going in to day two, but the overall result could well come down to the weather.

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The only other game of the opening round that wasn’t a total washout on Day 1 was Middlesex v Northants. The home side were 136-4 when play was called off for the day, with Brett Hutton and Ben Sanderson having taken two wickets apiece.