Watch: Former England international Lewis Gregory was denied a hat-trick in the first over of Hampshire's innings in the final County Championship round of the season today (September 28), after Kasey Aldridge put down a sitter in the slips.
Hampshire were chasing 121 to win in the fourth innings against Somerset at Taunton. However, they got off to the worst possible start when Tony Albert nicked to Thomas Rew behind the stumps off the first ball of the innings. That start was compounded when Nick Gubbins followed him back to the pavillion off the very next ball, Gregory again finding the outside edge but to slip this time, Andy Umeed taking a low catch in front of him at fourth slip.
With Gregory on a hat-trick and Hampshire 0-2 only two balls into the innings, Hampshire captain James Vince came to the crease. Attempting to defend a back of a length ball outside off stump first up, Vince became the third Hampshire batter in a row to get an outside edge on his first delivery. The ball popped up to Aldridge at second slip, in a not dissimilar way to Umeed's catch the ball before. However, despite just about carrying and Aldridge seemingly getting a hand to it, the ball inexplicably popped up out of his hands. First slip was unable to react quickly enough to catch the rebound, and the ball went down.
Gregory held his head in his hands in his follow through, having started to celebrate the wicket before the ball ricocheted off Aldridge. Vince also went on to make a half-century as Hampshire chased down the runs with five wickets to spare and won the match. The result also meant that Hampshire secured a second-place finish in Division One, consigning Somerset to third position.
Watch: Lewis Gregory denied hat-trick after Aldridge drops sitter
A dropped catch at second slip denies Lewis Gregory a hat-trick from the first three balls of Hampshire's second innings! pic.twitter.com/h2uW1i41yC
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 28, 2024
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