Four out of six teams of Group 2 were in action on Day 2 in the ninth round of the County Championship 2021. Let us have a look at how it went for them.
Somerset v Leicestershire, Taunton
Somerset 461/9 decl. (Conway 88; Griffiths 3-93) lead Leicestershire 95/3 (Ackermann 22*; Davey 1-19) by 366 runs.
Somerset’s lower-order batters helped to regain their control over Leicestershire on Day 2 at Taunton. They had resumed on 242/7, with Roelof van der Merwe and Josh Davey in middle. The pair added 84 runs more before Ed Barnes (1-96) got van der Merwe (76).
Davey (75*) then added another 120 with Marchant de Lange (75) for the fourth wicket before the latter fell to Callum Parkinson (2-98). They declared on 461/9.
Coming to bat, Leicestershire slipped to 60/3. Colin Ackermann (22*) and Josh Inglis (15*) then batted through the final session. They finished at 95/3.
Hampshire v Surrey, Southampton
Hampshire 488 (de Grandhomme 174*; Clark 4-110) lead Surrey 42/4 (Amla 24*; Barker 3-15) by 446 runs.
Colin de Grandhomme became the eighth player to score a hundred on Hampshire debut, against Surrey on Day 2 at Southampton. He virtually single-handedly helped Hampshire pile 488 after they resumed on 229/7. He hit 17 fours and 3 sixes in his unbeaten 174, and was well supported by Felix Organ (67).
Keith Barker (3-15) then tore Hampshire top-order apart to reduce them to 42/4 before the close of play. They were firmly on back-foot, though Hashim Amla (24*) is still in middle.