Four out of six teams from Group 2 were in action on the final day of the fifth round of the County Championship after Gloucestershire had a convincing seven-wicket victory over Middlesex yesterday. Let us have a look at how it went for them.
Hampshire v Somerset, Southampton
Hampshire 79 (Weatherley 20; Gregory 4-25) and 258 (Barker 52*; Davey 5-30, Overton 5-66) lost to Somerset 336 (Overton 74, Barker 4-67) and 2/0 (Byrom 2*) by 10 wickets.
Josh Davey (5-30) helped Somerset register four wins in five games this season by beating Hamshire 10 wickets at Southampton. This despite the frustration of the Somerset bowlers throughout the day.
The Hampshire batters, headed by Joe Weatherley (44 in 209 balls), fought hard after being bundled out for 79 in the first innings. Coming at No. 9, Felix Organ played 108 balls for his 7. Lewis McManus, too, had 19 off 78. Despite that, double fifers from Davey and Overton (5-66) managed to bowl them out for 258 in 131 overs.
The win kept Somerset second in Group 2, behind Gloucestershire. Hampshire finished third, with two wins, two defeats and one draw.
Leicestershire v Surrey, Grace Road
Leicestershire 496 (Evans 112, Swindells 103, Harris 101; Virdi 6-171) drew with Surrey 324 (Stoneman 119; Wright 5-60).
Leicestershire finished at the bottom in Group 2 after they drew with Surrey at Grace Road. The result was on the cards after Surrey openers Rory Burns and Mark Stoneman gave them a decent start following Leicestershire’s 496.
After resuming on 146 without loss, Burns (75) fell early in the morning session. But Stoneman (119) notched up his century before becoming the fifth wicket of Chris Wright. Callum Parkinson finished with figures of 3-107.
With the result, Surrey ended on the fourth spot in Group 2, between Hampshire and Middlesex.