Wagh condemns Hampshire to another defeat

Nottinghamshire 329 and 246 for 5 beat Hampshire 300 and 273 by five wickets
Scorecard

Mark Wagh's brutal 131 propelled Nottinghamshire to their third straight victory in the County Championship, as they condemned Hampshire to a five-wicket defeat to continue their dismal start to the season. Wagh plundered his devastating century off just 158 balls, including 17 fours and two sixes, after Hampshire had posted a gettable target of 246 earlier in the day.

Hampshire, who must to contend with the troubling statistic of six defeats in all forms of the game, began the day on 177 for 4 with veteran Nic Pothas and teenager James Vince holding together the fifth wicket. But the partnership added only a further 13 runs before Pothas (30) was trapped lbw by Pattinson.

Vince (46) had looked in good touch, clipping three Pattinson deliveries for boundaries in one forgettable over, but he then followed as Paul Franks caught him square on the crease. Dominic Cork (28) and Sean Ervine (45) put on 48 for the seventh wicket but once Cork became Hampshire's third lbw victim of the morning the collapse was complete.

With the tail failing to wag as Kabir Ali and Rangana Herath were both dismissed for ducks, Ervine then prodded Samit Patel to Bilal Shafayat at short leg three overs after lunch, at which point the visitors looked in total control.

Hampshire's recovery got off to a terrible start as Ali had to be replaced by David Griffiths in the attack following a back complaint, and Nottinghamshire openers Shafayat and Neil Edwards looked to go to work. Michael Carberry's brilliant diving catch from Griffiths dismissed Edwards for 8 but as Shafayat (12) was dropped by Chris Benham at third slip it looked set to be Nottinghamshire's afternoon.

Wagh progressed to a rapid half-century from just 42 balls as he looked to get the job done quickly and at tea Notts were well-placed at 83 for 1. Benham did eventually hold a catch to dismiss Shafayat but with Ali unable to continue bowling, Hampshire's attack lacked the bite to claim the vital wicket of Wagh.

Wagh duly brought up his century from just 123 balls amid chaotic scenes, as wicketkeeper Pothas fell awkwardly forcing Cork to replace him behind the stumps. Meanwhile at the other end the South African international Hashim Amla (54) made his way to a sound half-century before being caught by the substitute fielder Benny Howell off the bowling of Griffiths.

Griffiths then claimed his third wicket as Patel (1) struck a bouncer straight down the throat of Benham at third man, and then chipped in with a good catch to dismiss Ally Brown (14) off a top-edge from Herath, but it was all in vain as Wagh and Chris Read (7 not out) knocked off the remaining runs with ease.