County Championship: Northamptonshire bowled out for 56 against Hampshire

The Northamptonshire County Championship’s batting woes continued as they were bowled out for 56 – the lowest total in the 22-year history of the Ageas Bowl.

Keith Barker, the Hampshire fast bowler, was their main tormentor as he stole 4-13 in his 12 overs, while Mohammad Abbas and Ian Holland grabbed two wickets each.

Only Saif Zaib managed to reach double figures – scoring 29 – with four of his teammates falling as they scored one run short of Hampshire’s 57 against Kent at the ground last season.

It meant they gave up a 311-run first innings deficit after Hampshire had earlier been bowled out for 367, with the close seeing two more wickets – a score of 50-2 with Hampshire now 261 ahead.

Northamptonshire exceeded many expectations with their sixth-place finish in the Championship last season – with Luke Proctor, Emilio Gay and Rob Keough scoring over 800 runs.

So far this year, he has had just one point in five games and totals of 72, 63 and now 56.

They are also the only side not to have made 300 runs this season – although that has been somewhat tempered by Gay and Proctor missing games through injury.

Not surprisingly, the modest hitting record has turned into just one win.

Their attempts to improve on that got off to a horrendous start when Hasan Azad was barbecued by Gay and run out without facing a ball in the first over – a brilliant direct hit at point by Mason Crane splashing the stumps.

No words were spoken as Azad got away as Gay frantically kept on being dropped at second slip before facing Abbas’s shot only to drive it straight down the throat of Fletcha Middleton, a fielder at deep square leg.

Sam Wightman would also fall lbw to Barker as Northamptonshire reached lunch on 18-3.

That 11-over stay showed the best of the left-arm Barker. His six overs returned 1-4 and included just one dot shot – off the penultimate ball of the session.

Barker returned from lunch hungry for wickets and had Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw as he walked through his stumps.

The former Warwickshire man then produced a double wicket – his seventh first in 12 overs – where he found Keogh pushing to third slip and James Sales beaten for pace.

Tom Taylor was caught low down at fourth slip by Abbas and Jordan Buckingham edged Holland to second slip to continue the collapse.

Zaib echoed Hampshire’s steady batting approach from day one when the pitch looked slow and patience was needed to pick the moments to score. With partners running out, he advanced and slapped for cover.

Hampshire’s bowling attack is without Kyle Abbott and James Fuller for this match – due to knee problems and illness respectively – which meant Championship debutant John Turner and leg-spinner Crane were promoted into the squad.

Turner managed decent pace in his first 3.2 overs before ending Northamptonshire’s woeful innings by returning Jack White’s strike.

This was the second lowest total for Northamptonshire in the 21st century and the lowest ever for Hampshire.

Rain shortened the day, but a late start to the second innings saw Gay again fall at second slip and Azam complete a pair for the day – although this time he faced at least seven balls before Barker trapped him lbw.

Gay and Wightman showed some solidity before Turner came into the attack and got the former lbw to complete a miserable day for the visitors.

Earlier, Hampshire added 36 runs and lost their remaining four wickets, earning a third batting bonus point.

Liam Dawson and Barker’s 74-run seventh-wicket stand was ended when Taylor returned one to bowl Dawson for 63.

White, who finished with figures of 4-80, had Holland lbw and Turner caught brilliantly at second slip by Gay in consecutive balls.

The innings was rounded off when Abbas beat Taylor to first slip before havoc was wreaked.

The report was provided by the ECB’s reporter network.