County Championship: Hampshire bowl out Warwickshire to go joint second

Mohammad Abbas made light of his ankle injury the previous day to take two key Warwickshire wickets

Hampshire completed their fifth County Championship win of the season as they beat Warwickshire at Edgbaston by 60 runs to further tangle up an already complicated Division One title race.

Resuming on 139-2, the Bears began the day still needing a further 157 runs to win but they were bowled out for 235.

Mohammad Abbas shrugged off an ankle injury to take two key wickets.

But the Bears tail-end then failed for once, spectacularly losing their last four wickets for just four runs.

The hosts were also not helped by three contentious decisions, two lbw dismissals in favour of James Fuller, the first to get rid of Rob Yates for 77, another to get Hampshire old boy Danny Briggs - and then the late run-out that disposed of Liam Norwell.

That came after a sharp bit of work by England spinner Liam Dawson, who also had Craig Miles caught behind first ball for a golden duck to finish with figures of 3-42.

Hampshire go level on points with Yorkshire on 38.5 points in Division One, although both sides trail leaders Nottinghamshire who eventually completed a 102-run victory over Lancashire.

Following on from the way they saved the game against Yorkshire last week, it was an amazing comeback victory for a Hampshire side bowled out on on the first morning for just 89.

Abbas and Bears old boy Keith Barker then took five wickets each to bowl out Warwickshire for 116. And, thanks chiefly to 75 from Barker, Hampshire posted 322 in their second innings to set the hosts a tough 296 target.

Warwickshire had already chased down one bigger target this season, 333 against Notts at Trent Bridge in April. This time they were short, with a frustrated Matt Lamb left stranded on 32.

But they remain well in touch in the title race, in fourth place, just 2.5 points behind Yorkshire and Hampshire, who now host Notts this Sunday, when the Bears go to Headingley.

Remaining Division One fixtures

Sunday 12 to Wednesday 15 September:

Hampshire v Nottinghamshire (Southampton), Somerset v Lancashire (Taunton), Yorkshire v Warwickshire (Leeds).

Tuesday 21 to Friday 24 September:

Lancashire v Hampshire (Aigburth), Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire (Trent Bridge), Warwickshire v Somerset (Edgbaston).

Warwickshire first-team coach Mark Robinson told BBC Radio WM:

"We're feeling quite raw as that's a game you feel you should have won, but credit to Hampshire to be bowled out for 89 and come back and win.

"Mohammad Abbas is a quality performer. As good as anyone in world cricket in these conditions.

"We feel we haven't had the rub of the green with some decisions, but that's cricket. In some of the wins we've had, other decisions have gone our way. It evens itself out. That's just the sport we're in. They're still fine umpires and good people.

"We went in this morning knowing that we still had nine days of cricket left and still with a chance to win the title. We'll lick our wounds and move on but we're still in that mix."

Hampshire captain James Vince:

''It was a pretty good wicket. Both teams made mistakes with the bat on day one, but the way we responded on day two was a real good effort.

''The wicket got better as it went on, and it was an unbelievable fightback.

"We have done that in all three formats, so I knew we had the character to turn it around.

''We didn't know coming in if Abbas could bowl, so it was great for him to come out and pick up those wickets for us. But it was a massive effort from everyone."