County Championship: Mohammad Abbas keeps Hampshire on top against Gloucestershire

Mohammad Abbas impressed with figures of 6-45 on day two at the Ageas Bowl

Hampshire paceman Mohammad Abbas claimed his first five-wicket haul of the County Championship season but Gloucestershire's stunning evening session snatched the momentum from the home side at the Ageas Bowl.

The hosts had looked set for a first-innings lead in excess of 200 after Abbas ripped through the visitors with a textbook showcase of line and length bowling, finishing with figures of 6-45 after helping to reduce Gloucestershire to 124-9 in reply to Hampshire's 342.

However, Ajeet Singh Dale and Jared Warner added 55 for the last wicket to reduce the deficit to 163.

And then Mohammad Amir produced a superb spell of 3-11, with Ryan Higgins also claiming a scalp, to leave Hampshire 28-4 at the close of day two, with their lead 191.

To start the day, Hampshire duo Liam Dawson and Kyle Abbott had failed to reach the bonus point for 350 runs despite a spirited morning effort that saw the home side add 32 runs for their final two wickets, with Graeme van Buuren pinning Abbott leg before and Dawson flailing to deep extra cover to wrap up the innings.

Abbas then came into his own with an incredible seven-over spell of 4-16, with his second over an Ageas Bowl classic.

Marcus Harris left the first ball and pumped the second for three before the Pakistan ace found George Scott's tentative outside edge behind. James Bracey was shelled at third slip first ball, played and missed his second before he finally tickled behind - Abbas coming over, around and then over the wicket again. A plan hatched by Keith Barker during their meeting last year.

Hampshire were now in the box seat and relentlessly hunted down further wickets.

Miles Hammond was the next to feather Abbas to wicketkeeper Ben Brown before Van Buuren, without scoring, was trapped leg before on the cusp of lunch as the visitors slipped to 31 for four.

Australian opener Harris ended the procession of Abbas wickets by loosely driving Abbott to second slip for 17 and Tom Lace had his off stump pegged back by James Fuller.

Higgins countered with an entertaining 46 in conjunction with Dom Goodman (18) before taking on Felix Organ one too many times to top edge to deep midwicket.

Abbas then completed his five-wicket haul with a short ball into Goodman's ribs, which was gloved through to Brown.

Amir followed two balls later with a sharp edge to second slip - Abbas celebrating by running down to his friend and laying his hands on his shoulder in a consolidatory manner.

The hosts debated whether they would look to enforce the follow-on or not at the fall of that ninth wicket, only for Dale and Warner to put on 55 - the highest partnership of the innings.

Dale, against his former county, made a brisk 36 before Organ eventually ended the stand when he got Warner to push to short leg to bowl Gloucestershire out for 179.

Gloucestershire's glee was increased as, in 11 evening overs, Amir dismissed Organ jabbing to the cordon second ball, before Ian Holland fell in the following over - caught behind attempting to leave Higgins.

Nightwatchmen Abbott and Abbas were then lbw in successive balls to Amir coming around the wicket, as Hampshire saw their openers and tail disappear in a little over 45 minutes of havoc.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.