County Championship: Hampshire complete final morning win over Bears

Hampshire have now four (and drawn the other against Lancashire) in their five home Championship games in 2022

Hampshire professionally secured their sixth win in nine games this season to maintain the pressure on Surrey at the top of the County Championship table.

James Vince's men needed just under two hours to claim the final Warwickshire wicket.

The T20 Blast semi-finalists then knocked off the 91 required to win by eight wickets inside 17 overs.

Felix Organ ticked off 41 of the runs in 36 balls before Vince and Nick Gubbins completed the job.

Having lost to Simon Harmer-inspired Essex last time out, Hampshire are now back on course, having taken 23 points, while reigning champions Warwickshire picked up just four points after suffering their third defeat.

Warwickshire's 10th wicket pair of Briggs and George Garrett added 31 morning runs, to take their partnership to 37.

Garrett survived an lbw appeal from Keith Barker and a Liam Dawson delivery which turned through the gate but over the stumps.

However, he did stroke Barker through the covers before Briggs twice powerfully swept former Hampshire team-mate Dawson to the boundary.

Garrett was dropped by Vince on 10 at first slip diving to his right but, in the following over, Hampshire's irritations were ended when Briggs edged behind off Kyle Abbott.

Organ got the chase moving with the fourth delivery when he guided a cut off Oliver Hannon-Dalby to the third boundary and from then on looked to get the game finished in a rush.

Briggs bore the brunt of his assault; Organ advancing and punching him through the covers before alternating between regular and reverse sweeping the Isle of Wight-born spinner to the boundary.

His aggression did bring about a comical dropped catch when a huge swipe gently headed towards Alex Davies at mid-off for a gimme catch, only for the ball to pop out of his hands and landed sadly on the turf.

The 50 stand came up in 59 balls before Garrett added to his impressive morning when he pinned Holland plumb in front and then caught Organ at square-leg off Briggs.

But Vince - who prepared for Finals Day with 22 off 21 balls - and a reverse-sweeping Nick Gubbins chalked off the remaining 36 runs as Hampshire maintained this season's unbeaten home Championship record.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters Network

Hampshire captain James Vince told BBC Radio Solent:

"We know our seam attack on pitches which offer a bit will always come on top. But, on a pitch like that, when the ball gets soft it can be hard to get people out.

"We've had the odd blip and fell just short against Essex but, on the whole, we've played proper four-day cricket on some good pitches. When the ball isn't doing a lot we have a real formula we're sticking to. Even though it takes longer, we're still taking 20 wickets.

"We know we're going to have to play this type of cricket for the remaining five games to give ourselves a chance. The way we've played in the first two-thirds of the season suggests there is no reason why we can't do that.

"It is tempting to look at scorecards to see what is happening around the country but ultimately we just have to focus on what we're doing. There's still plenty of time. If we win all our games or even draw a couple, we should be there or thereabouts."

Warwickshire head coach Mark Robinson told BBC CWR:

"When you lose four wickets as quick as we did on day one you get nailed. They are a good team though and are relentless.

"The young lads have learned some lessons. George Garrett has seen the next level. And every game Dan Mousley or Chris Benjamin play adds to their experience.

"We have got to keep fronting up. For a day and a half, we were better. It wasn't enough to win but I don't want to sugarcoat or be misleading.

"We don't have the depth of last year. We have been depleted. That isn't an excuse it is a reality. We had Liam Norwell, Tim Bresnan, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes - and the club hasn't filled those shoes yet."