Another excellent spell of swing bowling from Neil Carter swept Warwickshire to the brink of victory on the third day of their championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston
George Dobell at Edgbaston29-Apr-2010
ScorecardNeil Carter burst through the Hampshire top order to give Warwickshire a chance of victory•Getty Images
Another excellent spell of swing bowling from Neil Carter swept Warwickshire to the brink of victory on the third day of their championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston.Carter, gaining prodigious swing, cut through Hampshire’s top-order in an incisive new ball spell that saw the visitors lose four wickets for the addition of 15 runs in 33 balls. Had rain not curtailed the day by 67 overs, Warwickshire might well have completed their first win of the season already.It was fine bowling rather than poor batting responsible for the decline. The ball that dismissed Michael Carberry, a beast of a delivery that swung from outside leg and left the batsman further off the pitch before taking the edge and flying to gully, was close to unplayable. Chris Benham, who looks to have been promoted above his ability at three, was beaten by lavish inswing before the out of sorts Neil McKenzie edged one that was angled across him.The haul leaves Carter as the top division’s leading wicket taker, with 20 at 16 apiece.Chris Woakes also impressed. He earned the wicket of Jimmy Adams, prodding forward at one angled across him, while Imran Tahir was rather gifted the wicket of James Vince, playing an ambitious sweep on the brink of lunch.It was an unworthy end to a pleasing innings from Vince (59 balls, 10 fours). He may have lived a little fortuitously at time, but he times the ball with a sweetness that few can match. His clips through mid-wicket were reminiscent of Michael Vaughan, though a tendency to play across the line will need to be curbed if he is to fulfil his obvious potential.There will be great relief at Edgbaston if they complete victory on the final day. They have not lost the first three championship games of a season since 1931 and were in grave danger of finding themselves championship also-rans even before the start of May.Defeat would be a crushing blow to Hampshire, however. Not since 1995 have they lost their first three championship games of a season (they went on to finish 13th) and, after Rod Bransgrove invested heavily in a squad that was expected to challenge for all trophies, repercussions are likely.Their form last year hardly inspires confidence of a revival, either. They won just one of their last 10 championship games in 2009 and, if they fail to conjure up an unlikely victory here, will have won just one of their last 13.There are some mitigating factors this season. Michael Lumb (England duty) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (injury) are sorely missed, while their overseas player is yet to arrive.That is a partially self-inflicted wound, however. Hampshire originally wanted to retain the services of Imran Tahir, but concluded that they would be unable to gain a visa for him this year after new regulations were introduced.That was a costly mistake. Hampshire’s second choice as overseas player was Ajantha Mendis, whose availability is severely limited, while they have yet to acquire a visa for their third choice, Ranjana Herath. Imran Tahir, meanwhile, is expected to play the entire season for Warwickshire.Hampshire have not lost this game yet. While Nic Pothas and Sean Ervine are at the crease, they have a chance. The unsettled weather forecast will encourage them further.But, for a club that has one of the biggest wage bills in the game, the original aim for this season was far higher.
