Hampshire hang on for draw against Gloucestershire

Hampshire had dominated the first two days of this Frizzell Championship Division Two match against Gloucestershire at The Rose Bowl, but they were left hanging on to a draw at the end of the match after rain and some tight bowling went against the home side.

Jonty Rhodes and Jon Lewis gathered a further 45 runs when play started after lunch. The morning two hours had been lost to heavy rain, and it was a tribute to the ground staff and the quick drying Rose Bowl that play managed to get underway. Rhodes finished 151 not out, hitting 13 fours and three sixes in a stay of 270 balls.

Set 283 for victory in a minimum of 55 overs, Hampshire's loss of early wickets put paid to any hope of making a challenge for the runs. John Crawley and first innings hero Derek kenway both fell to Aussie Ian Harvey's seam bowling, and he shared the spoils with off spinner Martyn Ball.

It fell to Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shaun Udal to put the brakes on their teams downfall, and on the formers dismissal Wasim Akram played an unusual role of defence, and the draw was comfortably achieved in the end.