[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Day Two

Morning: The weather improved, but the pitch didn't, and when three wickets fell in the space of nine balls early doors, the jig was up for Worcestershire. Wayne Parnell provided a quickfire 21 to help the Pears up to 120 all out, but Hants emerged for their second innings with a lead of 71. Both openers went early to the bowling of Josh Tongue to give Worcs a glimmer of hope at lunch.

Afternoon: When the home side reduced Hants to 25-4, there was a chance of staying in the match, but sadly a knock of 64 from Tom Alsop carried the visitors to a safe margin as the Pears failed to press the advantage. By tea, Hampshire were all out for 176, setting Worcestershire 248 to win.

Evening: And it just got worse and worse as Daryl Mitchell was caught at slip for a golden duck off the first ball of the innings, prompting a full-on collapse. In truth, there was little the Worcs batsmen could do against some wicked fast bowling, and though a hard-fought 33 from Joe Clarke was the only double-figure score in the top order, most of the players really did their damnedest to survive the onslaught. At close the Pears were 120-8 with Ross Whiteley unbeaten on 37, and it'll require something utterly miraculous from him and Wayne Parnell to chase down the 128 still needed. Realistically, it's game over and season over.