Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the County Championship...
Fixture: Hampshire v Gloucestershire
Venue: Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Dates: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - Sunday, April 25, 2021
Start time: 11am
What's the lowdown?
Gloucestershire will be buoyed after providing a major upset in round two, notching a comprehensive eight-wicket win against last year’s runners-up Somerset in a rare Championship west-country derby. After sweeping aside Surrey by the same margin in the first round, the Bristol boys are in red-hot form and sit second in a group which their round three opposition, Hampshire, top. Can they make it a hat-trick of giant killings?
A hat-trick was the story of Hampshire’s round two, with Mohammad Abbas knocking over Max Holden, Nick Gubbins and Steve Eskinazi with his fifth, sixth and seventh deliveries of the match on his way to figures of 9 for 39. With Kyle Abbott, the Pakistani forms part of an international quality opening pairing that overwhelmed first Leicestershire and then Middlesex as Hampshire made it two wins from two.
Who's in form?
After an underwhelming round one, scoring only 11 and 19 respectively as Hampshire piled on 612 for 5, opener Ian Holland and middle-order mainstay Sam Northeast made up for lost time against Middlesex, with fifties in the first innings before each piling on a century in the second dig, USA allrounder Holland’s unbeaten 146 his second in first-class cricket.
In all, it means that five of Hampshire’s top six have already registered centuries this Championship season, giving the firing Abbas and Abbott plenty to bowl at.
With two rounds gone, Gloucestershire’s batting has also proved a strength, with Chris Dent and James Bracey the standouts. Batting at three, having vacated his opening slot for overseas batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, the highly-rated Bracey scored 201 runs across his two innings against Somerset.
Dent has registered three fifties in his four knocks this season, including an unbeaten 91 in the slip-stream of Graeme van Buuren’s brutal fourth-innings 110 not out against Surrey. On the bowling front, all-rounder Ryan Higgins has been typically relentless and has the second most Championship wickets this season with 13.
Last five first-class matches (most recent first)
Hampshire: WWLDW
Gloucestershire: WWDLD
Head-to-head first-class record
Total matches: 170
Hampshire wins: 55
Gloucestershire wins: 48
Draws: 67
Abandoned: 2
What's the team news?
Hampshire: Hants are unchanged for the top-of-the-table clash. Cameron Steel has arrived on loan from Durham but he must wait for a debut.
Keith Barker and James Fuller are fit again and played for the second XI this week, but have not been considered for selection.
Hampshire squad: James Vince (c), Lewis McManus, Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas, Tom Alsop, Joe Weatherley, Mason Crane, Brad Wheal, Scott Currie, Sam Northeast, Liam Dawson, Felix Organ, Ian Holland
Gloucestershire: Dan Worrall joins the squad after coming out of quarantine. Josh Shaw returns for the second XI, bowling 13 overs, and is fit for selection. Ian Cockbain is named in a red-ball squad for the first time this season.
Gloucestershire squad: Chris Dent (C), Kraigg Brathwaite, James Bracey, Tom Lace, Graeme van Buuren, Ryan Higgins, George Hankins, Ian Cockbain, David Payne, Matthew Taylor, Josh Shaw, Dan Worrall, Dominic Goodman, George Scott, Tom Smith
Latest Hampshire news: Click here
Latest Gloucestershire news: Click here
Who's said what?
Despite getting the campaign off to an impressive start with a century against Middlesex, Northeast is not thinking about England recognition.
"This year I just want to enjoy my cricket and not necessarily focus on playing for England," he told Metro. "When I moved to Hampshire that was my number one focus and motivation. ‘It just feels a bit different this year.
"It feels like it’s further away than ever before. But that doesn’t take away from me wanting to do well for myself and for Hampshire, and just wanting to enjoy it a bit more I guess."
What's the weather forecast?
With temperatures hovering in the midteens, four uninterrupted days of cricket should be possible at The Ageas Bowl with the sun scheduled to shine throughout the match.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for the Ageas Bowl: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: Hampshire will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here
All County Championship matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every County Championship match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Going to the game?
Tickets: This match is to be played behind closed doors owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Travel: Not applicable owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Prediction?
It’s clear that Gloucestershire are not to be underestimated and you would back their top-order, now bolstered by Brathwaite, to stand as good a chance as any of countering the twin threats of Abbas and Abbott. A draw.
OTHER MATCH PREVIEWS
Group 1
Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
Group 2
Group 3
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