Essex v Hampshire - Day One - Close of Play report

Billy Godleman launched his Essex career with a superb innings on the opening day of the season hitting 92 out of his side’s 325-7 whilst there were also half-centuries from James Foster and Matt Walker.

 

Despite the early start to the season, the weather proved delightful for the estimated 2,000 crowd basking in the sunshine as Godleman and John Maunders got the innings off to solid start after the home side had been put into bat.

 

Their opening stand had reached 68 before a misunderstanding saw Maunders run out for 33 when he was sent back after striker Godleman had played the ball into the offside. However bowler David Griffiths reacted quickly and swooped on the ball and threw down the wicket at the bowler’s end.

 

Tom Westley went soon after. Having just got off the mark, he pushed forward to Griffiths to give wicket-keeper Nic Pothas the first of three catches as Essex slipped to 79-2 but the 21 year-old Godleman was growing in assurance all the time.

 

He did survive one piece of good fortune when he offered a catch to Jimmy Adams at first slip with his score on 45 but the chance was spurned and he soon reached his half-century having faced  74 balls with five boundaries.

 

He found an excellent ally in Walker as the pair composed a third wicket partnership worth 86 runs that included a number of pleasing drives and cuts.

 

However with a century beckoning on debut, Godleman was bowled by slow left-armer Danny Briggs for 92 having faced 146 deliveries that included 13 boundaries. Deciding to come down the wicket, he was bowled between bat and pad attempting  to work the ball into the leg side but  left the field to warm applause from the appreciative crowd.

 

Mark Pettini joined Walker with the home side 177-4 and the Essex captain wasted little time in hoisting a delivery from Briggs over the ropes but the bowler struck back with a vengeance and with his next delivery, Pettini was caught by the wicket-keeper  for 10 when he top-edged the ball attempting to cut.

 

Walker was playing a splendid role in anchoring one end and figured in another decent stand, this time with James Foster although the former Kent man was forced to use a runner (Pettini) after the tea interval having suffered thigh problem. 

 

The fifth wicket pair had added 75 in 28 overs that had seen the home side to their first two batting points of the season and 252-5, with Foster hitting a 62-ball half-century that embraced ten boundaries, when Walker attempted to sweep Briggs and was caught behind the wicket for 57 to end a stay of 221 minutes.

 

Foster continued to play freely supported by Ryan ten Doeschate but having advanced to 88 with 18 fours, he played back to a delivery from Griffiths and was caught by Neil Mckenzie at second slip with the scoreboard showing 300-6 wickets.

 

Ten Doeschate had moved onto a patient 23 when he was splendidly caught at second slip by Adams who leapt high for the ball to give Griffiths his third wicket of the innings and leave Graham Napier and David Masters a little more than one over to see the hosts through to the close.

 

Scoreboard – Essex 325-7 wickets from 96 overs, Napier 2 not out, Masters 4 not out.