HAMPSHIRE seamer Ian Holland produced a sensational spell with the pink ball to turn this Specsavers County Championship match against Somerset on its head.

The Australian, who is known as 'Dutchy', took four wickets in 20 balls as Somerset collapsed from 102-1 to 110-5 – before running out Lewis Gregory with a direct hit as the visitors ended a dramatic session on 135-8.

Somerset resumed on 43-1 in reply to Hampshire’s 211-9d when play finally began at 5.20pm, following two days of rain at The Ageas Bowl.

Rookies Ed Byrom (43) and Adam Hose (48) added 59 relatively untroubled runs, but Holland broke their partnership in his first over when the second-wicket partnership had yielded 77.

The game’s complexion underwent a sea change after Holland and Liam Dawson began bowling in tandem.

After two days of rain, Holland was perfect for the conditions under the Ageas Bowl floodlights.

His magical six-over spell of 4-16 – including wicket-to-wicket figures of 4-7 in 20 balls - was the catalyst for a much-improved Hampshire performance.

It began when left-hander Byrom, having impressed on his first-class debut in place of South Africa’s Dean Elgar, chipped tamely to George Bailey at wide mid-off.

Holland trapped Hildreth (2) lbw with the fifth ball of his next over before having Tom Abell and Steven Davies caught behind in the space of three balls midway through his fourth.

Abell nicked a perfect away swinger and then left hander Davies had one angled across him.

It was a sensational introduction from the all-rounder who, like Glenn Maxwell five years ago, began the season playing for South Wilts in the Southern Premier League.

Recommended to the county by former Hampshire captain Dimi Mascarenhas, Holland made a game-changing impact in only his second Championship appearance after replacing Gareth Berg at the Pavilion End.

Even when he was taken out of the attack with a five-fer in his sights (he had only taken two first-class wickets prior to last night), Holland made an impact.

Fielding at backward point, he showed the all-round skills that helped him win the Australian reality TV show Cricket Superstar when he ran out Lewis Gregory with a direct hit.

Following Hose’s shot at the end of Dawson’s seventh over, Gregory paid the price for a moment of indecisiveness before running in vain to the striker’s end. With the momentum in Hampshire’s favour, Berg struck immediately after the run out with the first ball of his second spell, denying Isle of Wight-born Hose (48) his second first-class fifty.

Craig Overton clipped Berg straight to mid-wicket at the end of the next over But it turned out to be the last action of day three as supper was taken before rain arrived with the second course.