HAMPSHIRE captain Jimmy Adams admits his side need to win their penultimate LV County Championship match to keep alive their hopes of an incredible treble, writes.
Wins for Yorkshire and Kent last week meant Hampshire slipped out of the second division’s top two and begin the penultimate round of games in fourth – six points behind second-placed Yorkshire.
But if they win their next match against Essex at The Ageas Bowl, which starts tomorrow (10.30am), they will still be in the promotion mix going into the final week of the season.
Hampshire play division two champions-elect Derbyshire at Derby in the four days leading up to their CB40 final against Warwickshire at Lord’s on September 15.
But the challenge for Hampshire this week is to focus on beating Essex.
Adams said: “We need to keep pushing hard. It’s big game against Essex, we need a result to put pressure on teams around us going into that last game.
Essex’s own promotion hopes are effectively over, but Adams cautioned: “They’re a good side.
“We don’t want to have to go into that last game having to dominate Derby so it’s a big week for us."
Hampshire (from): Carberry, Adams, Katich, Vince, Ervine, Dawson, Bates, Wood, Kabir Ali, Balcombe, Tomlinson, Griffiths.
