Hampshire Batting Collapse Hands Essex Initiative
Jake Lehmann and Ben Brown half-centuries could not prevent a dramatic Hampshire batting collapse as Essex take charge on day one.
Hampshire suffered a dramatic batting collapse on day one of their County Championship match against Essex, handing the visitors the initiative at the cloud. Jake Lehmann and Ben Brown both reached half-centuries to give Hampshire a promising platform, but their middle order crumbled under pressure, derailing what had looked like a solid start. Essex's bowlers capitalised on the weakness, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals to leave Hampshire in trouble.
