COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, The Rose Bowl
Hampshire 216 & 107-3 beat Worcestershire 132 & 189 by seven wickets (Hants 18pts, Worcs 3pts)

Carberry began his career at Surrey and also had a spell with Kent

Michael Carberry guided Hampshire to a seven-wicket win over Worcestershire inside three days at the Rose Bowl.

Carberry (58) shared a second-wicket stand of 61 with John Crawley (31 not out) to ease the home side to their victory target of 106.

Earlier, the visitors added just 29 to their overnight 150-8 before being bowled out in their second innings.

Captain Vikram Solanki (73) was caught at point off James Tomlinson, and Matt Mason (25) was bowled by Dominic Cork.

Indeed, with rain keeping the players in the pavilion for the first hour and then forcing an early tea, it seemed like only the weather could stop Hampshire from clinching an early victory.

Worcestershire began the day leading by just 66 runs and much rested on the shoulders of Solanki, who had been 63 not out overnight.

However, when he cut Tomlinson into the hands of Carberry, any hopes his side had of forcing an unlikely victory departed with him.

606: DEBATE Well that was some start to the season Interserie

A last-wicket stand of 26 between Mason and Imran Arif served to prolong Worcestershire's agony before Mason's leg stump was disturbed by a Cork slower ball.

In pursuit of their victory target, Carberry and James Adams shared 38 for the first wicket until Adams fell lbw to off-spinner Gareth Batty's first ball of the innings.

Carberry, who was dropped twice by Daryl Mitchell off the bowling of Kabir Ali, then combined with Crawley to take the hosts to the brink of victory.

The pair took the score to 99, at which point Carberry was bowled by Mitchell's first delivery of the day.

Michael Lumb skied a catch to Kabir off the bowling of Mitchell four balls later, but two boundaries from Sean Ervine in the next over took Hampshire across the finishing line.

Worcestershire captain Vikram Solanki told BBC Hereford and Worcester:

"It was not exactly the ideal start to our campaign, but it's a long, hard season and there's a lot of cricket left to be played.

"I am sure that this won't be the only setback we have in the year but we must work hard and make sure that we bounce back."

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