Hampshire II edged Essex 2nd XI by six runs in the Second Eleven Championship on Monday, finishing 434 to 428. The result keeps Hampshire top of the table with two wins from two matches and 63 points, while Essex remain sixth after three defeats and 20 points. and here's the thing — this was Essex's first match against Hampshire this season and they came within a whisker of a result.
Essex batted first and posted 428, but Hampshire chased steadily to reach 434 without loss of a wicket. The target was never far out of reach once Hampshire got going, though Essex bowled hard throughout. to be fair, the hosts had a chance to build a bigger cushion earlier in their innings.
Looking at the standings, Hampshire lead by 43 points with one game in hand. Essex sit mid-table and have yet to secure a win, having lost all three matches so far. The gap between top and bottom is wide this season, and this result reinforced the hierarchy.
Essex's recent form shows mixed results — a narrow win against Leicester II back in June, but heavy defeats to Glamorgan and Middlesex since. Hampshire, meanwhile, have been impressive, including a 549-run total against Leicester II and two close wins against Kent 2nd XI.
by then, Hampshire had already established themselves as strong contenders. This was the kind of match that decided nothing about the title race, but it confirmed what the table already told us.