Dickson stays strong to earn rain-affected draw

SOMERSET batter Sean Dickson scored an unbeaten 77 as his side drew with Hampshire in the Rothesay County Championship.

- REPORT BY ALEX SMITH

Hampshire continued their unbeaten start and Somerset their winless opening at the Utilita Bowl.

Dickson, Tom Abell and the weather quelled any chances of a final day route to a positive result in either direction - with a total of 175 overs, or around five sessions, lost in the match.

Dickson ended up unbeaten on 77, and Abell 27, after a 56-run partnership which had wiped out Hampshire's lead and taken Somerset away from any danger of losing.

Ben Brown's side took 13 points from the match, to Somerset's 11, to display a healthy 43 points from their opening three rounds and remain within touching distance of the Division One pacemakers.

The only thing stopping this match from becoming a day four draw was either an inspired morning of bowling or the forecasted rain blowing in the opposite direction.

Neither happened, with the first part largely down to Dickson and Abell’s stoic batting.