Critchley stars as Essex wrap up big win at Hants

Matt Critchley also scored 173 in Essex's first innings Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Utilita Bowl (day three) Essex 461-7 dec: Critchley 173, Allison 80, Harmer 71*; Baker 2-68 Essex (22 pts) beat Hampshire (2 pts) by an innings and 137 runs All-rounder Matt Critchley led Essex to a three-day innings victory over to give new Hampshire head coach Russell Domingo a bad start in the County Championship. Stand-in captain Sam Cook had picked up three first-innings scalps as Hampshire were rolled for 156. And after being asked to follow-on, the hosts could only manage 168 to lose by an innings and 137 runs, with Critchley picking up 5-9 after scoring a century earlier in the match.

Essex, who only won three times in a disappointing 2025, become the first team to win in 2026 as they claimed 22 points, with Hampshire securing just two. No one had fewer batting points than Hampshire in the 2025 County Championship, which almost led to them getting relegated. Adi Birrell had departed after the season and was replaced by former South Africa chief Domingo.

And if he didn't know the depth of his challenge, he does now. The challenge of Porter, Cook and Snater was too much for them in the day two gloom as they slipped to 48-3 in less than 15 overs – after Essex had been able to breeze to 461-7 declared. The morning continued in the same vein, albeit under far bluer skies, as Hampshire lost four wickets for 17 runs.

Jake Lehmann only faced seven more deliveries, and added only a swished boundary to his overnight 30, before he attempted to cut a ball to close to him to give Porter his first wicket of the season. Ben Brown left a straight ball from Cook, before Liam Dawson edged Porter behind when grappling with a delivery outside the off stump. Teenage debutant Ben Mayes struck a pair of eye-catching boundaries before Snater pinned him in front, and Codi Yusuf followed after fellow South African Wiaan Mulder snuck a ball into middle stump.