Praise for Fidel – Fuller pleased with Hampshire response after slow start at Yorkshire

James Fuller felt Hampshire did enough to be upbeat on the opening day of their County Championship match at Yorkshire with Fidel Edwards’ contribution particularly impressive.
By Mark McMahon
Published 28th May 2019, 20:55 BST
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Fidel Edwards of Hampshire celebrates after dismissing Simon Harmer of Essex during Day Four of the Specsavers County Championship Division One match between Hampshire and Essex at The Ageas Bowl on April 08, 2019 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Fidel Edwards of Hampshire celebrates after dismissing Simon Harmer of Essex during Day Four of the Specsavers County Championship Division One match between Hampshire and Essex at The Ageas Bowl on April 08, 2019 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Fidel Edwards of Hampshire celebrates after dismissing Simon Harmer of Essex during Day Four of the Specsavers County Championship Division One match between Hampshire and Essex at The Ageas Bowl on April 08, 2019 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

The Ageas Bowl side were looking to bounce back fast after losing to Somerset at Lord’s on Saturday in the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

It wasn’t the best start and they could have been in a slump, struggling to get going as rain also disrupted the match.

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But Fuller, who was making his debut in the four-day game for the county, felt bowling the hosts out for 181 was a good effort, with Edwards to the fore.

He said: ‘We started badly. We were off the boil.

‘Then we got into our rhythm and Fidel blew some toes off!

‘We were happy with 181. Both teams were looking to bat.

‘It's great to have a bowler like Fidel in the side because he does just blow away the tail.

‘When we got it together and started to bowl in decent areas, we applied some pretty good pressure.

‘You can’t ignore the Lord’s final. It was an emotional day physically.

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‘We put so much effort into it and came away with a loss. It was tough to get up for the start. It took an hour to maybe get the boys going.’

Fuller picked up three wickets and Keith Barker got the other two.

‘This is my Hampshire (four-day) debut,’ added Fuller.

‘I’m happy to come in and do a role for the team. We have a really good four-pronged attack here.

‘Kohler-Cadmore and Willey looked like they could take the game away from us, so they were two key wickets.’

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Yorkshire responded well and managed to get Oli Soames for two wickets before the close.

Fuller said: ‘We were watching on from the balcony and Yorkshire were bowling well at the end there.

‘On a wicket like that, sometimes there’s one with your name on it (Soames dismissal).’

Related topics:YorkshireHampshireSomerset

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