Former South Africa pacer Kyle Abbott who retired in 2017 to sign a Koplak deal with Hampshire returned with a brilliant bowling spell match haul of 17/86 for his team during a County Championship match against title-chasing Somerset. Abbott’s bowling figures of 17/86 is the best ever for Hampshire and the best overall since England spinner Jim Laker took 19/90 against Australia in 1956. It is the best bowling figures in first-class cricket in the last 63 years.
Abbott had taken 9/40 in the first innings and replicated his incredible fast bowling with a remarkable 8/46, the Championship’s first 17-wicket haul for 80 years. Somerset, who needed 281 to win, were bundled out for a meager score of just 144 runs in their second innings on Wednesday.
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Talking about his pell, Abbott said, It hasn’t quite sunk in. It is pretty incredible. Yesterday I didn’t think I’d take nine and I didn’t think I’d take eight today. I reckon that is the best I can bowl. I made a lot of friends here during my last spell and it just felt like the right place for me. I’ve been comfortable for a long time, to be honest. I’ve always felt like Hampshire was a home for me. It was a pretty easy transition across here.”
Relive all 1️⃣7️⃣ of @Kyle_Abbott87's wickets against Somerset ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/gX76XOtnSW
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 19, 2019
The 136-run defeat became Somerset’s third loss of the season, means they will need to beat their title rivals Essex at Taunton next week if they are to win the Championship for the first time. Essex is on the verge of registering a win over Surrey. Somerset dropped to second while Essex moved top of the standings after beating Surrey by an innings and 40 runs.
Somerset is 12 points behind Essex and the teams play each other in the last match of the championship, where at least 16 points are up for grabs, starting on Monday at Taunton
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Abbott featured in 11 Tests, 28 ODIs and 21 T20Is for South Africa. He made his debut for the Proteas in 2013. He had signed an initial four-year deal with Hampshire in 2017. Abbott has played 113 first-class matches. He has picked up 439 wickets and has 30 five-wicket hauls under his belt.
