Sonny Baker (right) has four five-wicket hauls already in his career Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Utilita Bowl (day three) Hampshire 214: Organ 55; O'Neill 5-51 & 82-4: Lehmann 30*; O'Neill 2-19 Nottinghamshire 229: Slater 48, Patterson-White 48; Baker 5-45, Abbott 4-40 Hampshire (3pts) lead Notts (3pts) by 67 runs.

Sonny Baker celebrated his England Test call-up with his best bowling figures but Hampshire's batting faltered again to give Nottinghamshire the scent of victory in their County Championship match at the Utilita Bowl. Baker produced two searing spells either side of lunch to claim 5-45 and prove why he was named in the squad to face New Zealand next month. His excellent figures, after Kyle Abbott had taken 4-40, meant Nottinghamshire could only take a 15-run first innings lead despite Liam Patterson-White's 48.

But Hampshire could not capitalise as they slipped to 82-4 by stumps with a slim 67-run lead going into the final day. Baker had not played a first-class match at the start of 2025, after a series of back injuries had thwarted his early years at Somerset. He debuted for England Lions in the January of that year, made his County Championship bow four months later – where Jonny Bairstow was his first wicket – and this is still only the 12th red-ball match of his career.

And yet his England acknowledgement has not been a surprise, with this the fourth five-wicket haul of his embryonic career. Ben Slater had been suckered into a short ball on day two, and Lydon James and last man out Patterson-White also were unable to control hook shots. The other two wickets came via irresistible full pace, with Fergus O'Neill losing his off stump and Olly Stone pinned lbw.

Baker's 13 balls after lunch drew figures of 3-4 as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 229. Much of that low total, before Baker's tearaway, was down to Abbott and his unerringly accurate bowling. He got the day rolling when he had compatriot Kyle Verreynne leg-before, and then Sam Seecharan – on debut after coming in as an injury replacement for Freddie McCann, who was struck on the thumb yesterday, was tied up before getting caught behind.

The other wicket in the innings fell to Delano Potgieter – his first Championship scalp of a tidy 20 overs when Jack Haynes prodded to second slip. Hampshire's batting has been the main reason they are bottom of the Division One table, and before they had knocked off the first-innings deficit, they had already lost Toby Albert. O'Neill took five in the first innings and had Albert lbw with a wobble ball, before making Fletcha Middleton his seventh scalp of the match with an edge behind.

Nick Gubbins' loose shot was also caught behind, off Olly Stone, as Hampshire slumped to 30-3. Tom Prest somewhat improved things by adding 43 with Jake Lehmann, but top-edged a short ball to fine leg, shortly before rain cut short the day.

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