Liam Dawson showcased an all-round performance that dreams are made of, scoring a resilient century and taking two key wickets, as Hampshire took a firm grip on their County Championship match against Essex at Chelmsford.

Dawson's Century

Dawson's 139 from 235 balls was the cornerstone of Hampshire's first-innings total of 453. His fifth-wicket partnership of 133 with fellow centurion Tilak Varma was instrumental in building a substantial lead. Varma's 100 came off 241 balls, including 11 fours and 3 sixes.

Key Wickets

After setting a formidable total, Dawson quickly turned his attention to the ball, dismissing both Essex openers within the first 16 overs. His efforts left Essex struggling at 108-3 at the close, still 49 runs behind.

Milestones and Records

Essex's Simon Harmer reached a personal milestone by taking his 500th first-class wicket. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Jones, a 19-year-old debutant, claimed his first wicket in first-class cricket.

Match Context

Hampshire's ambition to accumulate batting points was realized as they moved into the lead, adding 74 runs in 17 overs to reach 371-5 by the cut-off of 110 overs. This increased their season's points haul with the bat from 6 to 9.

Conclusion

Dawson's all-round brilliance has put Hampshire in a commanding position, leaving Essex with a mountain to climb to avoid their third Championship defeat of the season.

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