Glad tidings from New Road concerning Simon Jones will hearten the England selectors after Andrew Flintoff's setback. They can only be regarded as the first tentative steps on the road to his full rehabilitation but the Welsh fast bowler got through his full quota of overs yesterday and claimed a maiden five-wicket haul in one-day cricket. Thanks largely to him, Hampshire posted a woeful total of 209 that Worcestershire waltzed past with more than 20 overs to spare.

Jones bowled only three overs in his sole Championship appearance for Worcestershire before a neck injury ruled him out. He managed six overs in his one-day debut a week ago, but bowled his full quota yesterday in three spells to take five for 32. Tidy in his opening spell of 4-1-9-1, when he had Michael Brown well taken at the wicket, he was indifferent in his second when he started with a beamer, but after changing to the Diglis End, he came back strongly at the death.

“The body's feeling better and better the more I bowl,” Jones said. Understandably, he operated some way below top pace, although he sometimes hurried batsmen.

A little bit of extra bounce brought him the wicket of Greg Lamb, who top-edged to deep square leg, while Jimmy Adams gloved a pull. Lamb's dismissal for a fine 84 from 89 balls in the 44th over denied Hampshire the chance of a grand finale after they had reached 186 for five after 40 overs. Earlier, they had been restricted to 29 for two from the first ten overs.

Worcestershire, by contrast, hurtled to 85 without loss from their first ten overs as Vikram Solanki and Steven Davies raced to 38-ball fifties. Davies, excellent behind the stumps where he held four catches, began with four fours off one over from David Griffiths.

Solanki, hitting the ball on the up and piercing the gaps, thrilled the sun-baked crowd with some dazzling strokes. Twice, he hit Liam Dawson, the 18-year-old left-arm spinner, for six on the way to 81 from 59 balls. By that time, the opening partnership was worth 160 in 19 overs, settling the issue before patrons in the Ladies Pavilion had been able to finish their scones and cakes.

Hampshire
M J Lumb c Batty b Magoffin20
M J Brown c Davies b S P Jones5
S M Ervine c Andrew b Magoffin8
C C Benham c Andrew b Batty26
G A Lamb c Andrew b S P Jones84
J H K Adams c Davies b Mitchell22
K J Latouf b Mitchell14
L A Dawson c Davies b S P Jones9
J A Tomlinson c R A Jones b S P Jones3
D A Griffiths not out3
B V Taylor c Davies b S P Jones0

Extras (lb 1, w 10, nb 4) 15
Total (48 overs) 209

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-27, 3-46, 4-103, 5-154, 6-189, 7-203, 8-203, 9-208.

Bowling: Magoffin 9-1-27-2; S P Jones 10-1-32-5; Andrew 6-1-28-0; Batty 10-0-58-1; R A Jones 5-0-29-0; Mitchell 7-1-29-2; M M Ali 1-0-5-0.

Worcestershire
S M Davies not out76
M M Ali not out42

Extras (lb 2, w 10) 12
Total (1 wkt, 27.3 overs) 211

B F Smith, S C Moore, D K H Mitchell, G J Batty, G M Andrew, S J Magoffin, S P Jones and R A Jones did not bat.

Fall of wicket: 1-160.

Bowling: Tomlinson 5-0-40-0; Griffiths 2-0-20-0; Taylor 9-0-43-1; Ervine 2-0-24-0; Dawson 3-0-23-0; Lamb 6.3-0-59-0.

Umpires: G I Burgess and N G Cowley.

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