Tomlinson delight at half-century wickets milestone

6:28am Saturday 9th August 2008

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James Tomlinson became the first bowler in the LV County Championship's first division to take 50 wickets this season and then admitted: "I didn't think I'd get there."

The left-arm fast bowler has 51 wickets at 24.68 after taking 4 for 31 as Hampshire climbed out of the relegation zone with an emphatic ten-wicket win against Yorkshire at the Rose Bowl.

Tomlinson, 26, had taken 47 first-class wickets throughout his career before this season.

But he took his 50th wicket of a memorable summer when Gerard Brophy was brilliantly caught behind by Nic Pothas as Yorkshire collapsed to 107 all out.

He said: "At the start of the season 30-40 wickets was my aim because I didn't think I would play every game. This is much better than I hoped for.

"Getting 8-46 against Somerset gave me confidnece and since then I've been trying to be more consistent.

"Everyone tells me what an advantage it is to be a left armer and it's true but I thought there'd be a quiet patch when the wickets flattened out.

"Now I've taken five-fors at places like Arundel and here at the Rose Bowl for the first time it all feels a little bit surreal.

"But the most important thing has been proving to my teammates that I can bowl."

Full story: See today's Daily Echo.