South African batsman Neil McKenzie made light of an alien environment to frustrate Gloucestershire on the second day of the LV=County Championship Division Two match at the County Ground.
Facing a youthful seam attack in the cold and damp at Bristol, the 36-year-old Kolpac player served up defiance aplenty to post an unbeaten half century as Hampshire reached 104-2 in reply to Gloucestershire's 271 on a rain-interrupted day at the County Ground.
Adopting attack as the best form of defence, McKenzie helped himself to nine boundaries on his way to 52 not out from 82 balls and shared in a stand of 79 for the second wicket with Bilal Shafayat to suggest promotion-chasing Hampshire can build a significant first-innings lead in improving overhead conditions when play resumes today.
Recruited as a short-term replacement for the injured Michael Carberry, the South Africa international was picked ahead of young England Lions batsman James Vince, much to the chagrin of chairman of selectors Geoff Miller, who travelled onto Old Trafford to monitor other Lions prospects rather than remain in Bristol.
Given that Hampshire's priority is to achieve promotion back to the First Division, the decision to include the experienced McKenzie at the top of the order made sense and he more than justified his selection in bowler-friendly conditions.
More accustomed to the Johannesburg sunshine, the Highveld Lions right-hander was nevertheless unfazed by the low cloud and light drizzle that proved such a deterrent to spectators.
Prepared to bide his time and wait for the bad ball, McKenzie proved especially strong on the leg-side, opting to take the game to Gloucestershire's bowlers after Jimmy Adams had departed for nine, caught behind fending at a rising delivery from Ian Saxelby. Quite content to drop anchor and see off the new ball, former England U19 batsman Bilal Shafayat served as a perfect foil, grafting his way to 20 from 51 balls.
Gloucestershire skipper Alex Gidman called up Benny Howell's occasional seam up and the former Hampshire player duly obliged, having Shafayat held by Rob Nicol at second slip off his 14th delivery from the Ashley Down Road End.
Gloucestershire were then frustrated by the rain that settled over Bristol and caused play to be abandoned for the rest of the day.
Earlier, resuming on 265-8, Gloucestershire's tail offered precious little resistance when play finally began after a delay of 45 minutes in the morning.
Richard Coughtrie represented the home side's last chance of garnering a third batting bonus point and he had added just three runs to his overnight score when he was pinned lbw by James Tomlinson for 26. Kabir Ali had David Payne caught at the wicket in the very next over to wrap up the innings, the former England seamer finishing with figures of 3-69.
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