County Championship: Hampshire edges on opening day after Sibley assault

LV= County Championship Division One, Ageas Bowl (day one)Warwickshire 217: McAndrew 63, Sibley 56; Abbott 5- 45Hampshire 42-3: Holland 20 *; Hannon-Dalby 2-22Hampshire 3pts, Warwickshire 2ptsDashboard of the match< p class="" data-reactid=".1l6xpmfrd1m.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-3.0">The England Test captain has sent a message to county cricketers that the way they play "will be on selectors' minds" - with Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum promoting a more aggressive mindset.

Sibley, previously criticized for his slow play during England responded to the Ageas Bowl with a 56-ball 56, full of shots.

He fell for 56 to start a five-wicket post-lunch swing falling for 17 runs before Australian Nathan McAndrew countered with 63, with Kyle Abbott taking 5-45 for the home team.

In response, Oliver Hannon-Dalby claimed two wickets for 22 as Hampshire stumbled for 42-3 at the stumps.

Guest skipper Will Rhodes couldn't have said "bat" faster after winning the mix under blue skies and hot sun, and before lunch, everything was as simple as the conditions suggested.

Sibley hasn't played a test since last fall, but the third and fifth balls he faced disappeared to the third-man limit.

While thick outside edges were an early design for his innings, it was a pair of forehands that caught the eye to help him to 27 from just 20 balls.

>

Sibley, bound for Surrey, left over the winter to work on his cricket, withdrawing from an England A tour of Australia.

He came back with 537 races to just under 45, with two centuries - and only Ben Compton and Alastair Cook improved his record as a fly-half in the Premier Division.

Glorious cover continued their offside dominance before he reached the fourth score out of 50 this summer with a film o...