The Sussex Sharks defeated Hampshire by 22 runs at Hove to make it seven victories in a row in the Vitality Blast. With just two victories, Hampshire will undoubtedly need to win every game they have left to go to the quarterfinals.
With two wickets lost in the first two overs, Hampshire, chasing a total of 201, could not have gotten off to a worse start. Ben McDermott, an overseas hitter, hit Ollie Robinson to extra cover and called for a single in the first inning before being run out. Additionally, Tom Prest lobbed James Coles to Tom Clark at mid-on in the subsequent over.
But after that, Vince and Joe Weatherley gave the Hampshire innings a much-needed boost, combining for 59 runs in only six overs. Vince blasted Danny Lamb for a breathtaking six that went over midwicket and beyond. And after being dropped by Lamb at 21, Weatherley scored 34 runs in 23 balls with four fours and a six, before skipping Jack Carson to deep mid-off.
Hampshire was facing a difficult situation when Lamb bowled Vince for 32. However, Toby Albert and Benny Howell’s energetic combination of 50 runs in five overs kept them on track. However, Hampshire lost wickets even though they were matching the run-rate.
Coles bowled Albert, who was swiping to his leg; James Fuller nudged Coles to Lamb at midwicket; and Howell was run out after Liam Dawson, having just been yorkered by Robinson, refused to leave his station when his partner asked for a fast single. Hampshire ultimately came up fairly short, knocked out for 178 in 19.1 overs.
A partnership between Clark and Coles that lasted 83 runs in nine overs was the high point of the Sussex innings. However, the batting lineup on a decent pitch continued to score runs at a high pace all game long.
With the first ball of the third over, Hampshire got off to a strong start by dismissing Daniel Hughes, who had amassed 354 runs in the tournament at a strike rate of more than 170 per 100 balls, for a duck. Harrison Ward, his equally aggressive opening partner, however, hit a hammering 39 off 20 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, to lead the Sharks to a score of 57 from the six-over powerplay. John Turner also went for 20 from an over. However, in mid-off, Ward threw Fuller straight to Vince.
The sole right-hander in the top six, Coles, joined forces with Clark at that point. In his 33-ball 46, Coles blasted five fours and a six over midwicket, while Clark struck five fours in his 37 off just 26 balls.
As they proceeded, the scoring pace was sustained, as former Hampshire batsman Tom Alsop scored 35 runs off only 17 deliveries, including six fours, and the eager Lamb scored 22 runs off of 13. On a challenging night, the two most outstanding bowlers for Hampshire were Chris Wood and Fuller.
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