Hampshire Hawks v Essex Eagles
Vitality Blast
The Ageas Bowl
Team News:
Hampshire Hawks: Ben McDermott (wk), James Vince (c), Tom Prest, Joe Weatherley, Toby Albert, Ross Whiteley, James Fuller, Liam Dawson, Chris Wood, Mason Crane, Brad Wheal
Essex Eagles: Adam Rossington (wk), Feroze Khushi, Michael Pepper, Matt Critchley, Paul Walter, Tom Westley, Simon Harmer (c), Aron Nijjar, Shane Snater, Ben Allison, Sam Cook
Match Details:
Umpires: Benjamin Debenham, Steve O’Shaughnessy & Dean Cosker
Toss: Hampshire, who elected to bat
Result: Hampshire win by 32 runs
Scorecard: View Here
Match Highlights:
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Match Report:
The Essex Eagles fell short in chasing down 156 at The Ageas Bowl on Thursday night to slip to defeat in the Vitality Blast.
James Fuller continued his renaissance season for the hosts by claiming 4/30 as the Hawks made it three on the bounce.
After winning the toss, Hawks skipper James Vince elected to bat and it was Ben Allison who made the breakthrough on his way to career-best T20 figures of 3/33.
The Colchester-born seamer had McDermott edging behind for 4 in the third over and the Hawks 11-1.
That brought Prest to the crease, and the 19-year-old batted with confidence to reach 30 before he was caught at cow corner by Allison off Critchley, who claimed figures of 3/25 from his 4 overs.
Hampshire skipper Vince battled his way to 44 on a tough wicket before falling to the same caught Allison bowled Critchley trap, whilst Weatherley scored a quickfire 38 from 26 balls to propel the host’s score to 155-6 at the end of their 20 overs.
The Eagles’ reply started nicely, with Khushi, making his first T20 appearance of the season, slapping Wood for a straight six. However, he was bowled by Fuller shortly after for 11 with the score 22-1.
Conditions had worsened and the rain was now swirling around, which made it equally difficult for both batters and bowlers/fielders.
Michael Pepper was given a life before he had scored when Chris Wood dropped a clanger, something Liam Dawson didn’t repeat to dismiss Adam Rossington for 13.
Pepper was caught and bowled by Mason Crane for 10 and Critchley slapped to deep cover as the drizzle got heavier, with the Eagles slipping to 62-4 and further behind the DLS par.
Paul Walter holed out after an enterprising 27 and Simon Harmer was then bowled by Fuller for 8.
Wood and Wheal then combined for a good display of death bowling to dismiss Tom Westley, Nijjar, Allison and Sam Cook in the final 3 overs, with Hampshire Hawks claiming victory by 32 runs.
