El Clasicoast: Hampshire's Greatest Wins Against Sussex

Ahead of Friday’s much anticipated meeting with Sussex Sharks at the The Ageas Bowl, it’s time to reflect on Hampshire’s finest victories over their rivals. Hants have won seven of their ten completed Twenty20 matches against their neighbours at the The Ageas Bowl, including the club’s first ever match in the short format, a 5-run victory on 13^th June 2003.

13^th June 2003 – Hampshire won by 5 runs

Hampshire secured a narrow victory over Sussex when the sides began their respective Twenty20 journeys in June 2003. Sussex won the toss and elected to field, but Hampshire were the side who showed their class in the field. Derek Kenway led Hampshire’s batsmen to a 153-run total, before Shaun Udal and company restricted Sussex to 148 off their 20 overs, despite a fifty from Tim Ambrose giving the visitors hope.

7^th July 2006 – Hampshire won by 15 runs

James Tomlinson and Michael Carberry made their Twenty20 debuts for the club and combined to remove Sussex dangerman Matt Prior, as Hampshire secured a 15-run victory over the Sharks. Dimitri Mascarenhas (4-23) was the match winner on this occasion, ripping through Sussex’s lower order and restricting the visitors to 97 runs, having usefully added 22 to Hampshire’s 112-run total.

25^th May 2009 – Hampshire won by 9 wickets

Hampshire were too strong for Sussex in May 2009. Jimmy Adams and Sean Ervine took Hampshire to victory with the bat, after Hamza Riazuddin reduced Sussex to 3-27 and limited the visitors to 133. After Michael Lumb was bowled for 27, Adams reached his fifty – hitting 68 runs, 2 sixes and 7 fours off 49 balls – and Sean Ervine made a fine contribution alongside him, finishing on 42 off 35 after an historic victory was comfortably sealed by the home side.

27^th June 2011 – Hampshire won by 35 runs

Shahid Afridi produced a man of the match performance against Sussex in only his second home Twenty20 for Hampshire, hitting 29 off 17 with the bat and taking 3-10 with the ball. Adams and Ervine added usefully to Afridi’s knock, as Hampshire were limited to 126 runs by Monty Panesar’s spin. Afridi’s 3-10 included the key wicket of Luke Wright and helped reduce the visitors to 59-5 in the ninth over, as Imran Tahir ensured that Sussex were all out before reaching 100. 

18^th July 2014 – Hampshire won by 6 runs

Michael Carberry finished unbeaten on 87 and Adams scored a speedy half-ton, before Will Smith helped Hampshire seal victory with the ball. When Vince was removed with the third ball of the evening, Hampshire were dealt an immediate set back, but Carberry responded with a typically determined innings. The Hants opener scored 87 runs off 63 balls and finished unbeaten alongside Ervine (32*) after Adams had hit 52 off 34 to project Hampshire’s total to 177. Smith removed Sussex batsmen Ashar Zaidi and Steffan Piolet, after catching Craig Cachopa from Matt Coles, to help restrict the visitors to 171-8 after 20 overs, as Danny Briggs finished with bowling figures of 4-28.