Hampshire Cricket - 2016 Moments of the Year

A challenging season for Hampshire was not without its highlights and standout performances, from batting landmarks to match-winning wicket-hauls.

Here are our top five moments from 2016...

Last-ball El Clasicoast Victory, 15th July

Brad Wheal bowled a memorable final over away at Sussex in July to secure Hampshire’s fourth straight T20 win at Hove. 

With the Sharks needing five runs from the final six balls, Wheal conceded just three runs to seal a surprise one-run victory for Hampshire as Liam Dawson and Shahid Afridi produced match-winning run outs.  

Alsop and Goodwin Shine Against Somerset, 29th July

Tom Alsop smashed 85 off 57 balls - the highest individual T20 score by a Hampshire batsman this season -  in a memorable conclusion to Hampshire's NatWest T20 Blast match against Somerset, as a superb opening stand with debutant Jake Goodwin led the home side to an 83-run victory at the The Ageas Bowl.

Having taken 3-27 on his England debut three weeks earlier, Dawson again sparkled with the ball, this time claiming an impressive 5-17 to seal a comprehensive win for Hampshire.

Smith Records Highest First-Class Score, 5th August

Captaining Hampshire in James Vince's absence, Will Smith spent nearly ten hours crafting a superb double-hundred against Lancashire and finished with his highest ever first-class score of 210.

Smith's first century in two years was accompanied by half-centuries from Jimmy Adams, Alsop and Ryan McLaren as Hants piled on 548-6 at the The Ageas Bowl. 

Brad Wheal Six-Fer Secures Hants Double Over Notts, 16th August

Career-best figures for Wheal helped Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire for a second time in the 2016 Specsavers County Championship, with the seamer taking 6-51 on the way to dealing Notts a crushing 176-run defeat at Trent Bridge.

Wheal crucially ended a fourth wicket stand of 162 runs, as Gareth Berg caught Steven Mullaney on 137, and the Scotland international removed key batsmen Samit Patel and Chris Read on his way to eye-catching figures.  

Ervine Reaches 1,000 First-Class Runs, 8th September

Sean Ervine scored a sensational third century in five innings, 158 not out, to move past 1,000 first-class runs in a season for the first time in his career and help Hampshire post their highest total of the summer.

In Hampshire's last five matches of the season, Ervine averaged an incredible 105 with the bat.