Hampshire Pull Off Great Escape to Avoid Relegation on Nail-Biting Final Day

A nail-biting final day of the 2015 season has seen Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire by eight wickets at Trent Bridge to secure one of the greatest escapes from relegation in the club’s recent history.

Ahead of the final match of the season, Hants faced the tough task of wining against Notts, matching Sussex’s bonus points and hoping that champions Yorkshire beat them.

And with Yorkshire beating Sussex at Headingley, Hampshire maintained their top-flight position by two points, having won three of their last five games to do so.

Openers Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry had laid the foundation for the win by putting on 89 together on the third evening and after a watchful half hour they took their stand into three figures.

Adams moved to his 50 from 81 deliveries and Carberry followed shortly afterwards, running Stuart Broad for back-to-back boundaries to the vacant third man area to reach the milestone.

The opening stand reached 129, at which point Jake Ball struck with two wickets in as many deliveries. Adams chopped on to his stumps after making 70 and then Lions captain James Vince was cleaned up first ball by his fellow squad member.

Carberry’s half century had arrived in 110 deliveries and he made sure there was no way back into the contest for the hosts as he unleashed a flurry of shots, before scampering a single to mid-on to clinch the contest.

Nottinghamshire’s defeat, their first loss in eight matches, confirmed their third place finish in the table.