Pro40 Hampshire v Yorkshire 5th August

Hawks win in last ball drama.

The first Pro40 match of the season at The Rose Bowl saw Hampshire, on their return from winning the Friends Provident Trophy, lose the toss and Yorkshire Carnegie’s stand-in captain Jacques Rudolph used his initiative and decided to bat first in the brilliant sunshine.

The hero from that final, Dominic Cork, took the new ball and had some success in conceding only two runs in the first over. South African Rudolph showed all of his international class when he hit Dimitri Mascarenhas for a well guided four in the second over. Fellow opener Andrew Gale was in equally impressive form with a perfectly timed off drive off Mascarenhas.

Gale hit a delightful chip over Billy Taylor at mid-wicket for another boundary before pulling for four more in one expensive Mascarenhas over. He hit another pair of boundaries off Sean Ervine as Yorkshire passed the 50 mark. Gale, in spectacular form, soon reached his 10th half century as Yorkshire looked in aggressive mood.

A direct hit by Michael Carberry, for a possible run out, made Gale sweat but the third umpire made the correct decision in declaring him not out. Two balls later though, Gale (54 off 52 deliveries) was out; he mistimed a short Taylor delivery that fell kindly to Liam Dawson at short square leg for Hampshire’s first breakthrough. New man Adam Lyth and Rudolph continued to pile on the runs however and raced past the 100 mark in no time.

A piece of brilliant fielding by Mascarenhas saw the end of Lyth for 25. The batter tried to run a quick single to fine leg but the quick thinking captain managed to throw the ball to Dawson for a simple run out. Chris Benham was not to be outdone; a throw, whilst diving, to Tom Burrows saw the end of Jonathan Bairstow (1) for another run out in the next over.

Rudolph eventually hit his 37th half century as Hampshire’s spin combination of Imran Tahir, Dawson and Carberry slowed down Yorkshire’s run rate. Gerard Brophy hit the first six of the game as he moved down the pitch and hit Dawson over deep mid-wicket. Dawson got his revenge by bowling him for 34.

Rudolph hit a fine six before getting out the next ball. He tried to hit Tahir for consecutive maximums but mistimed it and was caught by Cork at mid-wicket for a well-played 79. Tahir picked up another wicket when Dawson brilliantly caught Richard Pyrah’s reverse sweep at deep square leg for 17.

Yorkshire Carnegie finished on 232 for 6. 

Tahir and Dawson in the wickets after Lord's win

Jacques Rudolph’s fine 79 had helped Yorkshire to a tough target but Hampshire’s openers began confidently with a flurry of early boundaries under the floodlights. Jimmy Adams lifted Tim Bresnan over square leg and both openers were picking up singles at every opportunity as the early momentum was with the home side.

Adams was growing in confidence as he hoisted Deon Kruis over long on for the first maximum of the Hampshire innings. Yorkshire introduced Matthew Hoggard to stem the flow of runs but Adams was in no mood to hold back, immediately finding the deep point boundary for four.

Hampshire were flying and had reached 77 for 0 when spinner Adil Rashid was introduced into the attack. And he got the vital breakthrough as Adams (44 off 53 balls), having looked so secure, top edged a sweep straight into the waiting hands of Bresnan at square leg.

Lumb reached his 33rd fifty after a powerful cut off Rashid gained him three runs and, although the boundaries had dried up, Lumb and Michael Carberry were picking up singles with relative ease. But David Wainwright then had Lumb caught behind for 53 off 66 balls, leaving the Hawks needing a further 111 runs to win.

New batter Sean Ervine flayed Richard Pyrah through the covers for a welcome boundary before pulling him for a meaty six out to square leg, just evading the despairing dive of Jonathan Bairstow. Carberry (39 off 57 balls) then edged to keeper Gerard Brophy off Pyrah to bring captain Dimitri Mascarenhas to the crease. The skipper heaved Bresnan over midwicket for a crucial six before launching him over deep point and the desperate leap of Rashid for another maximum to swing the momentum back Hampshire’s way.

Kruis was called upon to bowl the penultimate over and Ervine skied a simple chance only to be crucially dropped by Andrew Gale. However Mascarenhas was then run out off the last ball.

With 10 needed, Matthew Hoggard was entrusted with the last over. Chris Benham hit the first ball for a quickly run two before square driving an excellent four to send the crowd into frenzied excitement. A quick single was taken off the next ball before a mix up off the next saw Ervine run out. Liam Dawson arrived at the wicket with three needed off the last two balls and sprinted two off his first ball leaving Hampshire needing a single to win. As the field closed in, Dawson flicked the last delivery into a gap on the leg side and sprinted the winning run to seal a memorable victory.
 

 
Sean Ervine, Man of the Match

Match report by Steve Woodgate and Mark Tilley

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