McKenzie 50 Steers Royals to Victory

Hampshire beat Leicestershire by 2 wickets in their Clydesdale Bank 40 match at The Rose Bowl.

Hampshire Royals v Leicestershire Foxes
Clydesdale Bank 40
Tuesday 17th August 2010
The Rose Bowl

Summary:
Hampshire beat Leicestershire by 2 wickets on the Duckworth Lewis method
Leicestershire: 177 - 8
Hampshire: 177 - 8 (32.5 ov)

An inspired half century from Neil McKenzie led Hampshire to a two wicket win over Leicestershire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 at The Rose Bowl.

Despite four wickets from Foxes pace bowler Nadeem Malik, McKenzie was always offered support from Michael Carberry (24), James Vince (25) and Liam Dawson (30) as they collected two more valuable points.

The Royals, returning to action for the first time since their fantastic T20 finals victory were put into field today as Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat first in the CB40 day/night game, and they didn’t have to wait long before claiming their first wicket of the match.

Dominic Cork, opening the attack, bowled a superb bouncer which deceived the Foxes opener James Benning (4) who hooked it high into the sky, only for Hamza Riazuddin to take the catch on the boundary leaving Leicestershire 5-1 after the first over.

Jimmy Adams then ran out James Taylor (10), leaving the Foxes 33-2 before rain swept across The Rose Bowl delaying the action for 50 minutes, meaning both side’s innings were reduced to 35 overs each.

Click here to see a full scorecard

After the delay, the Royals struck with the first delivery as Greg Smith (0) was caught behind by McKenzie, before a valuable 72 run partnership between Jacques Du Toit and Matthew Boyce was ended with the departure of  Du Toit (45), leaving the visitors at 105-4.

A steady contribution from Boyce (38) and a quick-fire innings from Tom New who managed 30 from 33 balls, alongside Wayne White (17) helped the Foxes reach 177-8 off their reduced 35 overs.

Hampshire’s pick of the bowlers were Chris Wood (3-39) and skipper, Cork who finished with figures of 2-32.

With a Duckworth Lewis revised score of 177, debutant Benny Howell came out to open the batting with Adams. However, it was the more experienced of the two who fell first. Adams (7) towered a catch to Naik at mid-on in the 4th over. 

This brought fellow youngster, Vince to the crease and together the pair put on a good 30 run partnership before a swinging delivery from Malik had Vince (25) out LBW.

Neil McKenzie scored his 50 off 61 balls including five 4s.

With only two more runs on the board the visitors made another breakthrough as French-born, Howell (12) wafted at one outside off stump and was caught behind by New with the score now on 45-3.

However, the experience of McKenzie and Carberry proved invaluable in the middle order as they slowly repaired the early damage, building a partnership that passed 50 in the 20th over with the score on 96-3. As things looked to be turning the home side’s way Carberry (24) found a feather light edge from Naik to be caught by New. His reaction suggested he was very sure he hadn’t hit the ball.

Dawson continued to supported McKenzie at the other end as the Royals pushed the score onto 130-4 with nine overs left, needing 47 to win. McKenzie pushed into the forties as the pair put on 50 but Dawson (30) couldn’t get over a short one from Malik and was caught by Smith at deep square leg.

McKenzie (51*) then hit his fifty with a sweetly timed cut for four and Riazuddin (14) departed after a few crunching fours. Bates was then bowled before Hampshire won with two wickets remaining as the winning runs came from a wide.

Malik was the pick of the Leicestershire bowlers picking up 4-39.

Hampshire now go on to play Scotland in the same competition on Saturday before returning to Championship action next week away to Yorkshire in Scarborough. The Royals’ next home match is a CB40 game against Kent on Sunday 29th August – a bank holiday weekend, and one which Hampshire will use as an excuse to celebrate their historic Friends Provident t20 Final success.

Words: Glenn Noble and Ryan Day - Images: Barry Zee

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