Royals Beat Spitfires in Nail-Biting Finish

Hampshire got their t20 campaign off to a winning start with a 5 wicket win over the Kent Spitfires

Hampshire Royals vs. Kent Spitfires
Friends Provident t20
Thursday 3rd June 2010
The Rose Bowl

Summary
Hampshire win by 5 wickets.
Kent Spitfires: 114 - 9
Hampshire Royals: 116 - 5 (19.4/20 ov)

Hampshire Royals made a winning start to their FPt20 campaign with a five wicket win over Kent Spitfires.

In their first match of the tournament under its revised format, they bowled and fielded exceptionally well to limit their opponents to a below par score. Youngster Chris Wood put in a man of the match display with the ball, taking two wickets and executing a brilliant run out. And, despite a few nerves along the way, the Royals chased down the target with two balls to spare.

Kent skipper Rob Key won the toss and chose to bat first. Dimitri Mascarenhas, playing his first game for Hampshire this season, took the new ball and soon showed how much his team had missed him as he trapped opposition captain Key for a golden duck.

By the end of the fourth over, Kent had lost two further wickets. Martin van Jaarsveld (9) was run out by James Adams’ bullet throw and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones (0) was Abdul Razzaq’s first victim for Hampshire.

Kent subsequently struggled to gain any momentum. Wood, making his t20 debut, got in on the act taking the prize wicket of Joe Denly (15). Danny Briggs became the fourth Hants player to take a wicket when James Tredwell tried to hit big but only found substitute fielder James Vince in the deep.

All-rounder Sean Ervine wasn’t going to be left out either. He got the wicket of Azhar Mahmood, leaving Kent struggling at 67 for 6. Matt Coles was soon following him in after Wood claimed his second scalp. This was a debut dreams are made of as Wood was involved in another wicket three balls later. He managed to run out Darren Stevens, who top scored with 36. Overseas player Malinga Bandara (8) hit a maximum before becoming Razzaq’s second victim of the day.

Kent limped to 114 for 9 with Sam Cook and Ajman Khan finishing not out with 8 and 2 respectively.

Nic Pothas scoring the winning runs

Hampshire made the worst possible start to their run chase as Michael Lumb pulled the first ball from Stevens straight to the waiting fielder. Tight bowling from Stevens and Mahmood kept the pressure on the batsmen but a flurry of boundaries off Stevens’ second over kicked started the Royals’ run chase. However, after an assured start, Carberry was bowled by Simon Cook, leaving Hampshire teetering on 29-2.

Ervine joined Adams at the crease and the two put on a nerve-reducing partnership. Ervine looked particularly in the mood and found the fine leg area much to his liking, hitting identical boundaries. With almost half the runs made, Adams gave his wicket away, top edging a sweep off Tredwell straight to Khan at midwicket. Ervine was then dismissed in similar fashion and Hampshire looked to be feeling the heat out in the middle.

Razzaq joined McKenzie at the crease and the two took Hampshire to within 20 runs of their target with some clean striking and sensible running. Razzaq, known for his big hitting for Pakistan, deposited leg-spinner Bandara over midwicket for consecutive fours and looked to be steering the Royals home. But the returning Stevens had him caught behind as the nerves increased around the ground.

Needing a run a ball from the last three overs, Pothas and McKenzie calmly took Hampshire towards their victory target. Bandara’s last over was picked off for two boundaries and with two needed off the last three balls, Pothas ran one down to third man for the winning runs.

Words: Mark Tilley and Steven Woodgate ; Photos: Dave Vokes 

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