Captain Cork Points the Way as Royals Claim Last-Ball Victory

Hampshire beat Kent by 2 runs in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

Kent Spitfires v Hampshire Royals
Clydesdale Bank 40
Sunday 25th July 2010
St. Lawrence Ground, Canterbury 

Hampshire beat Kent by 2 runs

Hampshire Royals: 238-7 (Lumb 50, Vince 49, Carberry 46)
Kent Spitfires: 236-4 (Cork 3-56, Briggs 1-41)

Hampshire captain Dominic Cork lead by example as his team secured a nail-biting final-ball victory over the Kent Spitfires in this Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Canterbury.

In a week when the Royals had it confirmed they would have neither club captain Dimitri Mascarenhas nor vice-captain Nic Pothas available for the rest of the season, it was imperative that Corky showed he could bring out the best from his team – and that he did... and then some!

Bowling the final over of the match, he needed to restrict Joe Denly (who was one run away from a century) to scoring fewer than 13 runs. A 2 off the final ball was not enough to do it for the hosts and Hampshire came away with a 2 run win, 2 points and the knowledge that they had moved level with the Spitfires and further away from the bottom of the table.

Special mention should also go to Michael Lumb, who was back in the team after a rest and scored a half-century on his return. But this was very much a team effort, and one which will buoy the squad ahead of their vital Friends Provident t20 quarter final against the Warwickshire Bears on Monday.
 

Click here to see a full scorecard

Hampshire were put into bat by Spitfires captain, Martin van Jaarsveld, and Lumb and Jimmy Adams started at a reasonable pace, helped by some wayward bowling that saw byes and wides flying thick and fast. By the time Adams (20) left the field Hampshire had made the best part of 50 runs in under 10 overs.

In the 21st over Lumb brought up his own personal 50 (off 54 balls, including six 4s) with a lovely driven boundary through mid-wicket; the score also taking Hampshire through the 100 mark. But celebrations were to be cut short when, next ball, the t20 World Cup winner was stumped by Jones; Hampshire 102-2. Not to worry, James Vince was looking in lovely touch, hitting three 4s and a six on his way to 49 off nearly the same number of balls.

Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie took the visitors through the 150 mark before the South African left with 40 to his name. In the 36th over a looping shot from Carberry took his team through the 200 barrier and the Royals were gathering pace. Almost immediately, Sean Ervine announced his arrival with a big 6 to the same area of the ground. However, with high run-scoring comes risk-taking, and in the time remaining, Hampshire lost both batsmen (Carberry 46, Ervine 13) as well as Hamza Riazuddin, who was run out without having faced a ball.

Nonetheless, a score of 238 seemed a defendable one with some tight fielding and good bowling. It was tempting to look to the Second XI’s match earlier in the week for good omens (see match report by clicking here) where Chris Wood had taken nine wickets in one innings on the same ground.

Michael Bates expertly catches Darren Stevens on his List A debut

Hampshire went about their business with the ball diligently, with Cork and Michael Bates combining to see the back of Sam Northeast (6) in little more than 4 overs. And once the threat of a rain-affected no-result had passed at the end of the 10th over, the weather picked up; worryingly, so did Kent’s run-rate.

Just before the half-way stage they sailed past 100 with a 4 behind from Denly which also brought up his own 50. Brimming with confidence, van Jaarsveld joined him in the half-century club with a swept 4 to square leg and the inevitable 100 partnership was also chalked up; Hampshire desperately looking for a breakthrough.

It came in the 29th over, as van Jaarsveld (73) was clean-bowled by Danny Briggs and, with 60 deliveries remaining, the Spitfires still needed to score at a rate of more than 8-an-over to win. An impressive diving stop from Cork at short cover was symbolic of a shift in emphasis (the Royals’ captain had earlier responded to his own misfield by baiting the crowd in his own particular – and not-so-subtle – way.) Corky then went on to claim the wickets of Geraint Jones (15) – the wicket-keeper caught by McKenzie at extra cover – and Darren Stevens (6), who fell victim to an excellent reaction catch from Bates.

With 4 overs remaining, the Spitfires needed 47 to win off 24 deliveries but as 14, then 13 came off the next two overs respectively, a nail-biting finish was ensured. 20 required off the final two overs became 13 required off 1, with the extra spice of Denly needing just 1 run to make his century. This came off the first ball of the over, bringing the crowd to their feet. And although they would leave unhappy with the result in 5 balls’ time, they couldn’t complain at the level of entertainment.

With no rest for the wicked, Hampshire now travel to Edgbaston to take on Warwickshire in their Friends Provident twenty20 quarter final (read match preview by clicking here). Their next CB40 match is against Durham on Sunday 8th August.

Words: Simon Vincent, Images: Sarah Ansell 

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