Dave Allen: 2010 T20 Quarter-Final

Warwickshire v Hampshire, T20 Cup Quarter-Final - 26 July 2010

By Dave Allen

There is no doubt that the introduction of the Twenty20 competition in England in 2003 was a major event, the start of a revolution in our domestic game. In truth however, at the time it felt rather more like a bit of fun for a few matches mid-season. In 2003 teams played five each, after which the best for sides went straight to the semis and Final at Trent Bridge – won then by Surrey who beat Warwickshire in the Final; the midlands county’s best T20 performance to 2010.

By then, the competition had grown considerably and Hampshire played 16 matches before this quarter-final, winning and losing an equal number which left them, as this year, in fourth place in the Southern Group – Sussex then took the place earned by Surrey this year. Warwickshire – and they were called that then – topped the North Group and so, eight days after qualifying with victory over Sussex, but just one day after a Sunday 40-over victory at Canterbury, we travelled to Birmingham.

It felt like a typically gloomy midlands Monday on the ground where 12 years earlier Hampshire had played their first floodlit match. Since then Hampshire had twice reached T20 quarter-finals losing both, heavily at home to Lancashire in 2004 and in a close, rain-affected game at Northampton in 2009. This match in the following year would then be third time lucky in our first, and so far only meeting with Warwickshire.

Hampshire’s captain Dominic Cork won the toss, inserted Warwickshire and struck with the fourth ball, bowling Neil Carter after the two openers had each scored a single. 2-1 brought the Warwickshire pinch-hitting number three to the wicket – a man now well-known to us, Keith Barker. He joined Darren Maddy and contributed 28 from 22 balls in a partnership of 49 before Danny Briggs hit his stumps.

Maddy (44) went on to 87 before another promising youngster held a catch off Danny’s bowling, two balls later Troughton was run out and ten balls later Westwood was held by Chris Wood, again from the bowling of Briggs. Warwickshire were 95-5 with seven-and-a-half overs left. Tim Ambrose and Rikki Clarke built a recovery of sorts but Hampshire four main bowlers all conceded fewer than 30 runs, Briggs took 3-29 and Hampshire’s target was 154.

Hampshire made a good start before Adams fell for 18 from 12 balls (34-1); his partner Abdul Razzaq (33 from 26) went at 78 from the final ball of the ninth over and then Neil McKenzie for 12 (101-3) but James Vince was leading the run chase so even when Ervine and Carberry went cheaply their partnerships contributed and Dan Christian arrived at 139-5 with 15 runs needed from the final 15 balls – and a final over to be bowled by Keith Barker. He and Carter bowled 12 tightly and with just one ball left, James Vince, 66* from 52 balls, and Christian took them to a Finals Day and eventually the Trophy; by comparison Warwickshire had lost a sixth quarter-final in seven seasons. Hampshire had fielded three teenagers and a twenty-year-old and while Michael Bates is not with us now and Danny Briggs has switched sides, we will be returning with Chris Wood, James Vince and Liam Dawson who had played in nine earlier matches. The promising ‘kids’ are now our elder statesman.

The Hawks secured their place in the Vitality Blast for the eleventh time after a nailbiting win against Gloucestershire at The Ageas Bowl, and backed that up with an 'el clasicoast' victory over Sussex Sharks at Hove.

Now a quarter-final clash with Birmingham Bears is the only thing standing between Hampshire and a ninth T20 Finals Day.

Tickets for the quarter-final at Edgbaston are available now via the link below.

To mark the Hawks’ qualification for the knockout stages of this summer’s Vitality Blast you can make a 25% saving on a 2022 Hampshire Hawks replica shirt - simply use the discount code 'QUARTERFINAL'!

What's more, £5 from every replica shirt sold will be donated to the NHS - so you can show your support for the Hawks and raise vital funds for charity at the same time!