Hampshire Secure Home One-Day Cup Semi-Final Despite Nail-Biting Somerset Finish 

James Vince scored a magnificent century as Hampshire secured a home Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final, despite suffering a nail-biting final ball three-wicket loss against Somerset.

His side's place at the top of the South Group and a home semi-final was guaranteed after Essex Eagles' victory over Kent Spitfires, with their opposition to be confirmed when the North Group concludes on Thursday.

Vince, Tom Alsop and Liam Dawson, 109, 95 and 76 respectively, all contributed as Hampshire set Somerset 357 to win at the The Ageas Bowl.

Johann Myburgh and Steven Davies got Somerset’s chase off to a stormer as they smashed 87 off the opening 11 overs.

Davies got luck as he was dropped in the covers and at point, before Brad Taylor entered the attack and bowled him third ball.

The below-par fielding continued to help the visitors as Peter Trego was put down by Wood and Vince before the latter held onto a skier from Myburgh.

Trego shared a run-rate boosting 110-run stand with James Hildreth, with both collecting 50s, the former a run-a-ball and the latter 35 deliveries.

Hildreth departed when Lewis McManus smartly stumped him off Wood, but Trego continued to reach three figures.

But with eight overs to go, Liam Dawson found Trego hitting down the throat of Taylor at long off, before Matt Renshaw, who had amassed 40, was lbw to the spinner.

Crane bowled Lewis Gregory, who was attempting a switch hit, before Roelof holed out to Alsop at deep mid-wicket to give Steyn his first Hampshire scalp.

Wood bowled the last over, but failed to defend 11 with Taylor dropping Craig Overton off the penultimate ball, before the tail-ender clipped over the top to win off the final delivery.

Earlier, Hampshire won the toss and for the first time in this season’s competition elected to bat first on a good wicket under blue skies with a short boundary on one side.

Vince soon took a liking to England spinner Dom Bess, who was making his List A debut for Somerset – as the right-handed batsman stroke a trio of boundaries off his first over.

The right hander and Alsop both collected fifties, off 48 and 55 balls respectively, while the latter moved past 1,000 List A runs.

Alsop looked on course for a first ton of the summer but on 95 he feathered Roelof van der Merwe behind to end the 185-run stand, a county record for any partnership against Somerset,

Joe Weatherley then sent a caught and bowled back at the same bowler an over later.

Vince claimed his seventh format century from 88 deliveries, but was bowled by Gregory.

Hampshire’s slump continued as Taylor and McManus fell, the former run out the later bowled to give Ben Green his maiden professional wicket.

But Dawson, returning from a hand injury which had kept him out of action since the beginning of May, set up the hosts’ 84-run blast off the last seven overs.

Dawson was the scorer in chief crashing three maximums and seven fours in his 76-runs from 47 ball assault.

Late wickets fell as Gareth Berg was run out by keeper Davies, Dawson caught at long on and Wood chipping to short fine leg – Hampshire ending on their highest List A score at the The Ageas Bowl of 356.

Semi-Final Ticket Info

In recognition of the support Members have given throughout this tournament, we would like to invite all Members to attend the game free of charge. We hope Members will help us to fill the ground by encouraging friends and family to also show their support.

Tickets for non-members will be on-sale from 10am on Friday (8th June).

Details of the opposition as well as a date and time will be confirmed on the website as soon as the information is made available this evening.