Lintott Claims Debut Wicket But Hampshire Slip To Defeat

Jake Lintott claimed a wicket on his debut as Hampshire qualified for the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast despite a 98-run defeat at home to Somerset.

Lintott (1-24) bowled well but half-centuries from Peter Trego (84*) and Johann Myburgh (58) saw Somerset posted a commanding 189-3 from their 20 overs.

In reply, Tom Alsop (36) starred with the bat, and despite the loss of wickets at regular intervals, Hampshire booked their place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Liam Dawson (1-40) made a fantastic start to the game, taking yet another wicket in the first over, with Steven Davies (0) feathering behind to Calvin Dickinson behind the stumps.

Jim Allenby (7) and Myburgh looked to lead a recovery, but the former went for one too many big shots, and was caught on the boundary rope by Gareth Berg to reduce the visitors to 26-2.

Myburgh (58) then hit back-to-back maximums in a productive sixth over, as the visitors raced to 54-2 after the opening powerplay.

He then brought up his fifty off just 21 balls as the visitors continued to motor along at a healthy rate, but his innings came to an end with Jake Lintott (1-24) claiming a debut wicket in just his second ball of his spell.

Trego and James Hildreth then guided their side beyond three figures, but the Hampshire bowlers brilliantly fought back, with 27 runs coming off the next five overs as Somerset edged to 104-3 after 13 overs.

The Somerset duo fought back in the final overs, quickly progressing to their fifty partnership, moving their side onto a promising position on 138-3 with four overs remaining.

Trego then brought up his half-century off 38 balls with the Somerset batsman taking the momentum in his side’s favour with an array of fine strokes.

The pair propelled to their one-hundred partnership in quick time, hitting 37 runs off the final three overs as Somerset posted a commanding 189-3 off their 20 overs.

Hampshire got off to a less than ideal start, with Calvin Dickinson (3), James Vince (2) and George Bailey (4) falling in successive overs to reduce the hosts to 10-3 after two overs.

Alsop was playing beautifully, crunching the ball to the boundary on numerous occasions, but lacked support, with Dawson (4) the next batsman to depart to leave Hampshire on 40-4 after the powerplay.

Alsop (36) was looking commanding at the crease, but his battling knock was cut short when he hit Max Waller (2-15) straight to Roelof van der Merwe at deep mid-on leaving his on 59-5 after 9 overs.

Ervine (7) was the next man to fall in similar fashion, with James Hildreth taking a smart catch off the bowling of Lewis Gregory (1-16) as Hampshire reached 62-6 at the halfway stage.

The wickets continued to fall in quick succession, with van der Merwe (3-13) claiming the wickets of Gareth Berg (2) and Kyle Abbott (0) in three balls as the hosts fell to 64-8 after 11 overs.

Van der Merwe then returned to claim the scalp of Afridi (5) in his very next over, as Hampshire slipped to 75-9.

Chris Wood (12*) and Lintott (8) put on a stubborn last wicket partnership, before the latter was caught behind as Somerset claimed victory.