Match Preview: Surrey v Hampshire, Vitality CC
A 13-player Hampshire squad will travel to The Kia Oval to take on Surrey in the Vitality County Championship
Arguably the greatest game of domestic county cricket, we had to leave this moment until last, didn’t we?
Hampshire were on the cusp of a historic one-day double when they took on a strong Warwickshire side at Lord’s. Michael Carberry (35), Jimmy Adams (66), Simon Katich (35*) and a majestic 57* from Sean Ervine helped Hampshire to just over a run a ball 244-5 from 40 overs.
After an opening stand of 53 in reply, Chris Wood found the breakthrough when Varun Chopra could only chip a slower ball to Adams at cover. Thereafter: Wood, Dawson and Ervine began to take regular wickets.
However, when David Griffiths had the impressive Ian Bell (81) caught at deep-square leg by Carberry it looked as if Hampshire had sealed victory.
That didn’t seem to be the case as a cameo from Chris Woakes bought Warwickshire ever closer to victory before a four from Neil Carter, on his last ever game for the club, bought the scores level with one ball to go.
Pressure was on Kabir Ali as he sent down a wide full toss, Carter somehow managed to miss and Michael Bates removed all three stumps out of the ground meaning that Hampshire had sealed the history making one-day double by losing fewer wickets than their opponents.
It truly was one of the greatest moments of the decade, maybe even ever.
A 13-player Hampshire squad will travel to The Kia Oval to take on Surrey in the Vitality County Championship
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