Report & Reaction: Hampshire Hawks v Somerset, Vitality Blast

Hampshire climbed off the foot of the Vitality Blast South Group with a crushing 75-run victory over high-flying Somerset at the The Ageas Bowl.

The win was the second in succession for the Hawks, who bowled superbly to dismiss the visitors for 100 with young quick Scott Currie finishing with 4-24 after wicketkeeper Lewis McManus earlier hit a career-best 60 not out.

Defeat for Somerset, who were without Tom Banton, Criag Overton, Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory due to international duty and injury, hinders their hopes of a top-four finish on a difficult evening where they struggled with the ball, the bat and in the field at the The Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire, who were also missing key men in skipper James Vince and Liam Dawson recovered well after being 22-3 inside the powerplay with McManus and Joe Weatherley hitting half-centuries to help their side to a competitive score of 175-6.

Inspired by McManus, Hampshire thumped 23 off the last two overs, taking full advantage of a sloppy fielding performance from the visitors who dropped three catches and bowled poorly after their strong start.

D'Arcy Short once again failed to register a score, when he found the hands of Will Smeed off Jack Brooks for two with teenage debutante Toby Albert departing for 13 and fellow rookie Tom Prest falling for five.

But that was as good as it got for Somerset, as Colin de Grandhomme, fresh from his 174 against Surrey earlier this week, and Weatherley rebuilt the innings.with a 52-run stand that saw the New Zealand all-rounder dropped on 17 by Tom Lammonby.

De Grandhomme clubbed two sixes and stroked two boundaries for his 28 off 19 balls before chipping Lewis Goldsworthy to James Hildreth at mid-wicket.

Weatherley brought up his 50 with a huge six over fine leg before falling to the very next ball, one of three shots to clear the rope in his 35-ball innings.

McManus continued where Weatherley left off as he hammered 60 from just 36 deliveries before Somerset got off to a disastrous start when in-form New Zealand opener Devon Conway fell second- ball as stand-in skipper Chris Wood found the edge of his bat and McManus took a simple catch.

Exciting young batsman Smeed looked in good touch with 15 runs of nine balls but his attempt to hit a big six off Brad Wheal only found the hands of  Mason Crane at cover.

Somerset then lost their last eight wickets for 76 runs with Currie ripping through the rest of the top order, dismissing James Hildreth and Lewis Goldsworthy before the spin of Crane and Short reduced the visitors to 70-6. 

Currie and Wheal then wrapped up the tail with Roelof van der Merwe, with 25, the only batsman to show any real resistance as the Hawks wrapped up victory with 24 balls to spare.