Report & Reaction: Somerset v Hampshire Hawks, Vitality Blast

James Vince hammered the highest individual score by a Hampshire player in T20 cricket as the Hawks pulled off a 14-run Vitality Blast victory over Somerset at Taunton. 

The visiting skipper smashed 129 not out, off 62 balls, with 10 sixes and 9 fours, well supported by 19-year-old Tom Prest, who made a career-best 62, to help Hampshire to their biggest total in the competition, 208 for five, after losing the toss. 

After a brief stoppage for rain, Somerset replied with 194 for nine, Rilee Rossouw top-scoring with 55 off 28 balls and Tom Banton contributing 54 from 38 deliveries. Chris Wood claimed two for 26. 

The result left Somerset still second in the South Group table, while Hampshire moved into the top four. 

Vince’s amazing assault bettered the unbeaten 124 made for Hampshire by Michael Lumb in a T20 game against Essex at Southampton back in 2009. 

The monumental innings was even more praiseworthy for the fact that he lost opening partner Ben McDermott to the third ball of the game, caught top-edging a pull shot off Tom Lammonby. 

Somerset restricted the Hawks to 45 for one off the powerplay and would still have been happy with the situation at the halfway point of Hampshire’s innings when they were 83 for one. 

But by then Vince had cleared the ropes three times and Prest once. Both batsmen reached their half-centuries in the 13^th over, Vince first off 36 balls quickly followed by the impressive Prest off 38. 

The next over saw Lewis Gregory concede 31 runs, Vince completing it with three successive sixes after Prest had claimed a maximum off the second delivery. 

Prest then departed, having faced 46 balls and hit 2 sixes and 6 fours, edging a wide ball from Jack Brooks through to wicketkeeper Tom Banton.  

But by then Vince was scoring so quickly it barely mattered. He reached his fourth Blast ton with 2 fours and a two off the first three balls of the 18^th over, his second fifty having come off just 15 deliveries. 

Ross Whiteley, Joe Weatherley and James Fuller fell cheaply. But when Vince launched the last ball of the innings from Peter Siddle over mid-wicket for his tenth six it completed an unforgettable innings. 

By the end of their powerplay, Somerset had reached 45 without loss. Both openers then began to accelerate, Will Smeed taking his tally of sixes to four before falling for 43 to a fine one-handed catch by wicketkeeper McDermott off Fuller. 

Rossouw hit his first two balls for four and six as the hosts progressed to 104 by the end of the tenth over, Banton going well on 38. 

Dropped on 43 by Prest at deep mid-wicket off Fuller, he moved to a 34-ball fifty with an audacious reverse sweep off Ellis, which cleared the stands. 

When Wood bowled Banton behind his legs, Somerset needed 78 from 45 balls. That had been reduced to 42 off 23 when Tom Abell was caught attempting a ramp shot off Wheal. 

The home side surprisingly sent in George Bartlett for his first Blast appearance of the season and could make only two before being bowled by Wood. 

Momentum was lost as Wood, Wheal and Ellis combined effectively with the ball at the death.  

Rossouw moved to his sixth fifty in 11 South Group games off 25 balls. But when he went to the first ball of the 19^th over, caught in the deep off a Liam Dawson full toss and Somerset’s race was run and a clatter of wickets saw them fall well short.

Fans enjoying a summer’s afternoon or evening of Vitality Blast action at The Ageas Bowl can look forward to free family-friendly activities, live music and a whole host of off-pitch entertainment as well as the best food and drink in English cricket – that’s in addition to all the edge-of-your-seat cricketing action that T20 promises.

Vitality Blast Passports have now sold out after a record number of fans secured their seven-match passes. Individual match tickets are on sale for this summer’s Vitality Blast at the discounted Advance rate until 11:59pm the day before each match. Click the link below to purchase yours.

Hampshire Hawks have also announced a brand-new type of ticket for this summer’s T20 matches at The Ageas Bowl, the Vitality Blast Plus ticket, which offers an upgrade on general admission tickets with premium reserved seating and access to a private, pitch-facing lounge and bar.

A limited number of these new Plus tickets are still available at the Advance rate for each of Hampshire Hawks’ remaining Vitality Blast matches.

Getting to The Ageas Bowl for this summer’s Vitality Blast will be easier and more affordable than ever before as fans will be able to make use of free buses running to and from The Ageas Bowl from Hedge End and Southampton Airport Parkway train stations. 

These free direct buses will be available from both Southampton Airport Parkway Railway Station and Hedge End Station, running continuously from 4:30pm for weekday fixtures and 12pm for weekend fixtures.

The buses will depart from immediately outside both stations - simply head for the Hampshire Hawks flags upon arrival at the stations!

The buses heading back to the stations from The Ageas Bowl will depart from opposite the West Gate turnstiles and the last bus back to the stations will leave 30 minutes after the end of the match.

You won't need a ticket or any accreditation to use the free buses - simply turn up at the stations and get on board - however, if you are planning to use the buses we would ask you to complete the short registration form (available below) to ensure we're able to provide enough vehicles for all fans using the services.