A Look Back: T20 Final 2010

Hampshire Hawks qualified for the knockout stages of this year's Vitality Blast competition in an extraordinary fashion - winning their final five group stage fixtures before sealing a come-from-behind victory at Trent Bridge against Notts Outlaws in the quarter-final.

We've looked back at 2010 T20 Finals Day - hosted at The Rose Bowl, where Hampshire secured the trophy by the barest of margins, courtesy of an extraordinary finish. Read about 2010's Finals Day - courtesy of Hampshire Cricket's Historian Dave Allen - below.

Hampshire go to Finals Day at Edgbaston for the sixth time having never yet progressed beyond the semi-finals there, but on other grounds they have twice gone not one but two better by winning the Trophy.

The first time was at the (then) Rose Bowl in 2010 when on a damp day in a generally decent summer, Hampshire Royals enjoyed home advantage, beating Essex in the semi-final before they met Somerset in the Final. Dwayne Bravo was flown in by Essex for a one-off appearance but scored just five runs and with 1-46 was not a good investment. Hampshire did not select their ‘star’ KP but after Pettini and Cook posted 79, Hampshire restricted them to 156-7 with Danny Briggs taking 3-29. For Hampshire, Adams and Razzaq also opened well with 67, Razzaq top-scored with 44 and all the Hampshire batsmen made at least 15 as they won with four balls to spare.

In the second semi-final, Somerset posted 182-5 before the main rain of the day left Nottinghamshire with a D/L target and despite 39 from Patel they fell three runs short in their 13 overs, before rain finished the game.

So Hampshire Royals met Somerset in the Final having already lost twice to the west-countrymen in the T20 that season. It was to be third time lucky for the ‘home’ side – but only just.

Somerset batted first and with 71 from opener Kieswetter set Hampshire a winning target of 174. That total was less than it might have been after a fierce final over by Dominic Cork which restricted the score and injured Kieron Pollard, who was subsequently unable to bowl.

Hampshire set off in pursuit and with 34 from Adams, 33 from Razzaq, 44* from Ervine and 52 by McKenzie they chased well. The conclusion was a ‘thriller’, although the Royals looked to be winning with some comfort until two tight final overs. Ervine and Dan Christian scrambled runs when they could and with one ball left Hampshire were one run behind the Somerset total, with Christian now injured and requiring a runner. Groundsman Nigel Gray was summoned to paint an extended white line to help the umpires judge a run out, which in the event should have been required – but was not.

After a delay of five minutes the screens informed us that Hampshire needed two to win when in fact a single, leaving scores level would be sufficient with fewer wickets lost. The final ball struck Christian on the pad, he (incorrectly) set off, so did his runner and Ervine. Somerset could have run-out Christian but missed the fact, the batsmen completed the single and by the time Somerset realised, the celebrations had begun!