Adams Knock Helps Hampshire Secure Semi-Final Spot
Aug 26 2013
Adams' knock of 64 came from 78 balls (4 fours)
Derbyshire Falcons v Hampshire Royals
Yorkshire Bank 40 (Group B)
Monday 26 August
The County Ground, Derby
Summary: Hampshire beat Derbyshire by 41 runs
Hampshire Royals: 219-7
Derbyshire Falcons: 178 (35.5 overs)
Scorecard
Final Group B Table
Royals:
Carberry, Vince, Adams*, McKenzie, Ervine, Dawson, Wheater+, Mascarenhas, Wood, Griffiths, Briggs
Falcons:
Hughes, Durston, Borrington, Godleman, Elstone, A.Hughes, Johnson, Wainwright, Palladino, Knight, Evans
The Hampshire Royals booked their place in the Semi-Finals of the Yorkshire Bank 40 after a hard-fought 41-run victory over the Derbyshire Falcons at Derby.
Visiting captain Jimmy Adams (64) led the way for Hampshire and, alongside knocks from James Vince (40) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (24), helped the Royals reach 219-7 off their 40 overs.
In reply, home opener Chesney Hughes (74) impressed with the bat but a mid-order collapse which saw Michael Carberry (3-37) finish with career best List-A figures helped the visitors dismiss Derbyshire for 178 to secure the win.
The victory means Hampshire finish top of Group B and look forward to a home Semi-Final against Glamorgan in the next round of the competition.
With a lot of matches in the other groups potentially affecting Hampshire’s path to the Semi-Final, it could have been easy to have one eye on a game elsewhere. But, in reality, Hampshire’s task was simple – win and you qualify.
And boosted by the return of both openers from England Lions duty, Hampshire uncharacteristically chose to bat first. It was a decision that looked to have been justified when Hampshire found themselves 61-1 after 10 overs.
Despite Carberry (20) and Vince getting in, they both fell when they looked comfortable at the crease. And this was a theme that carried on through Hampshire’s innings as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Skipper Adams was the one Royals batsman to reach his half-century (off 59 balls including four fours) but when he was trapped lbw by Alex Hughes (2-33) Hampshire were 158-5 in the 32nd over. Lower order runs from Mascarenhas and Adam Wheater (17*) then helped the Royals past 200 as they finished on 219-7.
Despite Chris Wood (3-23) picking up the wicket of home skipper Wes Durston (4) early on, fellow opener Hughes looked in the mood to spoil the Hampshire party as he reached the boundary regularly to reach his half-century off 57 balls (three fours, two sixes).
But the left-hander's dismissal to a smart piece of bowling from Liam Dawson (2-29) sparked a middle-order collapse which turned the game in Hampshire’s favour. Derbyshire went from 122-2 to 145-8 as Carberry took three wickets in a List A game for the first time in his career.
And it was Wood who finished the match off, picking up the last two wickets to dismiss Derbyshire for 178 to confirm Hampshire’s place in the Semi-Finals.
Words: Jamie Hopkins
Images: LMI Photography
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The Hampshire Royals would have been buoyed by their good performance with a weakened side in their last YB40 match against Lancashire. The team lost by just five runs in a match that went down to the last ball but was notable not only for good performances from the younger players but also from experienced heads, Neil McKenzie (65) and Dimi Mascarenhas (5-42).
However, the return of Carberry, in particular, was a huge boost with the opener having hit 451 runs in the competition so far at an average of 50.
There was only pride at stake for Derbyshire with three victories from a possible seven in the competition so far.
Derbyshire and Hampshire had met twice in List A cricket in the last 10 years. Hampshire won both these matches – in 2006 and earlier this season.