Echoes of 2010 Drama as Royals Reach Finals Day

Report: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire (FLt20 QF)

NOttinghamshire Outlaws v Hampshire Royals
Friends Life t20 Quarter Final
Wednesday 25 July
Trent Bridge

Summary: Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire by 4 wickets
Nottinghamshire Outlaws: 178-7
Hampshire Royals: 182-6 (20 ovs)
Scorecard

Nottinghamshire Team:
Lumb, Hales, Wessels, Voges, Patel, Taylor, Read, Mullaney, Ball, Gurney, Carter
Hampshire Team:
Adams, Vince, Katich, McKenzie, Ervine, Maxwell, Dawson, Mascarenhas, Wood, Bates, Briggs

The Hampshire Royals have reached Friends Life t20 Finals Day for the third year in a row after a dramatic final-over victory over the Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge.

Neil McKenzie's unbeaten 79 was the knock of note as his team chased down a target of 179 - tying the game on runs with the penultimate ball (with fewer wickets lost) and making sure with a four from the final delivery.

Earlier in the game, an excellent all-round performance from Outlaws and England spinner Samit Patel (60 and 3-26) looked to have taken the game away from the visitors.

The Royals will now play the team they beat in the 2010 final and lost to in the 2011 semi-final, Somerset in the first Semi to be played on Finals Day at the SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff on 25 August. The winners will face either Sussex or Yorkshire.

Royals captain, Dimi Mascarenhas won the toss and elected to bowl first – no great surprise given that all of his team’s victories have come that way in this competition this season. Nevertheless, it would mean his side would have to be the only quarter-finalists to win having chased the game and, thanks to Yorkshire’s victory over Worcestershire earlier in the day, they would also have to be the only team to win away from home.

But they started well. Liam Dawson opened the bowling to former Royal, Michael Lumb and there were undeniably those around the ground who were hoping for a repeat of another former Hampshire batsman, Kevin Pietersen’s golden duck against the left-arm spinner at the Kia Oval in the group stages. Alas, that wouldn’t happen but, equally important, Alex Hales (0) would suffer Pietersen’s fate, looping a catch to James Vince at extra cover off the second delivery.

His replacement Riki Wessels (19 off six balls) would also go after an entertaining cameo before the end of the powerplay and James Taylor (10) – who’s scored a combined 189 Clydesdale Bank 40 runs against the Royals this season – shortly after; Outlaws 60-3 after 7.2 overs. But you always sensed the key wicket was that of Lumb (39) and he was going well at the other end.

In truth, his mind-games had started before the match began having (playfully) thrown grapes at Mascarenhas (2-42) during his pre-match interview. Revenge, therefore, would have been sweet for Dimi when he had his former colleague caught by a terrific catch, diving forward, from Vince at backward point (insert “sour grapes” joke here).

Needing to re-assert themselves, Samit Patel and Adam Voges would do just that, bringing up their 50 partnership in the 17th over; Outlaws 130-4. But, looking to tee off immediately, Voges (33) holed out to Danny Briggs off Glenn Maxwell and, though his partner would then reach his half century (30 balls, six fours), a destructive final over from the Australian would eventually see Patel go as well as Steven Mullaney (4); Notts ending 178-7.

In reply, things would start too close to call - the Royals' score of 61-2 at the end of the powerplay only just comparing favourably to the Outlaws' 57-2 at the same stage. And that was still the case after nine overs when, unbelievably, both teams had scored 76-3.

Sensing the need to "up the ante" Patel then turned the screw. The 10th over saw Sean Ervine (5), then Maxwell (1) go to leave Hampshire marginally behind for the first time since the fifth over at the half-way stage: 84-5 (101 required).

But that brought Dawson to the crease and his 50 partnership with McKenzie was absolutely vital to their success. Without playing any huge shots (the Royals' first six wasn't until McKenzie brought up his 50 in the 17th over) the two kept the run-rate high, paving the way for a final four-over surge between McKenzie and Mascarenhas.

But despite having practically seen it before, no-one could have foreseen the action of the final over. Needing 12 off 6 (or, as they had conceded fewer wickets, 11 provided they didn't lose another) there was a near-run out, an injury (McKenzie pulling up with suspected cramp), a runner and a victory off the final ball.

Those who witnessed the Royals' 2010 Twenty20 victory on home turf will recognise much of this, of course. We'll all just be hoping that in one month's time we recognise the sight of the Royals lifting a trophy!

 

Trees for Boundaries:

During this match the Royals scored a total of 26 boundaries (two sixes and 24 fours). Thanks to Hampshire Cricket and The Green Insurance Company's joint "Trees for Boundaries" campaign (which, for this match, would see 20 trees planted for every boundary) that means 520 extra trees will be planted at Great Chalfield Manor, in Wiltshire.

Added to the number of boundaries scored already in the competition, that means 960 trees (96 boundaries) have been amassed by the Hampshire team thanks to this campaign.

The Royals' top boundary-scorers at this stage are as follows:

 

	Player	4s	6s	Total
1	Glenn Maxwell	14	13	27
2	James Vince	24	3	27
3	Jimmy Adams	18	4	22
4	Neil McKenzie	11	3	14
5	Sean Ervine / Simon Katich	8 / 11	5 / 2	13

 

The aim is to capture the carbon dioxide emissions arising from putting on t20 matches at The Ageas Bowl – a figure estimated to be roughly 250 tonnes.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: LMI Photography

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