Carberry Steals the Show to Smash Lancashire
May 22 2013
Carberry hit his 150 in just 115 balls
Hampshire Royals v Lancashire Lightning
Yorkshire Bank 40
Wednesday 22 May
The Ageas Bowl
Summary: Hampshire beat Lancashire by nine wickets
with 36 balls remaining
Lancashire Lightning: 244-6
Hampshire Royals: 250-1 (34 ovs)
Scorecard
Concurrent Table
Photo Gallery
An unbeaten 150 from opener Michael Carberry ensured the Hampshire Royals comprehensively beat the Lancashire Lightning by nine wickets in this Yorkshire Bank 40 clash at The Ageas Bowl.
Chasing 245 for victory, the England International stole the show with a quite impressive display of clean striking, ably supported by captain Jimmy Adams (66) in a partnership that ranks as the County's highest ever List A partnership against Lancs.
Earlier in the day, an exact century from Ashwell Prince had looked to give the visitors a glimpse of victory (Dimitri Mascarenhas the pick of the Royals' bowlers, finishing with figures of 2-30.)
The result leaves Hampshire with four wins from five matches and developing quite a foothold at the summit of Group B.
With the TV cameras in town, the drama started even before they were switched on as wicketkeeper Adam Wheater suffered a side strain in the build-up to the match meaning Michael Bates, who had been playing for the Second XI in Middlesex, had to make a quick return back to The Ageas Bowl.
But until his arrival, Hampshire Academy keeper Tom Alsop would have to take his place behind the stumps, and the 17-year old was straight into the action. After Mascarenhas (2-30) dismissed Stephen Moore (5) in his first over, Alsop then took a great catch to dismiss Steven Croft (10) and hand the 35-year old his second wicket.
However, the arrival of Bates in the 16th over signalled the best spell of the innings for the visitors. A stand of 112 between opener, Ashwell Prince (100) and Karl Brown (44) pushed Lancashire into a more comfortable position. That meant, therefore, that the wicket of Brown off the bowling of Liam Dawson was a timely one and he was soon followed by former Hampshire batsman Simon Katich (9), holing out to Adams at mid-off, the Lightning 169-4 with a quarter of the innings to go.
Prince, however, had other ideas, playing shots to all parts of the ground to reach his century in 84 balls (11 fours, one six) before being dismissed the very next ball off the bowling of Sean Ervine (1-32). Finally, a valuable sixth-wicket partnership of 59 between Wayne White (27*) and Gareth Cross (36) pushed the Lightning to a competitive-looking 244-6 off their 40 overs.
At least, it looked competitive until Carberry got his hands on it!
Clearly buoyed by Sunday’s 96 against Durham, he started the Royals' reply like a man in a hurry, bringing up his 50 in just 36 balls. And despite James Vince (25) being dismissed by Brown on the square-leg boundary, his skipper was more than happy to play the supporting to role with Carberry in such exhilarating form.
It was soon becoming a joy to watch with the 32-year old hitting some quite magnificent shots, which included a six into the Sky compound which dented their van(!) to bring up his fifth List A century in just 77 balls (13 fours, three sixes). And when Adams brought up his half-century in 46 balls soon after, victory was in sight.
However, there was still enough time for Carberry to surpass his highest List A score of his career as he and Adams eased to victory with six overs to spare.
Words: Jamie Hopkins
Images: LMI Photography