Carberry Century Sends Hampshire to Finals Day

Aug 7 2013

Carberry's unbeaten knock came from 66 balls (11 fours, 3 sixes)

Hampshire Royals v Lancashire Lightning
Friends Life t20 Quarter-Final
Wednesday 7 August
The Ageas Bowl

Summary: Hampshire Royals beat Lancashire Lightning by one run
Hampshire Royals: 202-3
Lancashire Lightning: 201-4
Scorecard
Photo Gallery

Royals:
Carberry, Vince, Adams, McKenzie, Ervine, Dawson, Wheater, Mascarenhas, Tanvir, Wood, Briggs
Lightning:
Moore, Smith, Brown, Katich, Croft, Cross, Lilley, Chapple, Kabir Ali, Kerrigan, McClenaghan

The Hampshire Royals secured a spot at the Friends Life t20 Finals Day after an unbeaten century from Michael Carberry (100*) helped them take a thrilling one-run victory over the Lancashire Lightning at The Ageas Bowl.

Carberry, who hit his first ever twenty20 century, was brilliantly supported by James Vince (60) as Hampshire posted a mammoth 202-3 off their 20 overs.

Lancashire made a magnificent effort in an attempt to chase down the big target, but after needing four runs off the last ball, the visitors fell just short to send Hampshire through their fourth successive Finals Day. 

With the Hampshire Royals so comfortable chasing scores in the FLt20 it was no surprise that the Lightning stuck the home side into bat first after winning the toss. But once Vince hit a four off the first ball of the match, the tone was set for the Hampshire openers to make mouth-watering start to the Quarter-Final.

The Lightning were left to rue a couple of half-chances early on as Vince and Carberry smashed the ball to all parts of the ground to leave the Royals 72-0 off the first six powerplay overs. And fortunately for the home side, it didn’t stop there.  In what was rapidly becoming a ‘who can hit the ball furthest’ competition, Vince brought up his half-century in just 25 balls (7 fours, 1 six).

Despite Vince departing soon after the Royals passing the hundred mark, Jimmy Adams (25) brilliantly supported Carberry as the home side continued to stay above ten runs an over with the score 171-1 with four overs left. And after surpassing his previous career best twenty20 score of 90, Carberry was nearing his hundred.

But just when it looked like Carberry would fall short, he hit the two runs needed off the last ball of get his hundred and move Hampshire to 202-3 off their 20 overs.

For the Hampshire fans who thought the game was as good as over at the half-way stage, they were quickly proved wrong as Lancashire made an excellent start to the run chase. Stephen Moore (44) and Karl Brown (49) were particularly impressive as the visitors were 101-1 off the first 10 overs.

Despite Danny Briggs (2-36) taking two wickets in as many balls, the second of which being former Hampshire batsman Simon Katich (0), Lancashire continued to defy the odds to take the game into a nerve-wracking finale.

Needing 17 off the last over from Sohail Tanvir quickly became four off the last ball…. But Hampshire held their never as the visitors could only run two off the final ball to secure the win for the Royals.

Words: Jamie Hopkins