Seconds Undone by Incredible Final Over

Match Report: Hampshire 2XI v MCC YCs (SEC)

Hampshire v MCC Young Cricketers
2nd XI Championship
Tues 17 to Thurs 19 July
The Ageas Bowl

Summary: MCC YC’s beat Hampshire Second XI by 87 runs
MCC YC’s: 266 & 213-8d
Hampshire 2XI: 208-8d & 184

An incredible final over in which MCC seamer James Porter claimed four wickets in five balls clinched victory for his side just as Hampshire looked to have claimed a draw in this Second XI Championship match at The Ageas Bowl.

Having been set an improbable target of 272 from a minimum of 35 overs, the hosts had reached just 183-6 in the 36th with less than 10 minutes remaining of the final hour.

But then, with the game seemingly meandering to a draw, Porter was introduced to the attack. Second ball he clean bowled Adam Rouse then trapped Matt King lbw. From his fourth delivery, Hampshire debutant Tom Nugent was bowled – hat-trick achieved – and Jack Sheppard was bowled from the final ball of the six; Hants 184 all out to lose by 87 runs.

Earlier in the match, the MCC YCs had won the toss and batted first, making 266 in their first innings. Hamza Riazuddin (3-48) was the pick of the Hampshire bowlers but he was ably supported by King (2-42) and Nugent (2-55). Sheppard took three fine catches.

In reply Hampshire had reached 208-8 on a rain-interrupted second day with Sean Terry making 69, Glenn Maxwell 39 and James Vince 34 not out, when rain brought play to an end just after 3 o’clock.

Hampshire declared overnight with a view to achieving a result on the final day and this was achieved but not necessarily how Hampshire would have liked.  In their second innings the MCC had made 213 for 8 when they declared ten minutes before tea (David Griffiths 3-31 from 10 overs).

Hampshire set off in pursuit of their target in great style. Vince and Michael Roberts - scoring at more than 8 runs an over (required run rate was 7.7) - put on 96 for the first wicket before Roberts was bowled for 58 from just 43 balls, an innings which included seven fours and two sixes. The first wicket fell at the end of the 11th over.  Unfortunately, Vince was out in the next over for 39 from 23 balls (hitting seven fours and one six) to a fine catch at short cover.

Terry and Maxwell maintained the run rate but when the latter was out caught in the deep for 10 with the score on 127, soon to be followed by his partner (39 from 34 balls) with the score at 159 for 4, the innings lost momentum.

So much so, in fact, that, with skipper Rouse and Jake George together, Hampshire played out 8 consecutive maidens before Porter bowled his incredible over – unbelievably, his first of the second innings!

Hampshire’s Second XI will now look to recover from this defeat with a Trophy / Championship double-header against Surrey at The Ageas Bowl in two weeks’ time. Between then and now, though, they play local rivals Sussex at Preston Nomads in a friendly starting next Tuesday.

Back to news