Vince Powers Royals to Duckworth-Lewis Victory

Match report from Sunday's Clydesdale Bank 40 match against the Scottish Saltires at Aberdeen.

Scottish Saltires v Hampshire royals
Clydesdale Bank 40
Sunday 14 August 2011
Aberdeen

Summary: Hampshire beat Scotland by 9 wickets on the D/L Method
Scottish Saltires: 131-5 (23/23 ovs)
Hampshire Royals: 73-1 (14 ovs)
Click here for a full scorecard

Hampshire Team
Adams*, Vince, Ervine, Carberry, Dawson, Howell, Mascarenhas, Bates⁺, Riazuddin, Wood, Tahir

Scotland Team
Coetzer, McLeod, Butterworth, Davey, Watts, Mommsen, McCallum, Sharif, Maiden⁺, Haq, Drummond*

Whenever objections are raised to cricket being played in Scotland, mention is usually made of the unpredictable weather conditions. And so, the day after a completely abandoned fixture against Leicestershire, the rain was once again the Saltires' undoing as Hampshire sneaked a 3-run Duckworth Lewis victory from a heavily rain-affected match at Aberdeen. 

Yesterday the umpires had inspected the pitch in their wellies. Today we did, at least, get nearly 40 overs of cricket in in total. And it was just enough for a fluent knock of 45 from James Vince to sneak them over the line.

Earlier Kyle Coetzer – on loan from Durham – did his best to gain revenge for Hampshire’s Championship victory over his home team only the day before with a well made half-century as his side registered 131-5.

The result leaves Hampshire comfortably mid-table - a significant improvement given their start to the campaign - and sets up an enjoyable Bank Holiday Monday return fixture at The Rose Bowl in two weeks' time.

Clydesdale Bank 40 Group B Table - Match 11

Before the first of two rain interuptions (the second would be terminal), Hampshire lost the toss and were put in to bowl first in remarkably sunny overhead conditions (given what would soon transpire), but with a wet and, therefore, slow and low pitch. Not that that made any difference to Chris Wood (1-14 off three overs), who generated enough pace and movement off the deck to fox the batsmen - appealing twice for lbw within the first over. The second shout was longer and louder and eventually successful as opener Fraser Watts went without scoring.

But by the time four overs had gone the sun had given way to cloud and rain forced the players off with the Saltires on 13-1. When they returned two-and-a-half hours later, batsmen Coetzer and Calum McLeod only had one over left of their revised opening compulsory powerplay and they took advantage, hitting the first four and six of the match off Hamza Riazuddin.

Three overs later Riazuddin would redeem himself, calmly collecting a lofted hoik into the deep off Mascarenhas (1-22 off five overs) – Scotland 42-2. But that bought Josh Davey to the crease and, along with Coetzer, the pair put on a 50 partnership that threatened to take the game away from Hampshire. Indeed, Liam Dawson nearly lost more than that when Coetzer drove one straight back at the spinner’s face – Dawson reacting brilliantly to protect himself!

But far from losing their collective heads, this prompted the Royals to step things up and Riazuddin took his first scalp when Davey hammered a huge shot into the deep to be picked off by Sean Ervine. Two further quick wickets fell as the unfortunate Neil McCallum (1) suffered an ignominious final innings for his Scotland side (he retired after the game) – trapped lbw by Imran Tahir (1-23 off five overs).

Coetzer’s excellent innings then came to an end when a high-looping top-edge off Riazuddin (2-29 off four overs) was excellently caught by Michael Carberry who, by now, also had brilliant sunshine to contend with! Returning overseas player Luke Butterworth (20*) and South African-born Preston Mommsen (10*) took their side through to 131-5 by the close, but surely the twenty20 Champions (and this season’s semi-finalists) could chase that down?

Actually, Hampshire’s reply started in a relatively sedate way with only 29 runs coming off the first seven overs (compared to the Saltires’ 42). Indeed, it took a body blow to Josh Davey off a Jimmy Adams drive to wake the whole thing up. Thankfully the bowler looked OK - the bandaged fingers later revealed being a significantly less serious injury than first feared; furthermore, Hampshire’s run-rate also began to look healthier as a series of cover-drives helped Hampshire take 11 runs off the next over -  suddenly looking back on track.

James Vince, in particular, was showing no signs of suffering with the back spasm that forced him to retire against Durham on Saturday, scoring 38 of the first 50 runs and celebrating with a huge six off Mommsen in the 13th over. Unfortunately, that would be all from him as the spinner got his revenge next ball - Vince (45) stumped coming down the wicket for seconds.

However, Hampshire were - for the first time - ahead on the Duckworth Lewis method and, wouldn't you know it, no sooner had Ervine (8*) had chance to join his captain at the crease than the heavens opened; the Royals on 72-1 in the 15th over against a target of 69!

The rain fell heavy and thick and never relented - not that the pitch could soak up even the most minor of downpours and still be safe. A Scotland player later revealed that six of his nine club fixtures this season have been abandoned due to rain. None, you would suspect, woudl have been as disappointing as this.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: LMI Photography

Catch Up:

Preview:

Royals Shuffle their Cards Again for Saltires

 

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