Bowling Blitz Powers Royals Into the Final

Match Report: Hampshire v Sussex (Clydesdale Bank 40 Semi-Final)

Sussex Sharks v Hampshire Royals
Clydesdale Bank 40 Semi Final
Saturday 1 September
The PROBIZ County Ground, Hove

Summary: Hampshire beat Sussex by eight wickets
Sussex Sharks: 219-8
Hampshire Royals: 222-2
Scorecard

Sharks Team
Nash, Wright, Prior†, Goodwin, Joyce*, Yardy, Wernars, Brown, Beer, Magoffin, Liddle
Royals Team
Vince, Carberry, Adams*, Shafayat, Katich, Ervine, Dawson, Wood, Bates†, Briggs, Griffiths

An incredible late-innings bowling display from the Hampshire Royals saw the Sussex Sharks lose seven wickets for 40 runs and, ultimately, set the visitors on the path to victory in this Clydesdale Bank 40 Semi-Final at the PROBIZ County Ground, Hove.

A Luke Wright knock of 122 - his second CB40 century in as many games - had threatened to take the game away from Jimmy Adams' side, but this Hampshire team just do not know when they're beaten and, having been staring down the barrel at 159-1 at 28 overs, they managed to limit their opponents to 219-8 from their 40.

Then, an opening partnership of 129 between James Vince (58) and Michael Carberry (68), scored off the opening 12 overs put the game beyond doubt.

The Royals chased down their target in 33 overs to claim an eight-wicket victory which takes them to a second limited-overs Final of the season. A replay of 2005's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy awaits as Warwickshire booked the other slot at Lord's in two weeks' time. Seven years ago Hampshire beat the Bears by 18 runs; a repeat of that would do very nicely indeed.

 

The Sharks elected to bat first having won the toss but struggled in the early exchanges as both Liam Dawson (0-35) and David Griffiths recorded maidens in the first six overs. Meanwhile, Wright was still only on 2* and showing signs of frustration; his side 25-0. But then two good overs for the England all-rounder, the latter going for 16, ensured his side were on the cusp of 50 by the end of the first mandatory powerplay. That was a figure they promptly reached in the 10th over, whereupon Wright celebrated by straight-driving the first six of the match.

And, when some more heavy hitting saw 25 come off the first three bowling powerplay overs, a breakthrough was clearly needed. Fortunately, Danny Briggs (2-32) was brought into the attack and that duly came. With his fourth ball, he got Chris Nash to top-edge behind to Sean Ervine at fly slip, the Sharks 71-1 in the 12th over.

The wicket, combined with the end of the powerplay, inevitably slowed the runs somewhat but Wright, now batting alongside Matt Prior continued building, the former bringing up his 50 (37 balls, nine fours, one six) before the team reached Nelson (111-1) at the halfway stage in the innings; they showing no signs of suffering the bad luck that that score apocryphally brings with it, though. 

Then the turning point. As they approached the final ten overs on 158-1, they decided enough was enough and elected to go for it by calling the batting powerplay with Wright ominously close to his century. But the tactic backfired as the collapse immediately followed. 

Prior (28), Ed Joyce (0) and Murray Goodwin (10) had all gone by the time Ervine (3-36) took three wickets, including that of Wright in the 35th over, swinging the innings violently in the Royals' favour. And when Griffiths (2-67) bowled Michael Yardy (1) to leave the hosts 199-8 it looked like Hampshire could even bowl their opposition out - something that had seemed impossible half an hour previous.

As it happened, the tail managed to add an extra 20 runs, setting the visitors the target of 220 to book a day at Lord's at a rate of 5.5 / over. But that rate was made to look rather silly very quickly in Hampshire's reply as Vince and Carberry [pictured, left] crashed 75 off the opening eight-over powerplay - scoring nearly twice as fast as was required!

It is customary, at that point, for the fielding team to then take their bowling powerplay, getting it out of the way as early as possible. However, it was very clear to both sides that the way Hampshire were batting, more fielding restrictions at this point could prove fatal for the hosts and so, when Joyce elected not to take it, Adams took his and on the Royals marched.

Before the 10-over mark, Carberry hit a sixth four of his innings to bring up his half-century (25 balls, four sixes) and, moments after taking his side through 100 in the 12th over with a run to the ropes Vince blazed another through extra cover to reach his own landmark (36 balls, 10 fours); Hampshire 112-0 and needing 108 for victory.

When in a spot of trouble, many of us reach for a beer and that's exactly what the Sussex skipper did now as leg-spinner Will Beer was brought into the attack. And the ploy worked as he dismissed both men in successive overs from the Sea End, the Royals wobbling from 129-0 to 130-2.

Thankfully, in Adams and Simon Katich, Hampshire effectively had a second set of openers to come in in such situations and the duo used all their experience to calmly see off the next 10 overs with little fanfare.

A couple of boundaries in the 23rd over signalled that Adams was ready to finish this and within 10 overs the victory was complete, the Royals making 222-2. They now have two LV= County Championship matches in the next two weeks before they will look to bow out in style at the season's traditional North London climax.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: LMI Photography

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