Vitality Blast: James Vince and Ben McDermott set club record in Hampshire win | Cricket News

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James Vince and Ben McDermott put on 124 together to break the Hawks’ best T20 opening stand and set up a total of 199-6; Hampshire had lost their first four matches but have moved off the bottom of the South Group with their win over Sussex

Last Updated: 04/06/22 11:23pm


Watch the highlights of the T20 Blast clash between the Hampshire Hawks and Sussex Sharks

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Watch the highlights of the T20 Blast clash between the Hampshire Hawks and Sussex Sharks

Watch the highlights of the T20 Blast clash between the Hampshire Hawks and Sussex Sharks

James Vince and Ben McDermott claimed a new club record as Hampshire beat Sussex by 22 runs to finally taste victory in this season’s Vitality Blast.

Vince and McDermott, who smashed 65 and 60 runs respectively, hit 124 together to break the Hawks’ best T20 opening stand to set up a mammoth total of 199-6.

Tim Seifert hit a sublime 100 not out – and put on 69 with Delray Rawlins – in an otherwise poor chase from the Sharks as they never controlled the required rate.

Hampshire had lost their first four matches but have moved off the bottom of the South Group as a result, while Sussex remain fourth after a mixed start.

A switch appeared to have flicked with the hosts after their poor start to the tournament, with aggression channelled into ground strikes rather than chasing sixes.

Vince showcased this by beautifully caressing the first ball of the match through the covers, having been put in. It was just one of a range of classic Vince stroke plays which gave the hosts a rocket of a start.

At the other end, McDermott got off the mark with a huge straight six with his more brutal style. That was the first of five maximums from the Australian, with a scoop the outlier from straight and mid-wicket power.

Vince – who moved up the order having batted at No 3 previously in the Blast this season – reached his first half-century of the season with his 33rd delivery, before McDermott followed him four balls quicker.

Ben McDermott and James Vince produced 124 together

Ben McDermott and James Vince produced 124 together

Their stand passed Hampshire’s previous best opening stand of 122 that was set by Michael Carberry and Mitchell Stokes against Middlesex in 2006, but – two runs later – it was ended when Henry Crocombe bowled Vince. It was the young fast bowler’s first of three wickets in an impressive outing.

That started Sussex’s middle-order fightback as Hampshire lost four wickets for 23 runs.

The visitors’ brilliant catching was a key reason for the momentum shift; a boundary juggle from Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Obed McCoy’s spectacular flying catch made up for some otherwise below-par ground fielding.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice styles out a wonder-catch as he jumps over the boundary  to deny Tom Prest a six in the T20 Blast

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Fynn Hudson-Prentice styles out a wonder-catch as he jumps over the boundary to deny Tom Prest a six in the T20 Blast

Fynn Hudson-Prentice styles out a wonder-catch as he jumps over the boundary to deny Tom Prest a six in the T20 Blast

Hampshire accelerated towards the end thanks to Toby Albert’s inventiveness and Liam Dawson’s late swinging to reach their highest Ageas Bowl total since they smashed 202 in 2013.

Sussex’s chase never got going. The Hawks were patient before they made their breakthrough in the fourth over when Luke Wright spliced to mid-on before Ali Orr skied to wicketkeeper McDermott in the following over.

Hudson-Prentice laboured to eight from 14 balls before he top-edged James Fuller. As a point of comparison, Hampshire were 98-0 at the 10-over stage, the Sharks were 59-3 and statistically given a one per cent chance of winning.

Ravi Bopara holed out but Seifert and Rawlins had fun with their 50-stand coming in 24 balls, with New Zealand international Seifert plundering a personal half-century in 36 deliveries. Rawlins was run out and Harrison Ward castled either side of a short rain delay.

With the game already lost, Seifert plundered three straight sixes in the final over to collect his second T20 century off 56 balls.



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