T20 Blast: Hampshire beat Glamorgan, Middlesex beat Sussex in South Group

1 London

London News & Search

1 News - 1 eMovies - 1 eMusic - 1 eBooks - 1 Search

Glamorgan opener Nick Selman (right) was bowled by Mason Crane for 17 after 19 balls

NatWest T20 Blast
Dates: 7 July – 2 September
Coverage: Ball-by-ball local radio commentary on every match online, tablets, mobiles and BBC Sport app. In-play highlights and live text commentary of selected games on the BBC Sport website. Selected commentaries on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

Hampshire spun their way to an eight-wicket victory over T20 Blast South group Glamorgan, with England Test new boy Mason Crane claiming 3-21.

The man he replaced for England, Liam Dawson, took 2-15 as Glamorgan were restricted to 118-6 on a slow pitch.

James Vince (60 not out) got the hosts’ reply off to a flying start and Tom Alsop (28) and George Bailey (25 not out) clinched the win in the 14th over.

Elsewhere, Middlesex beat Sussex by two runs in a tight finish at Lord’s.

Middlesex posted 147-6 thanks to Stevie Eskinazi’s 57 not out from 44 balls and Paul Stirling’s 40 off 31 balls, as the visitors’ Chris Jordan (2-29) impressed.

Sussex began their chase well and were in a strong position at 125-4 in the 17th over, before Chris Nash (69) was trapped lbw by Nathan Sowter (2-25).

The Sharks then lost three further wickets for 18 runs, with none of their middle or lower-order batsmen passing eight.

That set up a nervy finish, with Tom Helm bowling the final over for the loss of just two runs, when Sussex had needed just five from it to earn a victory.

Meanwhile, Hampshire’s spin-heavy tactics were clear from the start with Dawson, Crane and Shahid Afridi taking a combined 6-52 in their 12 overs.

Glamorgan’s top order could not get going and only a stand of 53 in the final 6.3 overs between Andrew Salter (37 not out) and Graham Wagg (15 not out) gave them any respectability.

But the hosts’ top order always looked in control of an easy run-rate with Vince’s runs coming off just 41 balls.

Hampshire move to within a point of Glamorgan at the top with two games left.

Middlesex’s win – their fourth of the competition so far – saw them join Sussex on 10 points, three points below Hampshire.

Who will qualify from the T20 Blast South Group?