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There was last-ball drama as Hampshire thought they had beaten Lancashire, but it was called a no-ball! However, the free hit didn’t matter as Hampshire claimed victory in the Vitality Blast final
Hampshire Hawks beat Lancashire Lightning by one run to win the Vitality Blast after an extraordinary finish to the final at Edgbaston.
The Hampshire players were celebrating with fireworks going off around the ground when Nathan Ellis bowled Richard Gleeson with what should have been the last ball of the match, only for the ball to be called a no-ball.
That left Lancashire with a free hit and just two needed to win, a tie being enough for them to triumph courtesy of a higher powerplay total.
- Hampshire 152-8 – McDermott (62 off 36); Parkinson (4-26), L Wood (2-26)
- Lancashire 151-8 – Croft (36 off 25); Fuller (2-19), Dawson (2-23)
However, Gleeson swung and missed and despite trying to scramble two byes to the wicketkeeper amid more confusion, they managed only one and Hampshire could celebrate again.
A third Blast title seemed a long way off when Matt Parkinson (4-26) took his fourth wicket to leave the Hawks 111-7.
Matt Parkinson took 4-26 for Lancashire as they restricted Hampshire to 152-8
Even after finding their way to 152-7, Ben McDermott top-scoring with 62 from 36 balls, Hampshire appeared in trouble with Lancashire seemingly cruising at 72-1 in the eighth over.
However, spinners Liam Dawson (2-23) and Mason Crane (1-19) started the fightback and with the pitch getting increasingly difficult to bat on, Lancashire struggled to regain any sort of momentum.
They did enough to keep themselves in contention right to the last but even with all the last-ball drama, it was more Finals Day disappointment for Lancashire as the Hawks took the trophy.
Parkinson puts Hawks in a spin
James Vince won the toss and quickly decided to bat first, following the formula that had helped Hampshire to 11 wins from 12 games coming into the final.
They were quickly under pressure though as Vince (5) was castled by Richard Gleeson (1-27) in the second over before Luke Wood (2-26) removed semi-final star Tom Prest (2) at the end of the next.
Richard Gleeson bowled James Vince in the second over of the match
McDermott countered for the Hawks, hitting Wood and Danny Lamb into the stands to take his side to 48-2 at the end of the powerplay.
With the introduction of Parkinson, though, Lancashire soon seized back control.
Then leggie got up and running with the wicket of Joe Weatherley, caught by Steven Croft after top-edging a sweep, and had Dawson caught at long-off to leave Hampshire 67-4 in the 10th over.
Ben McDermott led the way for Hampshire with the bat
Again, McDermott countered, taking 21 from Luke Wells’ solitary over to bring up a half-century from 32 balls.
However, the Aussie’s fun came to an end first ball of the next over when Parkinson deceived him with a ball that drifted in and skidded on to hit leg stump.
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McDermott was bowled by Parkinson after making a quickfire 62
A telling blow struck by the Lightning, and they ramped up the pressure on Hampshire further with Lamb (1-21) and Parkinson accounting for James Fuller (10) and Nathan Ellis (2), respectively.
From 111-7 midway through the 15th over, Hampshire were able to claw their way up to a total that gave their bowlers a chance, with Ross Whiteley (22 from 20) and Chris Wood (20no from 17) playing handy knocks in the circumstances.
Lancashire come unstuck after strong start
Lancashire had blitzed 89 in the powerplay in their semi-final win over Yorkshire and when Phil Salt pulled the first ball of the chase for four and then clubbed a free hit into the Hollies Stand, their supporters were dreaming of a repeat.
However, a third pull shot in the Wood over proved one too many and a top-edge was well taken by Prest coming in from deep square to take the catch.
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Watch as Steven Croft hits four fours in a row for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast Final against Hampshire
After a number of plays and misses in the next couple of overs, punctuated by Keaton Jennings’ remarkable falling over ramp shot for six, Steven Croft got Lancashire going again with four fours in a row off Brad Wheal, the last two gloriously pummelled through the covers.
Lancashire breezed through the remainder of the powerplay but the introduction of spin changed the complexion of the chase completely.
Croft (36 off 25) was caught down the legside in bizarre fashion off Mason Crane – the ball hitting his pad before the follow through of his attempted pull flicked the ball and McDermott caught it between his legs.
Dane Vilas survived a caught behind review next ball but Jennings (24 off 20) departed in the next, holing out to give Liam Dawson (2-23) his first wicket, and Hampshire were suddenly right back in the game.
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A big moment came in Dawson’s last over when Vilas (23 off 20), having taken Lancashire past 100 with a six uppercut over third, tried to hit the left-arm spinner over cover but could not quite get the elevation and Vince jumped and reached up to take the catch.
Hampshire bowlers expertly squeeze Lancashire
The Hawks were celebrating again in the next over when Luke Wells was given lbw to Crane, only for the left-hander to be reprieved after a review with the ball shown to be missing off stump.
Lancashire needed little more than a run a ball but with the tension building with every ball and Hampshire’s bowlers executing their plans brilliantly, even that was tricky.
Their task became even tougher when expert finisher Tim David (8) was trapped lbw by Fuller – this time the review did not help the Lightning.
The impressive Fuller (2-19) then had Lamb (2) caught but just when it seemed Hampshire had the game wrapped up, in the 19th over, Wells pulled Wood for six and clubbed the next ball for four.
He was run out by a direct hit from Vince to end that over, leaving Lancashire needing 11 from the last, bowled by Ellis.
Nathan Ellis held his nerve to bowl Hampshire Hawks to a remarkable Vitality Blast win
That was whittled down to seven from three before Luke Wood was run out. Gleeson came in and hit his first ball for two, leaving four needed from the ball.
Even at that stage, no one could have anticipated the dramatic finish that was to come and, eventually, see Hampshire crowned champions.
Watch the series-deciding third one-day international between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford from 10.30am, Sunday live on Sky Sports Cricket. Play begins at 11am.
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