Hampshire cruise to comfortable win over Middlesex
FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Uxbridge: Hampshire 165-4 beat Middlesex 164-7 by six wickets Match scorecard
Jimmy Adams's stand of 89 with Carberry proved crucial for the visitors
Hampshire bounced back from a heavy defeat by Somerset on Friday to comfortably beat Middlesex for their seventh victory of the FP t20 campaign.
Aside from Owais Shah, who hit 80 off 52 balls, Middlesex failed to make the most of ideal batting conditions and their total of 164 never looked enough.
Then sloppy fielding the saw Hampshire opener Michael Carberry dropped on 13.
He went on to make 41 and alongside Jimmy Adams's 64 off 44 balls they laid the foundation for the visitors' win.
Hampshire stuttered when James Vince top-edged Gareth Berg to the covers, and then Abdul Razzaq senselessly ran himself out after hitting straight to the fielder at point.
But Sean Ervine and Neil McKenzie recovered to steer their side home for the win.
The flat pitch, fast outfield and short boundary gave Middlesex skipper Neil Dexter the impression it would be full of runs and he elected to bat after winning the toss.
But his spell at the crease lasted just six balls as he was caught in the covers off Chris Wood to leave his side 6-1.
David Warner failed to kick-start the innings as he laboured to 18 off 17 balls before he was caught at mid-off from Dan Christian's delivery.
Dawid Malan lasted just five deliveries before pulling Ervine to square-leg, Scott Newman was trapped lbw by Dominic Cork and Berg fell to Danny Briggs at mid-wicket.
Tyrone Henderson went for a duck as he stretched for the boundary and Middlesex looked in deep trouble at 105-6.
But Shah and Ben Scott steadied the ship and gave the Middlesex score an air of respectability.
Shah reached 50 off 39 balls, with two sixes and five fours, and went into overdrive for his last 30 runs off 13 balls - including three more sixes - before he was caught on the long off boundary on the final delivery of the innings.
Hampshire coach Giles White told BBC Radio Solent:
"We were a bit low after the defeat at Taunton but we bounced back very well.
"Dominic [Cork] spoke before the game about it being a cup final for us and the guys have bowled well and played positively in a very professional performance."
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