Hampshire see off Essex in FP t20 semi

FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20 - SEMI-FINAL, The Rose Bowl:
Hampshire 157-4 beat Essex 156-7 by six wickets
Match scorecard

Hampshire's Danny Briggs celebrates getting the key wicket of Ravi Bopara

Hosts Hampshire kept their nerve to book a place in their first Twenty20 final on home soil at the Rose Bowl.

Former Essex skipper Mark Pettini hit 55, backed by 38 from fellow opener Alastair Cook, as his side made 156-7, spinner Danny Briggs taking 3-29.

But Abdul Razzaq hit 44 as Hampshire, who had never previously gone beyond the last eight, won on 157-4.

In pouring rain, Michael Carberry hit the winning runs to earn a six-wicket victory with four balls to spare.

Essex openers Pettini and Cook were the foundation of the visitors' total, putting on 79 for the first wicket.

Cook hit two sixes in his 38 off 22 balls, Pettini going on to make 55 off 43 balls before becoming one of three victims for spinner Danny Briggs.

But Essex's gamble to fly in Dwayne Bravo failed.

Bravo was flown over from the West Indies at great expense for one day only.

But his recruitment proved a costly mistake as he failed with both bat and ball, being run out for just 5 (in eight deliveries) before going for 1-46 from his four overs.

Hampshire also enjoyed a decent opening partnership as their foundation, Razzaq putting on 67 with Jimmy Adams.

The in-form Adams deposited Bravo over mid-wicket for six in the second over. And Pakistan's Razzaq also tucked in soon after, taking two fours off the West Indian all-rounder as his first 12 deliveries leaked 20.

Razzaq had hit 44 off 31 balls when he miscued Chris Wright to Ravi Bopara at point.

Dwayne Bravo's bad day at The Rose Bowl begins with his run-out

James Foster, usually so impressive with the gloves, missed a regulation stumping off Danish Kaneria to reprieve Adams, who duly swept the next ball to the ropes.

But Foster made amends in the 13th over, stumping Vince for 15 and Adams (34) followed quickly, Bopara striking to make it 101 for three.

Those wickets stalled the hosts, who saw the required rate edge over 10 with four overs left.

Sean Ervine took six and four off the first two balls of Bravo's comeback over, but the bowler responded by locating his middle stump.

But Bravo shipped 12 off the 19th over, leaving a target of just five off the final six balls, which was duly achieved.

Neil McKenzie (19no) and Michael Carberry (17 in nine balls) put on an unbroken 30 when it mattered most to see their side home as the rain hammered down.

Earlier, out-of-form England opener Cook took until the fourth over to his first boundary, an unconvincing bottom edge to long leg, but was soon hit his stride.

The left-hander clubbed two big onside sixes as Essex picked up the rate, adding 48 in the six powerplay overs, while Pettini cashed in having been dropped by Dominic Cork on 25.

Cook was looking confident when he fell softly, steering a loose Dan Christian delivery into the hands of Briggs at short fine leg.

Danger man Bopara then came and went for just two, wicketkeeper Michael Bates taking a smart catch off the impressive Briggs.

The 19-year-old spinner added a second wicket when Ryan ten Doeschate holed out to long-on for a single and Pettini became his third victim shortly after bringing up a well-paced half-century.

Hampshire are due to meet the winners of the Nottinghamshire-Somerset semi in Saturday evening's final (1900 BST).

Essex skipper James Foster said:

"We had Scott Styris, so Dwayne Bravo was a like-for-like replacement.

"With Scott not being here, there was always a slot there and we signed him up as he is a class, class act.

"Unfortunately, you aren't going to perform at your best every day. I still think it was the right move, but obviously it didn't work out for him."