Neil McKenzie guides Hampshire to Leicestershire win

CLYDESDALE BANK 40 GROUP C, The Rose Bowl:
Hampshire 177-8 (32.5 ovs) beat Leicestershire 177-8 (35 ovs) by two wickets (D/L method)
Match scorecard

Neil McKenzie pulls the ball away during Hampshire's two-wicket win

Hampshire kept their slim hopes of CB 40 progress alive with a nervy two-wicket victory over Leicestershire on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Leicestershire saw rain interrupt their innings, with Jacques du Toit top scoring with 45 as they made 177-8 in their 35 overs, Chris Wood taking 3-39.

Set a revised 177 to win, Hampshire looked in trouble at 45-3.

But, despite Nadeem Malik's 4-40, Neil McKenzie compiled 51 not out to guide his side home with 13 balls left.

Although Hampshire lost their last four wickets for 24 runs to set up a nervy finale, the game was decided when Malik bowled a wide down the leg side to hand Hampshire victory.

The home side gave a limited-overs debut to French-born batsman Benny Howell, who had been awaiting his first-team bow after three years on Hampshire's staff.

Howell took 1-23 with his medium pace, removing Leicestershire captain Matthew Boyce, before scoring 12 from 29 balls while opening the innings.

Hampshire remain third in Group C, four points behind leaders Warwickshire with three games left to play, while Leicestershire stay second from bottom.