At the end of the 25th over Hampshire looked as though they were in danger of wasting their impressive start against The Foxes, having tumbled from a rapid 113 for 2 in the 20th to 125 for 5.

Hampshire had started their innings with positive intent as Jimmy Adams, in for the injured John Crawley, hit Leicestershire’s opening bowler Andrew Harris for two fours in the first over.  However in the fifth Michael Lumb was caught behind off Harris for just 10, leaving Hampshire on 19 for 1. But with Adams and Ervine at the crease the runs began to accumulate and when Adams lofted a mighty 6 back over bowler O’Brien’s head, it was already looking as though Hampshire were aiming for a total of around 300.

The Hawks’ 50 came up when 15 runs were scored off the 10th over and Leicestershire’s decision to take their second powerplay immediately was only rewarded by a flurry of boundaries from both batsmen taking the score to 85 for 1 by the end of the 15th. But Hampshire’s morning was about to change with the introduction of offbreak bowler Carl Crowe, whose second ball clean bowled Jimmy Adams for 45.

Adams’ departure and Carberry’s arrival did little to slow the run rate as the latter made the most of some lacklustre fielding by tipping balls over the infield, bringing The Hawks’ 100 up with a particularly well placed single.  But his innings was a short one; after surviving an impassioned lbw appeal from Crowe in the 20th he was out caught by Boyce at deep square leg off Cliff for 17. Liam Dawson was in next, but scored only 2 before being caught and bowled by Crowe leaving Hampshire 117 for 4 in the 22nd over.

All the while Ervine had been steadily increasing Hampshire’s total, but suffered a very unlucky dismissal for 43 when Chris Benham hit the ball directly back to the bowler, Crowe, who deflected it onto the stumps to have Ervine run out backing up. It was up to last Sunday’s top scorer, Benham, and captain Nic Pothas to steady the ship to post a competitive total.

This started a period of efficient accumulation, but unfortunately it was Jimmy Adams doing much of the running for Pothas who was limping badly after suffering a hamstring injury. The 200 was up in the 40th over and in the 44th Benham reached his fifty – without scoring a single boundary. However he made up for it with his next two shots which both went for four; one to the fine leg boundary and the other sailing back over Paul Nixon’s head.

Hampshire entered their batting powerplay at the beginning of the 46th over with the score on 241 for 5. Now Benham really accelerated, hitting 6 back over the bowler’s head to reach 80 and then a series of 4s to all corners of the ground to achieve his 4th List A century and to take his team to 279 for 5. Pothas reached his 50 in the penultimate over and Hampshire finished their innings by posting a very competitive 300.

Hampshire took to the field after the interval with substitute Tom Burrows taking the gloves from the injured Nic Pothas.

Matthew Boyce and HD Ackerman opened the batting for The Foxes who had to get off to a good start chasing Hampshire’s high score.  Dominic Cork, who took over the captaincy due to Pothas’ absence, bowled tightly with great line and length with just a single coming from his first 6 balls. Balcombe struggled with his bowling line, bowling four wides in his first two overs, and with Ackerman making the most of a free hit lofting the ball past square leg for four Cork wasted no time in handing the ball to the evergreen Billy Taylor.

Leicestershire were 26 for 0 at the end of the 6th, tracking Hampshire’s run rate of 6 per over.  Boyce hit Taylor for four lifting the ball over his head in the 8th over but otherwise the opening batsman were content to trickle the ball around the square for singles.

Hampshire claimed their first wicket of the afternoon when Ackerman (18) lifted a ball from Taylor to the waiting Chris Benham at deep square leg to leave Leicestershire on 46 for 1 with James Taylor taking to the crease.

Cork’s impressive spell with the ball continued as the animated stand-in captain got his deserved wicket in the 11th over. Boyce nicked Cork’s ball behind to wicketkeeper Burrows, making 21 as Hampshire claimed two wickets without Leicestershire increasing their score. Hampshire’s sharp fielding nearly paid dividends when Dippenaar scrambled for two tight singles in the 13th and 14th overs. Both Dawson and Cork hit the stumps only for the South African to scuttle home.

At the start of the 15th over Leicestershire had made 57 for 2 compared to Hampshire’s 85 for 1 at the same stage. Cork took a deserved break from racing into the crease after an impressive spell with figures of 1 for 16 from 7 overs.

 

Cork introduced England Under 19s Riazuddin and Dawson to the bowling attack. Fellow England U19 Taylor and Dippenaar steadied The Foxes ship, taking their team's score to 99 for 2 from 25 overs. Taylor brought up Leicestershire’s 100 in style with a six to mid. Dippenaar kept the scoreboard ticking over for The Foxes however he lost his wicket in the 27th over leaving Leicestershire on 188 for 3. The former South African international didn’t get enough bat on an attempted six and was caught on the boundary at deep mid wicket by Taylor from the bowling of Dawson, making 34. Joshua Cobb became the fourth England U19 to take the field - all played in the winter tour to South Africa earlier in the year. Ervine thought he had claimed his first wicket of the afternoon in the next over when Burrows caught Cobb behind but the umpire adjured the ball deflected from his arm rather than his glove. 

Cobb hit two consecutive fours in the 31st over and attempted a third but was caught on the boundary rope by Riazuddin at square leg off Ervine for 13 as Leicestershire looked to increase their run rate. Cork brought Balcombe back into the bowling attack, this time from the Pavilion End, and he made an immediate impact taking Leicestershire’s fifth wicket. Taylor had quietly made 41 before mistiming Balcombe’s first ball and lofting it into the sky with Burrows running wide to catch him at leg slip.  

Wayne White and Foxes’ captain Paul Nixon had to be content with singles and two boundaries between the 33rd and 38th over taking Leicestershire to 183 for 5. The sixth wicket fell in the 39th just as they were starting to home in on Hampshire’s total. White was out lbw to Taylor having made 27, leaving The Foxes on 199 for 6.

Leicestershire brought up their 200 in the 40th over and were within just a run of Hampshire’s score at the same stage with an extra wicket down. With the run rate increased to 10 per over Leicestershire looked to push on with Nixon taking the reigns. He now looked to punish any ball wide of the mark and did just that with a couple of well timed boundaries. Nixon hit a single to bring up his spirited fifty however that was to be the last of his runs. Nixon was caught at square leg by Balcombe off the bowling of Ervine which surely ended The Foxes' victory hopes with seven wickets down for 238 in the 45th over.

The tail put up little resistance and Leicestershire were bowled out for 254, 46 runs shy of Hampshire’s total.

Hampshire’s next Friends Provident Trophy match is away to Ireland on May 10th.  

    

Match report by Ally Fisher and Jane Cable.

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