McKenzie Magic Helps Win Thriller at The Rose Bowl

The Hampshire Royals beat the Warwickshire Bears by three runs in their CB40 curtain-raiser at The Rose Bowl.

Hampshire Royals v Warwickshire Bears
Clydesdale Bank 40
Sunday 24th April
The Rose Bowl

Summary: Hampshire Royals beat Warwickshire Bears by 3 runs
Hampshire Royals: 274-5
Warwickshire Bears: 271-9

It went down to the wire but the Hampshire Royals secured an opening Clydesdale Bank 40 victory over defending champions the Warwickshire Bears by just three runs on what turned out to be a tense Easter Sunday afternoon at The Rose Bowl.

Having posted an impressive first innings score of 274-5, thanks to an inspired late display of brilliant hitting from South African batsman Neil McKenzie (87 not out), Hampshire seemed to be in complete control of the contest before an 87-run partnership from Bears duo Rikki Clarke and Darren Maddy shifted the game back into the balance.

And needing 14 off the last over to win, Warks and England all-rounder Chris Woakes squared up to Royals Captain Dominic Cork, just coming off second best to the Hampshire man despite a dramatic six off the penultimate ball.

Royals paceman Simon Jones also marked his return to the side with an excellent display with the ball, finishing with figures of 4-52 off his 8 overs.

Click here for a full scorecard

After losing the toss Hampshire were surprisingly put into bat by Warwickshire skipper Jim Troughton on what proved to be a useful batting track.

However, the Royals made the most of the conditions and put on a stand of 76 for the first wicket before Jimmy Adams (20) dragged a Rikki Clarke delivery onto his stumps.

But it was his opening partner Johann Myburgh (64) who provided the platform for the innings, dispatching the Bears pace attack of Woakes and Boyd Rankin to the boundary on numerous occasions early on – continuing his fine form from the Caribbean T20 tournament earlier in the year.

Talented batsman James Vince (37 from 38 balls) joined the South African at the crease for a 44-run partnership before Myburgh’s innings was cut short by a straight Darren Maddy yorker. 

But the loss of Vince only served to bring McKenzie to the crease, and he sparkled with a flawless knock to put Hampshire in charge.

It would be wrong, however, to assume that this was a victory reliant on star turns by one or two individuals as practically everyone contributing in one way or another. With the bat, Liam Dawson (40 off 28 balls) played aggressively smashing two sixes in his 79-run partnership with McKenzie.

But it was the final over of the innings when the telling contribution was made as McKenzie hit an incredible 24 runs (including four 4s and a 6) to take Hampshire’s total from a par score to a tough ask.

In reply, Warwickshire’s lost two of their opening trio inside the first powerplay; Will Porterfield (5) and Keith Barker (1) unfortunate to be on the receiving end of a frenetic burst of bowling from Jones, who consistently touched 90mph on his return from injury.

Cork then introduced himself into the attack and struck with his first delivery – dismantling the leg-stump of Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf (11) to leave Warwickshire struggling on 48-3. Cork’s opposite number, Troughton, scratched around for 25 before a short delivery from Ervine forced a leading edge straight to that man Cork, again, at mid-off.

And things got even better as Bears danger man Varun Chopra (54) - who has already scored two double-hundreds in the Championship this summer – departed, run out after a ridiculous mix-up. The 2010 CB40 champions were teetering on 111 for 5 – still 162 behind with less than half of the innings to go.

But then veteran all-rounder Clarke joined the experienced Maddy at the crease – and they put on their strong sixth-wicket partnership, forcing the clash of the limited-overs titans into a tense finale!

However, as he proved time and time again last season, Danny Briggs delivers wickets at crucial moments. When Maddy (49) was run out by wicket-keeper Michael Bates, the left arm spin bowler had Clarke (59) stumped as he charged down the track in pursuit of a much needed boundary.

Simon Jones then came back into the attack and claimed the wickets of Ant Botha (7) and Richard Johnson (15) to leave Woakes (34*) as Warwickshire’s last recognisable batsman.

Cork, as ever, was the brave and inspiring captain we know him to be, volunteering to bowl the final over himself and not even flinching when just a four was needed off the final ball – holding his nerve to pull out a dot ball.

Hampshire will now look to take confidence from this into their next fixture, an LV= County Championship match against title favourites, Somerset at The Rose Bowl starting on Wednesday. Tickets can be bought for this match by clicking here.

Images: LMI Photography

Stuart Appleby

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