Last-Ball Taylor wins it for Hampshire

Billy Taylor

Sun, Aug 13 Hampshire v Derbyshire

John Crawley, who scored a stylish century, and tailender Billy Taylor emerged as the heroes as Hampshire squeezed to a dramatic one-wicket NatWest Pro40 League win off the last ball against Derbyshire at The Rose Bowl on Sunday.

Replying to Derbyshire's 238-6, Hampshire needed 11 runs for victory off the last over with three wickets standing. Then, having slipped to 237-9 with one ball remaining, it was left for Taylor to stride in and promptly straight-drive a boundary off Graham Wagg, who had taken four wickets.

Crawley had shared an opening stand of 89 with Michael Carberry (53) and then put on 60 for the second wicket with Sean Ervine (28).

Crawley went on to score exactly 100--his first limited-overs hundred of the season--but Hampshire suddenly lost their way after reaching 183-2 in the 32nd over.

Seven wickets fell for just 54 runs, including five in the last four overs, but Nic Pothas, batting at No. 9 with a damaged thumb, and James Bruce both hit fours off the first ball they faced to set up that epic last-ball finale.

Earlier, 16-year-old Gary Ballance took centre stage for Derbyshire by hitting a composed 73 on his competitive debut. The little Zimbabwean left-hander shared a second-wicket stand of 124 with skipper Steve Stubbings (72).

But after reaching 142-1 in the 26th over they failed to cash in fully against a seven-man Hampshire attack. Taylor, Bruce, Dimi Mascarenhas, skipper Shaun Udal and Greg Lamb all took a wicket and there was also a run out.

Shane Warne, the Hampshire captain, missed the match with a viral infection of the throat, while injured wicketkeeper Pothas had to come off and was replaced behind the stumps by Crawley.

DERBYSHIRE 238-6 (40 overs): Ballance 73, Stubbings 72, Bruce 1-18, Taylor 1-29, Mascarenhas 1-31, Lamb 1-31, Udal 1-44. HAMPSHIRE 241-9 (40 overs): Crawley 100, Carberry 53, Ervine 28, Wagg 4-66.

Hampshire, with two wins from their first three Pro40 matches, will play their next fixture in the competition on Wednesday, August 23. They face Surrey under The Rose Bowl floodlights, the match starting at 4.40pm.