Hampshire Hawks v Essex Eagles Twenty20 Cup 25th June

Carberry

HAMPSHIRE HAWKS (164-6) TIED WITH ESSEX EAGLES (164-8)

BBC RADIO SOLENT'S KRIS TEMPLE REPORTS FROM THE ROSE BOWL

Hampshire Hawks' Twenty20 Cup fate will go down to a thrilling final day, after a healthy Rose Bowl crowd were treated to a nerve-jangling tie between the Hawks and Essex Eagles.

Both sides took a point each, leaving Hampshire in third place, and setting up a winner-takes-all clash between the two at Chelmsford on Friday night (5.30pm).

Having won the toss, Hampshire struggled early on in the absence of neck injury victim Ian Harvey. In-form opener Michael Lumb (9) looked decidedly unhappy to be given out caught behind. Chris Benham (3) went soon after, having been promoted to open the innings, before a stand of 79 between Michael Carberry and Michael Brown started to click the Hampshire innings into gear. Picking up ones and twos, punctuated by the odd boundary, the pair stayed together for ten overs. The steady start was reflected in a total of 52 from the first ten overs.

As overs began to run out though, the two Michaels pressed the accelerator, and Carberry went to 50 with a bludgeoning six over mid-wicket, before being run out for 51. Brown (44) suffered the same fate, but not before clubbing two big sixes in successive balls himself. Some lusty late blows from Sean Ervine helped Hampshire post 164 for 6, with a massive 112 coming in the second half innings.

In reply, Essex skipper Mark Pettini (2) became the third run-out of the evening to give Hampshire an early lift, and record-breaker Graham Napier could only add 17, before being well held on the boundary by Jimmy Adams. The partnership between Jason Gallian (55) and James Foster (12) looked like it could swing the game Essex's way, but both fell in the 14th over, with 65 still needed - Gallian to another needless run-out.

The Eagles' stayed in contention to the final over, and needed 11 to win from the final six deliveries, bowled by Billy Taylor. When David Masters flicked to fine-leg for four, Essex looked favourites. But a tight couple of balls meant they required 3 to win from the last ball, with Danish Kaneria on strike. He lofted the ball to deep square-leg, and the batsman took two to Michael Carberry, to leave the match tied.

Nantie Hayward showed again why he's Hampshire's leading bowler in the Twenty20 Cup, picking up 1 for 21 from 4 overs.

Friday night's decider against Essex at Chelmsford is live on BBC Radio Solent from 5.30pm. Follow the link from our homepage to listen to ball-by-ball commentary with Kevan James and Kris Temple

Hampshire's next home match starts on Sunday 29th June against Northamptonshire in the LV Championship. The match starts at 11:00am and tickets are available on the gate.

Scorecard