Kent v Hampshire FPTS 10th June
Dimi top scored for Hampshire
HAMPSHIRE GO TOP IN THRILLER
Hampshire pipped Kent by just two runs in a dramatic Friends Provident Trophy clash at Tunbridge Wells on Sunday to go top of the Southern Conference table.
With one qualifying match left, against Surrey at The Rose Bowl on Wednesday, Hampshire are on the brink of clinching a semi-final place. They need to finish in the first two.
Hampshire, put in to bat, totalled 220 and then dismissed Kent for 218 in a thrilling finish that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Dimi Mascarenhas top-scored with 50 for Hampshire and shared a sixth-wicket stand of 82 with Nic Pothas (46). Opener John Crawley made 45.
Then, after moving on to 205-5, Hampshire's last six wickets fell for 15 runs. Shane Warne and Chris Tremlett were both run out without scoring.
Seamer Darren Stevens, the fifth bowler used by Kent, took 2-19 off 10 accurate overs as the scoring rate slowed after Hampshire laid the foundation for a big score by reaching 87-1 off 19 overs.
Kent's reply began badly, Australian star Stuart Clark snapping up three wickets as they struggled to 39-4.
Rob Key and Matthew Walker added 65 to steady the innings before Key was caught behind for 30 to provide Warne with the first of his three wickets. That triggered another slump and Kent were on the brink of defeat at 136-8.
But Walker and tailender Ryan McLaren shared a defiant stand of 69 before McLaren was out for 43, caught by Tremlett running in from the long-on boundary.
Walker and last man Simon Cook took the score to 218, with three more runs needed off four balls for an unlikely victory amid mounting tension. Then Walker, having made a rock-solid 83, was trapped leg-before by Tremlett--leaving the Hampshire team to celebrate victory out in the middle.
HAMPSHIRE 220 (49.4 overs): Mascarenhas 50, Pothas 46, Crawley 45, Arafat 3-48, Stevens 2-19. KENT 218 (49.3 overs): Walker 83, McLaren 43, Warne 3-30, Clark 3-42, Udal 2-28, Tremlett 2-38.
HAMPSHIRE won by two runs.
Read Simon Walter's Match Report on The Southern Daliy Echo online
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