Worcestershire Royals v Hampshire Hawks FP Trophy 11th May

Match Report by BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore

A depleted Hampshire suffered a humiliating defeat at New Road,  that could have ended their interest in this season's Friend's Provident Trophy.  Their third loss in four divison matches has left them needing to win all of their remaining group games to stand a chance of making the quarter-finals, after the Royals batsmen put an under-strength Hawks attack to the sword in sublime conditions, inflicting the Hawks worst one-day defeat for 8 seasons.

With Nic Pothas injured, Championship captain Jimmy Adams took over the one-day duties, and got off to a good start by winning the toss and electing to bat.  But openers Michael Lumb and Michael Brown found the early overs hard-going against the potent opening Worcestershire attack of Steve Magoffin and Simon Jones.  And it was the latter who struck first, having Brown caught behind by Steven Davies for 5 with the score on 14.

Sean Ervine then mis-timed a shot off Magoffin with the score on 27, and was back in the pavilion for just 8, with the Hawks 27 for 2 in the 9th over.  When Michael Lumb also fell to Magoffin for a circumspect 20, the Hawks were in trouble at 46 for 3 in the 13th over.

But a positive, attacking partnership between Chris Benham and Greg Lamb re-dressed the balance,  the middle-order pairing adding 57 for the 4th wicket in just 11 overs, before Benham was caught by Gareth Andrew off the bowling of Gareth Batty for an enterprising 26 off 33 balls.

Skipper Adams then carried on where Benham left off, adding 51 with Lamb , before Daryl Mitchell struck to have him caught behind just when Hampshire were beginning to dominate the bowling. Adams made 22 off 33 balls, and his dismissal at 154 for 5 left the Hawks innings in the balance with Kevin Latouf walking to the crease to play his first innings of the season.

Lamb, meanwhile, was finding some form, and reached his half-century off just 48 balls, and was rarely in trouble. What he desperately needed was for someone at the other end to stay with him for a length of time, but after an encouraging start to his innings and a partnership with Lamb worth 35, Latouf was tricked by a slow ball from Mitchell that bowled him, after making 14, with the score 189 for 6.

Unfortunately,  the Hawks long tail was then exposed as Latouf's dismissal signalled a collapse, and after Lamb went for an excellent 84 off 89 balls,  the tail failed to wag, and the Hawks were all out for 209 with two overs remaining. Simon Jones showed his return to form with final figures of 5 for 32.

In reply, the Royals made a mockery of the Hawk's total , as openers Vikram Solanki and Steven Davies took full advantage of  the Hawks inexperienced attack.

Solanki smashed 81 off just 59 balls, with he and Davies bothing passing 50 off just 38 balls.  Billy Taylor was by far the pick of the bowlers, taking Solanki's wicket, but by then the damage was done.

Davies ended unbeaten on 76, and Moeen Ali made a quick-fire 42 not out, as the Royals reached their total with 22 overs to spare, winning by 9 wickets.

After the match, Hawks Team Manager Paul Terry was understandably downbeat:

" That wasn't one of our better performances.  I'm really disappointed with our skill levels, and we've got a lot of work to do.

I didn't think our bowling was up to first-class,"  he told BBC Radio Solent's Kevan James.

You can hear more of Paul Terry's reaction at www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire

Scorecard

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