The Delivery Exclusive: Four out of Four in the T20!

Michael Lumb sets us off in style against Somerset

Following Hampshire Royals sensational start to their defence of the Friends Life t20 crown, Stuart Appleby looks back on four wins out of four!

Having played four, won four, in this year’s Friends Life t20 – Hampshire look well on course to defend the crown they won in such dramatic circumstances at The Rose Bowl last season.

Despite an indifferent start to the summer, where the Royals only won one of their opening twelve matches in all competitions, the start of the t20 tournament has been just the tonic to help steer our campaign back on track!

Fittingly, the turning point of the summer came against the side who the Royals beat by the smallest of margins in last year’s t20 final. That day, Hampshire claimed an historic victory on home turf against the Somerset Sabres, courtesy of losing fewer wickets. And it was the same opponent who, this time, were condemned to a seven-wicket drubbing in the opening contest of the 2011 t20 summer on Wednesday 1 June.

A blistering opening burst from the smiling assassin, Dimitri Mascarenhas (3-19) restricted what was a strong Somerset batting line-up including the talents of Marcus Trescothick to 145-7 and set the tone for a morale boosting Royals performance under the watching television cameras.

In reply, an emphatic half-century by the returning Michael Lumb (53 off 37 balls) and a typically unflustered Jimmy Adams (39) knock put the hosts ahead of the run-rate under The Rose Bowl floodlights. That, coupled with James Vince’s quickfire 31 (earlier he had also claimed two spectacular catches in the field), meant the Royals cantered to victory. That much needed win wiped out the two point deficit with which they had entered the competition (due to a poor pitch in the corresponding fixture last season).

Just two days later on Friday June 3 and the Royals repeated the trick against the Surrey Lions after winning the toss and choosing to field first. In a devastating burst of quick bowling from Dominic Cork, which was reminiscent of his 7-43 against the West Indies back in 1995, he dismissed dangerman Steven Davies (0) in the very first ball of the match. Cork was the catalyst in a bowling performance buoyed by a brilliant middle innings spell of spin by South African Imran Tahir (2-15) and left-arm seamer Chris Wood (1-19) which restricted the visitors to a below par 140-7.

Again, Hampshire had the task of chasing victory in a tale of two crucial batting partnerships. The first between Lumb and Adams (48) and then Vince (pictured above) and Neil McKenzie (83) guided Hampshire over the finishing line with a minimum amount of fuss. Vince’s unbeaten 51, in particular, took his side from 52-2 off 5.5 over’s to the victory target of 141 with six balls to spare. The Royals second win in less than a week catapulted them to the top of the South Group table on what was a baking hot evening at The Rose Bowl.

Forgetting their troubles in County Championship and Clydesdale Bank 40 competition so far this summer, Hampshire made it three wins on the bounce in the strangest of matches (Sunday June 5). In a massively rain-affected affair against the Kent Spitfires at Tunbridge Wells – the Royals came out on top in the ‘five over smash up’ fixture. Knowing boundaries were crucial, Hampshire’s openers did not decline the invitation to ‘free their arms’ as Lumb (35 off 11 balls) and Adams (33*) helped to catapult the Royals to 78-1.

As Kent began their run chase, Hampshire had just the bowler to put a spanner in the works of the opposition. With the rain restricting each bowler to just a single over, Simon Jones (2-2) - pictured above - did the early damage with an inspired spell of fast bowling. Despite a fantastic 45 by Kent’s Darren Stevens off just 13 balls, tight over’s, in the circumstances from Tahir (0-20), Wood (0-14) and Cork (0-13) helped the visitors close the game out!

Back at The Rose Bowl (Wednesday June 8) and Hampshire completed their undefeated start as they beat a plucky Glamorgan Dragons team by two-wickets to earn their fourth, straight Friends Life t20 scalp. But it was Danny Briggs contribution with both ball and bat which proved the difference.

Having won the toss, Cork chose to bowl on an overcast evening. That decision was clearly vindicated as Hampshire reduced the Dragons to just 52-3 off eight overs. With the away side struggling for middle-order runs, it must have been a less than welcoming sight to see Briggs - pictured left -  come onto bowl. The 20-year-old’s career-best of 4-24 strangled the Dragons' batting effort as they finished on 120-9.

After losing early wickets, the home side made 110-7 with two overs to go. That brought Briggs (4*) to the crease and he knocked off what was required alongside Cork (9*) to bring two more points to the Royals - taking them to the top of the table!

Up next - fixtures against Gloucestershire (Friday) and Somerset (Sunday) before yet more away trips to Glamorgan (Friday 17th) and Essex (Thursday 23rd). By the time Cork's men next perform at The Rose Bowl (against Gloucestershire in the same competition on  Firday 24th June) they'll be more than half way through the competition and could be most of the way towards Quarter Final qualification!

They also play Worcestershire in the County Championship between then and now so let's hope the feelgood factor from the T20 transforms into the First Class arena!

Words: Stuart Appleby
Images: LMI Photography (Lumb & Briggs)
Barry Zee (Vince)
Sarah Ansell (Jones)