Hampshire 121 for 3 (Roussouw 45*, Vince 42, Taylor 2-29 ) beat Gloucestershire 174 for 5 (Klinger 101* ) by 24 runs (D/L method)
Michael Klinger’s unbeaten hundred was in vain © Getty Images
Michael Klinger‘s seventh T20 century was not enough to save Gloucestershire from a 24-run NatWest Blast defeat by Hampshire under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern at soggy Bristol.
The experienced Australian carried his side’s innings of 174 for 5 in a match reduced to 19 overs per side with a masterly demonstration of clean hitting that saw him finish unbeaten on 101.
The next highest score for Gloucestershire was Thisara Perera’s 26 not out. Spinners Mason Crane and Liam Dawson fared best of the Hampshire attack.
In reply, the visitors raced to 121 for 3 off 11.4 overs, with openers James Vince (42) and Rilee Rossouw (46 not out) putting together a stand of 85 in eight overs, having needed to be on 97 under DLS when heavy rain put an end to proceedings.
The result saw Hampshire leapfrog their opponents in the tightly congested South Group.
Klinger needed one moment of good fortune after losing the toss. Having made only a single, he skied a miscued shot to deep cover where the ball fell inches short of the onrushing Michael Carberry.
Hampshire’s bowlers did well in the six-over Powerplay, which ended with the hosts 38 for 1. Phil Mustard fell to Reece Topley for three, while Dawson had the distinction of bowling a maiden to Klinger.
When Ian Cockbain and Kieran Noema-Barnett departed cheaply in quick succession, the visitors looked to be taking control. But Benny Howell helped Klinger add 54 for the fourth wicket before Crane removed him and Jack Taylor in the 15th over.
Klinger, who had gone to his half-century off 37 balls, was by then in full flow. The 18th over, bowled by Chris Wood, saw him clear the ropes twice, including a massive six over midwicket off a no-ball full-toss. Perera added another maximum and the over ended up costing 31.
When Klinger reached his ton in the final over with another superb six over extra cover off Gareth Berg, his second fifty had occupied just 21 deliveries. Gloucestershire scored 53 off the last three overs and the complexion of the match changed.
Hampshire’s reply looked to have stuttered when Vince was caught by Jack Taylor at deep-square off a short Matt Taylor delivery in the third over. But umpire Billy Taylor was signalling a no-ball for height.
That was all the encouragement Vince and Rilee Rossouw needed to get ahead of the required rate on Duckworth-Lewis, with more rain threatening. By the end of the Powerplay the total read 59 without loss, Vince leading the way on 39.
Rossouw hit successive sixes over mid-wicket off the usually economical Benny Howell and by the time Vince got an inside edge off Perera to be caught behind, having faced 30 balls, the rain was getting heavy.
Carberry, batting with a runner and a pronounced limp, lofted Noema-Barnett over long-on for another maximum and repeated the dose off Tom Smith as Hampshire stayed comfortably ahead of the required rate.
Matt Taylor gave Gloucestershire hope by pinning Carberry lbw for 20 and then having George Bailey caught behind down the legs-side in the 11th over
But by the next over the driving rain finally sent the players from the field. Hampshire were well in control, Rossouw, having faced 27 balls and hit 4 fours and 2 sixes.
With the public address system playing Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday, drenched spectators headed for the exits.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo