A record breaking first T20 win for Hampshire
James Vince and Ben McDermott set a new club record as Hampshire Hawks beat Sussex Sharks by 22 runs to finally taste victory in this season’s Vitality Blast.
Vince and McDermott, who mashed 65 and 60 respectively, crashed 124 together to break the Hawks’ best T20 opening stand to set up a mammoth total of 199-6 at The Ageas Bowl on Saturday night.
It was Hampshire’s third highest T20 score in an ‘El Classicoast’ T20 derby, but their highest on home soil.
Tim Seifert hit a sublime 100 not out, and put on 69 with Delray Rawlins, in an otherwise slack chase from the Sharks as they never controlled the required rate, ending on 177-6.
McDermott said: ‘It was nice to be out there with James. He is a really calm head and played 400-odd games for the club. He knows the ground really well.
‘Hopefully it is a kickstart for things to come. Tournament cricket is about momentum and I’ve never played in a tournament which is so congested, where games are coming thick and fast. Hopefully we can get on a bit of roll now.’
Hawks had lost their first four matches but jump off the bottom of the South group, while Sussex remain fourth after a mixed start.
A switch appeared to have flicked with Hampshire after their poor start, with aggression channelled into ground strikes rather than chasing sixes.
Vince, back after missing the heavy loss at Surrey through illness, showcased this by beautifully caressing his first ball through the covers, having been put in. At the other end, McDermott got off the mark with a huge straight six, the first of five maximums from the Australian.
Vince, who moved up the order having batted at No.3 previously in the Blast this season, reached his first half-century of the season first with his 33rd delivery, before McDermott followed him four balls quicker.
Their stand passed H amp shire’ s previous best opening stand of 122 – set by Michael Carberry and Mitchell Stokes in 2006 – but two runs later it was ended when Henry Crocombe bowled Vince.
The hosts went on to hit their highest Ageas Bowl total since they smashed 202 in 2013. The county had only ever made 11 higher scores in T20 history.