Match preview | Gloucestershire v Hampshire Hawks
24 June 2022
Gloucestershire host Hampshire Hawks in a T20 Vitality Blast crunch match at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol this evening.
The Shire and the Hawks are level on points in fourth and fifth respectively in the Vitality Blast South Group having both recorded crucial wins on the road earlier in the week. Glos secured a nail-biting five-run win v Kent Spitfires in Canterbury on Tuesday evening while Hampshire, helped by a terrific 129* from James Vince, ran out as winners in Taunton v Somerset by 14 runs.
Those results mean that Glos and Hampshire are tied on points going into tonight’s match with the winner likely to put themselves in poll position to secure a Vitality Blast quarter-final place.
A season’s best 64 from Ian Cockbain and a 62* from Glenn Phillips as well as two wickets apiece from Mohammad Amir and Josh Shaw was enough to see Glos defeat bottom of the table Kent Spitfires. That result means Glos have won five and lost four of their 11 T20 matches (two NR) so far this season while tonight’s visitors Hampshire have won six and lost five of their 11 fixtures.
Gloucestershire v Hampshire Hawks | T20 Vitality Blast | Watch every ball on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 6.30pm Start Time
Gloucestershire have added England international David Payne to the matchday squad to face Hampshire which is otherwise unchanged from the side that travelled to Kent earlier in the week.
The Shire’s top-order is at full strength and will see Chris Dent look to build on an encouraging 40 v Kent.
Graeme van Buuren and Ben Charlesworth are the only absentees though injury, with both continuing with their recoveries from spells on the sideline.
A win for Dale Benkenstein’s side v Hampshire tonight could see The Shire leapfrog Essex Eagles into third place in the table, just a point behind local rivals Somerset, with just two matches to go. Glos need to finish in the top four of the Vitality Blast South Group in order to secure a place in the quarter-final stage of the competition.
Here’s your 14-man Glos squad to face Hampshire Hawks:
Hampshire squad to face Gloucestershire:
James Vince (c), Toby Albert, Mason Crane, Scott Currie, Aneurin Donald, Liam Dawson, Nathan Ellis, James Fuller, Ian Holland, Ben McDermott, Tom Prest, Brad Wheal, Chris Wood.
Gloucestershire v Hampshire Hawks | T20 Vitality Blast | Watch every ball on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 6.30pm Start Time
