MATCH REPORT: Hampshire are too strong in Royal London One-Day Cup
7 May 2017
A half century from Jack Taylor wasn't enough to counter two telling spells from Hampshire spinners Liam Dawson and Mason Crane at the Ageas Bowl in the South group of the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Taylor made 63 after Gloucestershire lost 3 wickets in seven overs, and rallied the innings in a stand of 70 with Benny Howell before another clatter of wickets in the closing stages left Howell 38 not out and Hampshire chasing 238 to win.
Gloucestershire needed early wickets, but a bright stand of 67 between left handers Adams and Alsop put Hampshire on the front foot and thereafter it was a controlled pursuit of their target. Alsop and skipper James Vince both completed half centuries and Hampshire - despite Gloucestershire trying seven bowlers - won by 7 wickets with more than seven overs to spare.
Gloucestershire made one change to the side beaten at Chelmsford, with Graeme van Buuren returning to the team after illness in place of Kieran Noema-Barnett, and for the first time in the competition Gloucestershire batted first after Michael Klinger won the toss.
Experienced Southampton observers suggested Gloucestershire would need a minimum score of 250 to give Hampshire a tricky run chase batting second, and the home side tied down one end early on, Reece Topley sending down three maiden overs in a row at the start of his spell.
Mustard released the grip with three boundaries in an over off Abbott before the South African removed skipper Klinger for 17 with a catch by 'keeper McManus, the ball appearing to flick the glove rather than the bat.
Mustard and fellow left hander Chris Dent looked comfortable enough, especially off the back foot against Berg and Ervine when Hampshire made a double bowling change, but the introduction of Dawson's orthodox slow left arm spin and Crane's leg spin altered the shape of the innings and forced a cautious rebuild.
Dent had looked more fluent than in any of the earlier matches until, on 36, he reverse swept Dawson straight to Berg at short third man. Mustard (33) had also got a start when Crane trapped him lbw, and Cockbain was disgusted with himself when he tried to play Dawson to mid off and was bowled through the gate for four.
It left Gloucestershire 116-4 after 25 overs, and bowling in tandem for ten of them Crane and Dawson had conceded only one boundary. It was a situation that demanded runs be carefully accumulated, although not until Howell joined Taylor did any stability materialise, van Buuren (10) having skied Dawson to Ervine at mid off.
He finished with figures of 3-30 but with his spell over, Jack Taylor and Benny Howell slowly picked up some boundaries, including three off Crane who was more expensive having switched ends.
Taylor in particular scored heavily square of the wicket, and brought up the 200 with the first six of the innings over mid wicket off Crane in the 44th over, having completed a 53 ball half century with seven boundaries two overs earlier.
His departure - lbw to Berg for 63 - checked any thoughts of a late blitz, and Benny Howell, with whom Taylor had added 70 in 13 overs, was left 38 not out as the remaining four wickets fell at the other end for the addition of 32 runs to leave Hampshire chasing 238 to win.
Against that backdrop, Gloucestershire needed a disciplined opening powerplay and to hold on to every chance that came their way. Matt Taylor and Liam Norwell were faced with two left handers in Jimmy Adams and Tom Alsop at the top of the order, and the experienced Adams was soon into his stride , clipping Norwell off his legs and playing one text book cover drive for four in the eighth over.
A flurry of five boundaries in two overs from Benny Howell and Matt Taylor gave the innings even more impetus and it took a sharp piece of fielding by Ian Cockbain to break the first wicket partnership, his throw hitting the stumps to run out Adams for 36 as he answered Alsop's call for a sharp single.
68-1 might have been 75-2 shortly afterwards but a stumping chance off Jack Taylor came and went, and whatever Gloucestershire tried, Hampshire had an answer. Alsop showed why he averaged 54 in the competition last season with a half century made from 78 balls and full of bottom handed strokes, and it wasn't until the 23rd over that he and skipper James Vince were finally parted, the opener edging Chris Liddle to 'keeper Mustard.
Liddle was the sixth bowler used, and although Graeme van Buuren made it seven, Vince and George Bailey not only pushed on towards victory as also enabled Hampshire to improve their net run rate, with van Buuren being swept and pulled by Vince in three expensive overs.
It looked as if the third wicket pair might complete the victory but in Bailey's haste he got underneath a pull off Matt Taylor and brother Jack took the catch. His 37 had been part of a stand of 79 in 13 overs with his captain, and with Liam Dawson for company, it was fitting that Vince, who finished 89 not out, should strike the winning boundary with more than seven overs remaining.
The result leaves Gloucestershire needing to win all their remaining matches - three of which are the Brightside Ground - to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages.
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