Hampshire were crowned English county cricket’s Twenty20 champions on their Rose Bowl home ground after a last-ball win over Somerset on Saturday, but their tense victory was almost scuppered by Australian Dan Christian’s ignorance of the laws.
Hampshire, who opted to do without Kevin Pietersen after England made the star batsman available, needed one run off the last delivery of the final over to beat Somerset on fewer wickets lost.
Christian had called for a runner after pulling a hamstring off the penultimate ball, but off Zander de Bruyn’s last delivery, Christian set off for a leg-bye single as Somerset appealed for leg before wicket.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Jimmy Adams, the runner, scampered through and non-striker Sean Ervine made it safely to the other end, but if the ball had been thrown to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter, Christian, despite getting to the bowler’s end, could have been run out as he was technically out of his ground.
Both teams made 173 in their 20 overs, but Hampshire, who won the tournament for the first time, lost five wickets to the six of Somerset, beaten in the final for the second successive season.
Hampshire were coasting while South Africa’s Neil McKenzie was making 52, but with 11 needed off nine balls, McKenzie was out and panic set in.
However, Zimbabwe all-rounder Ervine’s 44 not out — although he was dropped late in his innings by substitute Nick Compton — helped see Hampshire home.
McKenzie, who faced 39 balls, with a six and three fours, told Sky Sports: “There was a lot of chaos out there, I think I caused it towards the end. It was really nerve-wracking in the dug-out, there’s always a twist.”
Veteran Hampshire captain Dominic Cork played a key role. He took two wickets for three runs in a last over of the first innings that also ended the involvement of Somerset all-rounder Kieron Pollard, after a bouncer crept through the grille of the batsman’s helmet.
Pollard was later taken to hospital for treatment of an eye injury.
Teenage left-arm spinner Danny Briggs took one for 30 in a Somerset innings in which England World Twenty20-winner Kieswetter made 71.
“It was a chaotic last two overs, but I’m proud of all the guys here for taking us over that winning line,” Cork said.
The 39-year-old former England all-rounder was in a forgiving mood when it came to Christian’s potentially match-losing error.
“Maybe Christian could have been run out, but the umpires declared it a match won and that’s that,” Cork said. “We’ve been put down a lot of times. Things weren’t going our way in the competition, but we just worked hard. We were underdogs all the way through and in the end, we just squeezed past.”
Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick said in the pressure of the final ball, delayed when the groundsman was summoned to paint an extended crease to take account of the runner, his side had forgotten they could have run Christian out.
“Under pressure, you’ve got to try and keep a cool mind, we just got wrapped up in what was going on,” Trescothick said.
As for Pollard, Trescothick added: “He’s a tough boy, but that was a nasty blow. When you take out an international bowler like that, it’s always going to make a difference to your plans, but that last over from Cork really changed things.”
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care