SUS vs HAM, Vitality Blast: James Vince 98 Pushes Hampshire To Quarter-Final

4 Min Read
James Vince (PC- ESPN)

SUS vs HAM: James Vince played a masterclass with an undefeated 98 from 49 balls as Hampshire Hawks overhauled 168 comfortably to beat Sussex Sharks by seven wickets in the SUS vs HAM Vitality Blast encounter. With this third win in a row, Hampshire are now on the threshold of quarter-final qualification, whereas Sussex’s prospects took a heavy hit as their third consecutive defeat. 

Vintage Vince Dismantles Sussex with Brutal Precision

In his most damaging innings of the tournament, James Vince illuminated the Vitality Blast with a knock that was at once full of elegance and authority. Bashing 12 fours and 3 sixes, Vince batted Hampshire home with ease to a comfortable victory with 16 balls to spare.

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

He began with a six off just his second ball and seemed on track for a record 12-ball fifty before settling for one off 19 balls. His innings was well-paced, controlled, but aggressive, keeping the Hawks in charge throughout.

Vince’s only disappointment? Being denied a century, settling on 98 after striking a four for the winning runs* rather than a six.

- Advertisement -
Ad image

Supporting Acts: Weatherley, Albert, and Fuller Step Up

While Vince hogged the limelight, Joe Weatherley also sparkled with a crisp 43 off 25 balls, including four sixes. He put on a vital 62-run partnership with Vince to keep the middle overs safe.

Toby Albert added 23 to a 54-run opening partnership, while James Fuller not only scored late during the chase but also captained the bowlers, taking 3 important wickets in Sussex’s innings.

Sussex’s Innings: Promising Start Undone by Late Collapse

Deciding to bat first in this high-profile SUS vs HAM match, Sussex appeared promising at times. They finished the powerplay at 51/1, with Tom Clark and George Thomas taking the scoring pace in the middle overs through a 63-run stand.

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Clark’s two sixes off Benny Howell and Thomas’ belligerent intent poised to put up a huge total. But the two batsmen got out in the 13th over to James Fuller, triggering a thriller slowdown in scoring.

From 107/2, Sussex collapsed to 167/7, scoring a mere 60 runs off the last 8 overs, courtesy of tight bowling by Scott Currie (2 wickets in the 16th over) and Chris Wood, who restricted the batters with tight death bowling.

A disputed boundary catch taken in the final over created temporary on-field drama, adding a touch of drama to the game. The incident, however, did not do much to change momentum, with Hampshire still firmly in charge.

SUS vs HAM – Vitality Blast Match Summary

Sussex Sharks: 167/7 (20 overs)

Tom Clark 39, George Thomas 35

James Fuller 3/32, Scott Currie 2/24

Hampshire Hawks: 171/3 (17.2 overs)

James Vince 98* (49), Joe Weatherley 43 (25)

Hampshire triumph by 7 wickets with 16 overs remaining

Hampshire Move Closer to Knockouts as Sussex Slip

With this convincing win, Hampshire now have 7 victories to their name, the usual qualification threshold in the Vitality Blast, putting them well in the running for the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Sussex Sharks’ season is now jeopardized with their third successive defeat in the SUS vs HAM contest.

ALSO READ: Five-Wicket Haul At Lords: List Of Indian Cricketers