Vince makes Gladiators wince
James Vince advances to a sizzling 77 that underpinned Hampshire Royals' 28-run home victory over Gloucestershire Gladiators
Teenager James Vince’s bruising 77 guided Hampshire Royals to a 28-run victory at the Rose Bowl keeping Gloucestershire Gladiators rock bottom of the Friends Provident t20 South Group.
Vince and South African Neil McKenzie - who hit 55 - put on 110 for the third wicket but Gloucestershire ran the hosts close only to suffer a lower order collapse, making just 13 runs for the last six wickets.
The visitors were the architects of their own downfall as both Vince and McKenzie were dropped in successive Richard Dawson overs by Steve Snell and Will Porterfield on modest scores.
Hampshire had got off to an indifferent start Jimmy Adams fell in the third over, before Michael Lumb departed for a quickfire 21 – run out attempting a risky third run.
Hampshire progressed past the 100 mark in the 12th over without any further drama with Vince celebrating his first half-century in the t20 season, from just 30 balls.
McKenzie followed the youngster, adding a second fifty in a week by smashing Dawson over mid-off to also take his side past 150.
The following delivery saw the partnership broken as McKenzie was stumped by Jonathan Batty after being deceived by Dawson.
Vince departed shortly after, but Sean Ervine and Dominic Cork plundered 20 runs off the final over as the hosts reached 205 for five.
Needing more than 10 an over Gloucestershire nearly began in shambolic fashion as Aaron Redmond was dropped first ball by Dawson, edging Cork.
Dawson atoned for his error the following over, though, as Will Porterfield clipped Chris Wood to the England Under-21 international who clung on, in what was arguably a tougher chance.
Wood claimed a second wicket as Redmond edged to Nic Pothas for 20 and Chris Taylor followed, trying to lift Ervine over midwicket.
Adams and Simon Jones both dropped successive catches, leaving Gloucestershire 96 for three after 11 overs with James Franklin and Chris Dent looking well set.
Dent took his side past 100 with a huge six but New Zealander Franklin holed out four runs short of 50, caught by Wood on the boundary.
It appeared that breakthrough would win the game for Hampshire, but Snell hit a positive 22 as he shared a fifth-wicket stand of 50 with Dent.
However, four wickets for just three runs swung the game firmly in the hosts` favour as Jones uprooted Snell’s stumps by a rapid Jones delivery before Dent carelessly ran out Dawson first ball.
Dent’s innings came to a close for a credible 63 as he was trapped lbw trying to reverse sweep Danny Briggs, before the young Hampshire spinner bamboozled Jon Lewis with a fine Yorker.
Gemaal Hussain was well caught by an athletic Vince and Wood wrapped up the innings running out Anthony Ireland as Gloucestershire were all out for 177.
