Lancashire fall at semi-final hurdle

Imran Tahir enjoys the wicket of Steven Croft, the last of his three victims in an efficient Hampshire bowling display

Lancashire suffered more semi-final agony as a well-drilled Hampshire side booked their place in the final of the Friends Provident Trophy with a 64-run win at Old Trafford.

The hosts recovered from a withering opening stand of 159 between Jimmy Adams and Michael Lumb to limit Hampshire to a seemingly manageable 271 on a true pitch and under clear blue skies.

But they failed to carry the momentum built up in the field into their run-chase, and the loss of three top-order wickets for just 15 runs undermined a pursuit which ended with them being bowled out for 207 with 4.2 overs unused. VVS Laxman top-scored with 54, but no other player managed more than 33.

It condemned Lancashire to an astonishing ninth defeat in one-day semi-finals since they won this competition – in the guise of the NatWest Trophy – in 1998, and the jeers from a 8,250-strong crowd as any doubts over the result disappeared reflected the fans’ frustrations at another near miss.

Adams and Lumb, who set up Hampshire’s quarter-final win over Middlesex with an opening stand of 156, bettered that today with a blistering alliance inside 25 overs after Lancashire won the toss and chose to bat.

Adams hit 78 off 71 balls and Lumb 76 off 79, and the fact that Lancashire restricted Hampshire to fewer than 300 – a total that looked highly likely at one stage – owed much to a comeback driven by Gary Keedy, Sajid Mahmood and Glan Chapple, each of whom took three wickets.

But their feats were matched by leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who claimed 3-38 to go with the six wickets shared by Dimitri Mascarenhas, Chris Tremlett and Sean Ervine.

Allied to a near faultless display in the field – epitomised by two diving catches from Adams – there were few in the ground who could begrudge Hampshire a thoroughly deserved victory and a trip to Lord’s on July 25.

Adams supplied the early impetus to the Hampshire innings, but Lumb overcame a scratchy start to dispatch Chapple over long-leg for six and through point for four off successive deliveries.

Jimmy Adams hit 78 off 71 balls, sharing a rapid opening partnership of 159 with Michael Lumb, who contributed 76

Adams’ penchant for the leg side was obvious – Mahmood was hoisted into the stand at midwicket in emphatic fashion and there were a handful of meaty hits wide of mid-on.

Lumb, however, was first to 50, a four to fine-leg off Steven Croft taking him to the landmark off just 47 balls, while also carrying Hampshire into three figures.

Adams’ half-century, which arrived moments later, occupied two fewer deliveries, but also contained five fours and a six, and both players continued to prosper on a true surface.

It said much for Lancashire’s lack of potency with the ball that the innings was almost 25 overs old by the time the first wicket fell - and that owed much to a superb reaction catch by Francois Du Plessis.

Adams cut Mahmood powerfully to point, where Du Plessis, whose fielding throughout was exceptional, stuck out his left hand to end a splendid opening stand.

That was the first of three wickets to fall in the space of four overs as Lancashire demonstrated their resolve.

Lumb chipped a Mahmood slower ball to Chapple at mid-on before Michael Carberry was adjudged lbw pushing forward at Keedy, checking Hampshire’s momentum while enlivening a hitherto subdued crowd.

Sean Ervine became Keedy’s second victim – bowled off stump attempting to sweep – and the left-arm spinner trapped Liam Dawson leg before playing back to a delivery which pitched in line and straightened.

Lumb forces off the back foot as Hampshire signal their intent, but his was the second of 10 wickets to fall for 112 runs

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Chris Benham rotated the strike well in making 29, but he was caught behind attempting to drive Chapple on the up, Nic Pothas was bowled aiming a wild heave at Kyle Hogg after a 10-minute rain delay, and former Lancashire all-rounder Dominic Cork – on his return to Old Trafford – was brilliantly caught behind by a diving Luke Sutton off Chapple.

Hogg clung on to a chance low to his right at midwicket to account for Dimitri Mascarenhas off Mahmood, and a remarkable Lancashire recovery was complete when Tahir skied another ill-advised heave.

While Lancashire had to wait almost half the innings for a breakthrough, Hampshire struck after just seven balls, Mascarenhas locating Paul Horton’s edge with his first delivery to provide Lumb with a sharp catch to his left at slip.

A second-wicket stand of 73 between Mal Loye and Laxman served to steady Lancashire nerves, until the former was lbw sweeping in Tahir’s first over.

Laxman continued to bat unfussily, combining deft glides to third man with powerful strokes over midwicket, but he lost Mark Chilton for 18 when a top-edged pull off Ervine found Carberry.

Du Plessis, who hit an unbeaten 113 in Lancashire’s quarter-final victory over Essex, managed just five before he was superbly held by a diving Adams at backward point, and the same fielder pulled off another fine catch leaping to his left at short extra-cover to account for Laxman off Liam Dawson.

The run-rate continued to rise while Sutton and Steven Croft added 47 for the sixth wicket, a partnership which ended when the former was trapped in front playing back to Mascarenhas.

The last four wickets tumbled in the space of 21 balls, Chapple stumped after failing to make contact with a Tahir googly, and Croft, Hogg and Mahmood bowled making room.