Hampshire repel Ramprakash

Mark Ramprakash hit 73 off just 47 deliveries but could not prevent Surrey slipping to an 18-run defeat at the Rose Bowl

A defiant 73 from Mark Ramprakash failed to save Surrey from sliding to an 18-run defeat against Hampshire in the Twenty20 Cup South Division at the Rose Bowl.

The hosts made 191 for six after choosing to bat first in front of a 6,000 crowd and Surrey were never up with the run-rate as they managed 173 for eight in reply.

All the time veteran Ramprakash was batting, Surrey held out hope, even though they needed 41 from the last three overs.

But after hitting two sixes and five fours in an innings spanning just 47 balls, Ramprakash swept Billy Taylor to Imran Tahir at backward square-leg.

With his dismissal, Surrey's challenge rapidly evaporated. Chris Schofield was bowled next ball and Dominic Cork had Matthew Spriegel caught on the boundary in the last over.

Michael Lumb and James Adams set the tone for Hampshire's dominance with an opening stand of 92 in nine overs.

Adams and Lumb each struck three sixes but both were run out by Jade Dernbach, applying the brakes to the Hampshire scoring.

Nic Pothas made a useful unbeaten 24 not out but Surrey paid a heavy price for two profligate overs in which Dernbach conceded 19 and Andre Nel 17.

Surrey were always struggling to cope with the demands of scoring at nearly 10 an over, although Scott Newman made a brisk 26 before being run out by a direct throw from Michael Carberry going for a quick single.

Ramprakash and Grant Elliott kept Surrey active with a stand of 46 in four overs for the fifth wicket before Elliott carelessly reverse-swept Tahir to Carberry at point.

Ramprakash hit Liam Dawson and Taylor for six and Hampshire had an awkward moment when Hamza Riazuddin conceded 16 off the 15th over.

However, once former England batsman Ramprakash had departed, Hampshire held on easily for their second win in four matches in the competition.

Cork, who dismissed James Benning in his first spell and then got rid of Spriegel in his final over, finished with creditable figures of 2-22 from four overs.