The full schedule for this seasons Vitality Blast was released today, in what will be the twentieth edition of the competition. Finals Day will once again be held at Edgbaston on Saturday 16th July and being a part of it will be the target for Hampshire, as they attempt to better their semi-final appearance from last year in the hunt for some silverware.
However, fourteen group games and a quarter final stand in the Hawks’ way of making it that far. We look here at some memorable matches against this season’s group opponents.
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Middlesex: Friday 27th May (H), Tuesday 7th June (A)
Hampshire begin their campaign with a home clash against Middlesex, with a reverse fixture taking place just eleven days later. The London based county’s best moment in the competition actually took place at The Ageas Bowl, as they made their only Finals Day appearance and went on to win the title back in 2008.
Hampshire have recorded more victories against Middlesex than any other county, winning 20 of their 34 matches. Although, it was Middlesex who came out on top in the most recent fixture.
The two met at Radlett where Hampshire scored an impressive 215. Joe Cracknell’s 77 and John Simpson’s 62 were the highlights though as the home side hunted down the imposing target to win by three wickets with two balls remaining.
Hampshire’s last win came in September 2020 when Shaheen Shah Afridi set the The Ageas Bowl alight. He took the final four wickets from four consecutive balls, giving him a six-wicket haul and Hampshire a 20-run win in their final game of the season.
Somerset: Monday 30th May (H), Thursday 23rd June (A)
Second and eleventh in the schedule are home and away ties against Somerset, who narrowly beat Hampshire in the semi-final at Edgbaston last year.
Joe Weatherley’s career best 71 from 50 balls guided Hampshire to a total of 150, with a spot in the final on the line. However, it wasn’t to be as Somerset battled hard to win the match by two wickets with just two balls remaining.
It marked a record fifth appearance in the Vitality Blast final, but after defeat to Kent they finished runner-up for a fourth time – one of which was in the 2010 final when Hampshire were victorious. Their only triumph came back in 2005.
Hampshire did beat Somerset during the group stage last season. Lewis McManus and Weatherley, again, hit half centuries with the bat, before Scott Currie’s four wickets led the frightening bowling attack – as Somerset were all out for just 100.
All-rounder Liam Dawson and bowler Chris Wood also have experience dominating Somerset with the ball, both taking five wickets in June 2016 and August 2018 respectively.
Essex Eagles: Tuesday 31st May (A), Thursday 9th June (H)
The Hawks’ first away game will be at The Cloudfm County Ground to take on Essex, before welcoming them to The Ageas Bowl in early June. The Eagles won their solitary title in 2019, but have struggled in the past two seasons.
In the past six contests, Hampshire have won four – losing only one and the other ending in a tie. Captain James Vince’s 63 was the standout performance in the most recent fixture as Hampshire won by eighteen runs on their superb end of season run which clinched a place in the quarter-final.
Michael Lumb provided one of the most memorable performances against Essex in June 2009 as struck Hampshire’s first ever T20 century. His 124 not out remains the highest innings total for a Hampshire player.
Surrey: Thursday 2nd June (A), Sunday 19th June (H)
Surrey, the winners of the inaugural T20 Blast in 2003, will be next up for Hampshire, before welcoming them down south later in June. The Brown Caps are yet to add to that success in T20 cricket and have finished runners-up as recently as 2020.
They suffered the same fate in 2013, but not before beating Hampshire in a cagey semi-final, winning by four wickets, with just four balls remaining.
Hampshire have not beaten the Surrey in the Blast since July 2015. Adam Wheater hit 78 from 49 balls, before taking one catch and three stumpings as wicketkeeper providing his side with a home victory. Mason Crane also made his full debut in the match, taking two wickets.
Five years prior, Jimmy Adams recorded his first of two centuries in a Hampshire shirt. He went 101 not out at The Ageas Bowl against Surrey.
Sussex Sharks: Saturday 4th June (H), Sunday 3rd July (A)
The highly anticipated ‘El Clasicoast’ will be played on two more occasions this year. The first will take place on the weekend of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, before Hampshire visit The 1st Central County Ground in the final group game.
The first ever T20 Blast match took place at The Ageas Bowl between the south coast rivals. Hampshire came out on top, winning by five runs. Since then, the two have met a further 32 times in the competition, throwing up many stand-out moments.
Dimitri Mascarenhas claimed the first ever T20 hat-trick in a thrilling encounter in 2004, dismissing three Sussex batters with successive balls. He finished the match on 5-14 and left Hampshire requiring just 68 runs to win – a total that still took them nineteen overs to reach.
Most recently, Vince provided another notable performance to lead his side to a six-wicket victory. His 102 from 59 balls was crucial in Hampshire’s chase of Sussex’s 183, that again went right down to the final over.
Preceding that win, Hampshire had failed to beat Sussex since 2017 in the Blast and will be hoping to do the double over their adversaries this time around.
Glamorgan: Friday 10th June (A)
Sophia Gardens will be the venue as Hampshire take on Glamorgan just once this season. The Hawks have not won in Wales since July 2017, but will be hoping to change their fortunes outside of England.
Glamorgan have never won the Blast and have only been to Finals Day twice. In both of their appearances, 2004 and 2017, they fell short at the semi-final stage. However, they are the current holders of the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Last season, the two met only once at The Ageas Bowl, where a Hampshire victory confirmed their place into the last eight. D’Arcy Short and Joe Weatherley particularly impressed with the bat, as the home side overcame Glamorgan’s 184 in just thirteen overs.
Kent Spitfires: Friday 17th June (H)
The only other team that Hampshire will play just once is the 2021 Vitality Blast champions, the Kent Spitfires. They picked up their second title at Edgbaston last year, emphatically beating Somerset by 25 runs. No team has ever gone back-to-back in the Blast, a record which Kent will be looking to change.
They will visit the The Ageas Bowl in mid-June, where they have not lost since 2016. In fact, the last time Hampshire came out on top in this fixture was 2017 – when Calvin Dickinson and Vince made half centuries to carry them over the line.
Kent’s 38-run win on the opening day last year was a real statement of intent about their title ambitions. This game could once again be pivotal in deciding who makes the knockout stages.
Gloucestershire: Friday 24th June (A), Friday 1st July (H)
Hampshire’s two fixtures against Gloucestershire come just a week apart towards the latter stages of the season. They have never won the competition, finishing runners-up in 2007.
The two sides have only met eleven times in the Blast and Hampshire have a brilliant record in the fixture – winning eight times.
Last year, the Hawks beat Gloucestershire in a season turning match. Tom Prest’s unbeaten 59 was key at the The Ageas Bowl as the home team prevailed, winning by ten runs. It began a five-match winning streak which saw Hampshire qualify for the quarter-final.
Hampshire Cricket Membership
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