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Match Preview: Hampshire Hawks v Essex, Vitality Blast
Match Preview: Hampshire Hawks v Essex, Vitality Blast
The Hawks have named a 13-player squad for their final Vitality Blast match of 2024
Hampshire Hawks v Essex
Vitality Blast (South Group)
Friday 19th July (7pm start)
Utilita Bowl
Hampshire Hawks take on Essex in their final match of the 2024 Vitality Blast.
Last night, the Hawks suffered defeat at the hands of table-toppers Surrey.
Toby Albert smashed his highest T20 score of 66, with Eddie Jack scoring his first runs and taking his first wicket in the Blast, but a sensational unbeaten maiden century from Sam Curran saw the hosts over the line with five balls to spare.
Essex were defeated by Surrey at Chelmsford in their previous match on Sunday, despite Adam Rossington’s 78 off 49.
The last match between the two sides saw the Hawks defeated by eight wickets, with Dean Elgar hitting 60* with 44 and 45* for Michael Pepper and Jordan Cox respectively.
Hawks Squad
Hampshire Hawks have named a 13-player squad for the match against Essex.
It remains unchanged from last night’s clash against Surrey.
Full Hampshire Hawks Squad
James Vince (14) Captain
Toby Albert (15)
Liam Dawson (8)
James Fuller (26)
Benny Howell (7)
Eddie Jack
Ben McDermott (28)
Fletcha Middleton (19)
Tom Prest (24)
John Turner (6)
Joe Weatherley (5)
Brad Wheal (58)
Chris Wood (25)
Essex
Captain: Simon Harmer
Essex Squad: Simon Harmer, Ben Allison, Charlie Allison, Aaron Beard, Luc Benkenstein, Eathan Bosch, Sam Cook, Matt Critchley, Robin Das, Dean Elgar, Michael Pepper, Adam Rossington, Shane Snater, Paul Walter
Essex have been to Finals Day six times, with their last appearance coming when they defeated the Hawks in last year’s rain-affected semi-final.
They will be wanting to add to their single title from 2019, and a win tonight will see them into the knockout stages after Gloucestershire jumped them into fourth having defeated Middlesex – at Chelmsford – last night.
Michael Pepper was the leading run scorer in the whole competition, until Sam Hain overtook him yesterday, with Dean Elgar and Adam Rossington providing their opening partnership with an engine room of Jordan Cox, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, and Pepper himself.
The spin duo of Harmer and Critchley are up there with two of the best in the country in the Blast, with 21 wickets between them, whilst Paul Walter is their leading seamer with 15 wickets although their change pacemen are somewhat inexperienced in Ben Allison and Aaron Beard.
Sam Cook however has returned from injury, and is expected to play tonight ahead of a possible Test call up this summer.
2024 Season In Numbers:
4th in South Group
Form (most recent first): LWWLA
Leading run scorer: Michael Pepper (515)
Leading wicket taker: Paul Walter (15)
Head-To-Head:
Hampshire Hawks’ record in Vitality Blast matches v Essex:
P: 41, W: 18, T: 3, L: 16, NR: 4, A: 4
Last 5 Meetings:
June 20 2024 | Chelmsford | Essex won by eight wickets (with 19 balls remaining)
July 15 2023 | Edgbaston | Essex won by five wickets (DLS method with three balls remaining)
June 23 2023 | The Ageas Bowl | Hampshire won by four wickets (with four balls remaining)
June 2 2023 | Chelmsford | Hampshire won by 118 runs
June 9 2022 | The Ageas Bowl | Hampshire won by 32 runs
Tickets
Tickets for Hampshire Hawks v Essex in the Vitality Blast are available on the gate and online at the advance prices of £30 for adults and £10 for Under 17s.
Gates open at 5:30pm
Click here to buy tickets or alternatively, they are available at our matchday ticket office opposite the West Gate.
To access match tickets bought online and get into Utilita Bowl on Friday, fans will need to have downloaded the free Hampshire Cricket App.
Information on how to download the App and access match tickets – as well as how to forward them on to family and friends – can be found in our Visitor Guide, available via the link below.
Visitor Guide
For information on what to expect at Utilita Bowl during Friday’s match, please check out our Visitor Guide, available below.
A lice stream will be available for the match and a link to the stream will be available in the free-to-download Hampshire Cricket App and at www.utilitabowl.com/cricket.
Both the Hampshire Cricket App and www.utilitabowl.com/cricket will also host a live match centre with scorecard, statistics and insight available throughout the match.
