Match Preview: Hampshire v Somerset - Royal London One-Day Cup

Hampshire are just one win away from securing a place in the Royal London One-Day Cup Semi-Final stages as Somerset visit the The Ageas Bowl for the final round of South Group action on Wednesday.

James Vince’s side currently sit top of the group on 11 points after an impressive win over Glamorgan last Sunday ensured qualification to the knockout stages and at least a home quarter-final draw. A win on Wednesday would guarantee a top of the table finish in the South Group and an automatic place in the last four.

Hampshire Squad:

South Africa seamer Dale Steyn is set to make his Hampshire debut in Wednesday’s match after joining up with the squad this week.

The paceman is part of a 15-man squad which also includes all-rounder Liam Dawson, who could make his first 50-over appearance of the season after a finger injury suffered in last month’s four-day fixture against Nottinghamshire kept him side-lined for most of May.

A total of eight homegrown players who have come up through the Club’s youth system could feature on Wednesday with an average age of just 25, a common theme to the side for this year’s competition, where at least five of these players have featured in each match played in the competition so far.

The Opposition:

Somerset have had an up and down One-Day Cup campaign so far and currently sit fourth in the South Group with seven points from as many matches heading into this week’s final contest.

Lewis Gregory’s side began the tournament with two wins from their opening two games, but just one win from their next five matches has meant that only a victory at the The Ageas Bowl would give them a chance of reaching the quarter-final stage.

Permutations:

Hampshire will secure a home semi-final with victory over Somerset on Wednesday. A place in the last four will also be confirmed regardless of Wednesday’s result at the The Ageas Bowl, should Kent Spitfires suffer defeat against Essex Eagles at Chelmsford.

Hampshire will secure a home quarter-final if defeated by Somerset and if Kent Spitfires win their match against Essex Eagles.

Did You Know?

• James Vince averages 64.66 with the bat in List A matches against Somerset, with a top-score of 95 in four innings.
• Rilee Rossouw recorded a magnificent 156 from just 113 balls in last year’s Royal London One-Day Cup fixture between the two sides, the fifth highest List A innings – James Vince’s 178 against Glamorgan last year is the highest.

Full Hampshire Squad:

Coverage:

Match updates will be available via the Hampshire Cricket social media channels, whilst ball-by-ball coverage and match highlights will be available at ageasbowl.com/cricket.

There will be ball-by-ball commentary available on BBC Radio Solent online at bbc.co.uk. The match will also be televised live on Sky Sports Cricket.

Weather Forecast:

Please follow the link for the latest weather forecast for The Ageas Bowl: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcp185f25

Tickets:

Tickets for Hampshire’s match against Somerset at the The Ageas Bowl can be purchased online via the link below, over the phone on 0844 847 1863, or by visiting the The Ageas Bowl’s Ticketing & Membership Office via normal working hours.