Report & Reaction: Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks, Vitality Blast

Michael Pepper smashed his Vitality Blast best as Essex Eagles beat Hampshire Hawks by eight wickets at the Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford.

Batter Pepper dispatched four sixes to go alongside eight fours to crash a 75 ball 42 – to better his previous best of 55 not out.

Matt Critchley pummelled 45 in a 100 stand with Pepper as the Eagles chased down the Hawks' total of 150 with 37 balls to spare to secure their first home T20 victory over Hampshire since 2017.

Will Buttleman was caught and bowled off his glove and Adam Rossington was starved of the strike before Nathan Ellis kissed his leg stump. But Pepper dominated from then on.

He showed power with conventional shots but mixed it with some inventive flicks. The shot to bring up his half-century, however, was the combination of the two – a ramp shot with some added wrist to take the ball the distance.

Pepper was the Eagles’ top run-scorer in the Blast last season, with 260 runs – he wasn’t finished at a fifty as he hit back-to-back sixes over midwicket and then into the Hayes Close End gardens.

In the following over another straight six came, while Critchley went somewhat under the radar for his 24-ball 45 – which included two huge maximums.

Earlier, Essex won the toss and elected to bowl first – their previous six victories all coming when chasing in this format– and after a 25-minute delay due to rain they stifled the Hawks in the powerplay. The visitors only managed to get to 33 with the departure of the yorked Aneurin Donald.

Sam Cook was the main architect of the strong start with a boundary coming off his first delivery and then 11 dot balls – with his second over a wicket maiden.

James Vince and Ben McDermott – on his 100th T20 appearance – both fell as Hampshire laboured to 59 for three after 10.1 overs – but Weatherley, Ross Whiteley and James Fuller made sure they had a total to defend.

Weatherley swept both sides of the wicket with excellence in his 37, while Whiteley and Fuller used brute force to clear the shot boundaries; both striking two sixes each.

Curiously Essex’s two best bowlers Cook and Simon Harmer only bowled three of their allocation, both with identical figures of two for 16. Matt Critchley’s miserly one for 20 was also exemplary.

Fans enjoying a summer’s afternoon or evening of Vitality Blast action at The Ageas Bowl can look forward to free family-friendly activities, live music and a whole host of off-pitch entertainment as well as the best food and drink in English cricket – that’s in addition to all the edge-of-your-seat cricketing action that T20 promises.

Vitality Blast Passports have now sold out after a record number of fans secured their seven-match passes. Individual match tickets are on sale for this summer’s Vitality Blast at the discounted Advance rate until 11:59pm the day before each match. Click the link below to purchase yours.

Hampshire Hawks have also announced a brand-new type of ticket for this summer’s T20 matches at The Ageas Bowl, the Vitality Blast Plus ticket, which offers an upgrade on general admission tickets with premium reserved seating and access to a private, pitch-facing lounge and bar.

Vitality Blast Plus tickets have sold out for the mouth-watering T20 ‘el clasicoast’ double-header on Saturday 4th June but a limited number of these new tickets are still available at the Advance rate for each of Hampshire Hawks’ six other Vitality Blast matches.

Getting to The Ageas Bowl for this summer’s Vitality Blast will be easier and more affordable than ever before as fans will be able to make use of free buses running to and from The Ageas Bowl from Hedge End and Southampton Airport Parkway train stations. 

These free direct buses will be available from both Southampton Airport Parkway Railway Station and Hedge End Station, running continuously from 4:30pm for weekday fixtures and 12pm for weekend fixtures.

The buses will depart from immediately outside both stations - simply head for the Hampshire Hawks flags upon arrival at the stations!

The buses heading back to the stations from The Ageas Bowl will depart from opposite the West Gate turnstiles and the last bus back to the stations will leave 30 minutes after the end of the match.

You won't need a ticket or any accreditation to use the free buses - simply turn up at the stations and get on board - however, if you are planning to use the buses we would ask you to complete the short registration form (available below) to ensure we're able to provide enough vehicles for all fans using the services.