Report & Reaction: Hampshire Hawks Men v Essex, Vitality Blast (Quarter-Final)

Vitality Blast men's competition - Hampshire Hawks 211/3 beat Essex 136/9 by 75 runs

By Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

James Vince thumped the highest-ever Vitality Blast knockout score to send Hampshire Hawks to a record 12th Finals Day.

Vince pulverised 125 from 61 balls to overtake Moeen Ali’s 121 in the 2019 quarter-finals to demolish Essex.

Sonny Baker then put Essex in check with three wickets before the end of the fourth over – ending with his maiden T20 five-for.

The Hawks will face Notts Outlaws in the second semi-final at Edgbaston on Saturday as they hunt for a record fourth Blast title.

Hampshire have still only lost one Blast quarter-final, their first in 2009 – winning 12 in a row.

Vince has more than a thousand runs more than anyone else in Blast history, but for him, he’s had a quiet competition.

Having been stuck in by Simon Harmer, Vince initially started slowly, thanks to Sam Cook getting prodigious swing with the new ball.

But Vince got himself moving with four boundaries in five balls against Shane Snater in the fifth over and barely looking back.

He showed off his full gambit of gorgeous stroke-making, seemingly trying to fill in every angle of the wagon wheel with pulls, drives and every other luscious shot.

Around him, Toby Albert put on 60 with him, and Joe Weatherley added 117 – both doing their bit to keep the runs flowing.

In particular, Weatherley, who continued his consistent tournament with 46 off 26 balls. However, it was overshadowed by one of the great T20 innings.

Vince’s first-ever T20 hundred had come in a Blast quarter-final – against Worcestershire Rapids in 2015 – this was his eighth, and second against Essex.

He was dropped on 46, but otherwise this was pure brutality. His first fifty runs came in 38 balls; the next 50 runs came in 16 further balls; his century was brought up with a six.

Weatherley and Vince did fall in the death overs, but the Hawks sailed to 211 for three.

Baker’s searing opening spell made pay to Essex’s hopes as he took three wickets in his first two overs.

Paul Walter was caught and bowled, and then Jordan Cox was wonderfully caught at short third by Andrew Neal. Michael Pepper tickled a bouncer behind to snooker the visitors.

Luc Benkenstein and Matt Critchley were caught, and after Charlie Allison had scored 44, he was held on the boundary.

Baker returned to pin Simon Harmer lbw and then bowled Snater to pick up five for 24. Essex were eventually getting to 136 for nine – losing by 75 runs.