Hampshire win T20 final despite Christian chaos

Hampshire were crowned English county cricket’s Twenty20 champions on their Rose Bowl home ground after a last ball win over Somerset on Saturday.

But their tense victory was almost scuppered by Australian Dan Christian’s ignorance of the Laws of Cricket.

Hampshire needed one run off the final delivery to beat Somerset on fewer wickets lost.

Christian had called for a runner after pulling a hamstring off the penultimate ball.

But off Zander de Bruyn’s last delivery, Christian set off for a leg-bye single as Somerset appealed for lbw.

Jimmy Adams, the runner, scampered through and non-striker Sean Ervine made it safely to the other end.

But Somerset would have won if the ball had been thrown to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter as Christian, despite getting to the bowler’s end, could have been run out as he was technically out of his ground.

Both teams made 173 in their 20 overs but Hampshire, who won this tournament for the first time, lost five wickets to the six of Somerset, beaten in the final for the second successive season. Hampshire were coasting while South Africa’s Neil McKenzie was making 52. But with 11 needed off nine balls, McKenzie was out and panic set in.

However, Zimbabwe all-rounder Ervine’s 44 not out - although he was dropped late in his innings by substitute Nick Compton - helped see Hampshire home.

McKenzie, who faced 39 balls, with a six and three fours, told Sky Sports: “There was a lot of chaos out there, I think I caused it towards the end!

“It was really nerve-wracking in the dug-out, there’s always a twist.”

Veteran Hampshire captain Dominic Cork played a key role.

He took two wickets for three runs in a last over which also ended the involvement of Somerset all-rounder Kieron Pollard, after a bouncer crept through the grille of the batsman’s helmet.

Pollard was later taken to hospital having suffered an eye injury.

Teenage left-arm spinner Danny Briggs took one for 30 in a Somerset innings where England World Twenty20-winner Kieswetter made 71.

“We’ve been put down a lot of times,” 39-year-old former England all-rounder Cork said. “Things weren’t going our way in the competition but we just worked hard.

SOUTHAMPTON, England, Sunday, AFP