Hampshire make T20 Blast quarter-finals after remarkable chase against Glamorgan

The home side needed to usurp Glamorgan's total inside 14.1 overs to leapfrog fourth-place Surrey, which they achieved in 13 overs thanks to 43 from 13 balls from Joe Weatherley and 69 off 30 from D'Arcy Short

Ageas Bowl: Glamorgan 184-4, Hampshire 187-4 - Hampshire win by  six wickets

Scorecard

Hampshire stormed into the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after a final round day of drama saw the two-time champions progress to the knockout stages.

The Hawks, who sat bottom of the South Group only a month ago, found their form at the right time, reeling off five successive wins and then saw results work in their favour on Sunday night following their thumping six-wicket win over Glamorgan at the Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire started the day sitting in sixth spot in the South Group, needing to beat Glamorgan whilst bettering Surrey’s run-rate then hope Gloucestershire and Sussex lost to Somerset and Kent respectively to have any hope of qualifying for the top-four.

James Vince’s side held up their side of the bargain by blasting their way to a challenging 185-run target inside the 14.1 overs needed to usurp Surrey's run rate.

Although Sussex brushed aside a Kent side, who had already qualified, but had been depleted due to Covid-19, Somerset ensured James Vince’s side get the chance to win a third Blast title with a 23-run victory over Gloucestershire.

It capped off a superb week for Hampshire, who on Wednesday booked a spot in Division One of the County Championships by beating Gloucestershire before coming from nowhere to reach the last eight of the Blast.

After being set an imposing 185 target for victory by Glamorgan, who were put into bat by James Vince, the home side needed to usurp that total inside 14.1 overs to leapfrog fourth-place Surrey, which they achieved in 13 thanks to 43 from 13 balls from Joe Weatherley and 69 off 30 from D'Arcy Short.

After being asked to bat, the Welshmen took full advantage of the perfect conditions despite losing opener Kiran Carlson to the third ball of the match, with David Lloyd and Australian Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne building an impressive 92-ball partnership.

Lloyd belted four sixes in his 52 off 33 balls before Labuschagne continued the assault against the home attack, clearing the rope six times in an entertaining 78 from 47 deliveries before falling to Brad Wheal, who finished with 3 for 39.

Dan Douthwaite added some extra gloss to the total, smashing 21 from eight balls to help the visitors finish their final innings of a disappointing campaign with a flourish.

However, Vince and Short showed they meant business from the off, with the Australian hitting three successive sixes off Timm van der Gugten's first over that went for 26 runs with the pair than taking 21 off Roman Walker's. 

Short brought up his 50 off just 18 balls as the Hawks completed the power play at 79 without loss before Vince departed for 39 when he was caught by Joe Cooke off Andrew Salter.

Colin de Grandhomme came in at No.3 to try and continue the run bonanza, but he was caught on the boundary by Carlson off Labuschagne for five shortly before Short was dismissed by the spin of Salter.

Those departures looked to be a hammer blow for the home side's hopes, but Weatherley stepped up to the plate and sealed a memorable victory with four sixes and three boundaries.