Story: The Ultimate CC24 Challenge

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14th June 2024: Hampshire vs Middlesex (Vitality Blast)

James Fuller misses out in place of Toby Albert as we look to strengthen the batting against table-toppers Middlesex.

Hampshire: McDermott+, Vince*, Orr, Prest, Weatherley, Albert, Howell, Dawson, Neser, Wood, Turner
Middlesex: Robson, Eskinazi, Holden, du Plooy, Higgins, White, Andersson, Hollman, Roland-Jones, Cornwell, Bell

Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat first.

Hampshire: 136 (19.5) - Howell 35; Andersson 3-18, Cornwell 2-23
A dreadful effort with the bat on a flat pitch, looking like a third defeat in three.

Middlesex: 135 (18.2) - Robson 44; Turner 5-22
An incredible effort with the ball, but Middlesex perhaps with the most embarrassing bottle of all time. They were well in charge, needing less than six an over from the powerplay onwards, but economical spells from Howell and Dawson kept us in with a chance. But they only needed three runs from the last three overs, with five wickets still in hand. Enter John Turner, who bowled one of the best T20 overs you'll ever see, taking four wickets in the over and conceding just one run. The responsibility of the 19th fell to Neser, who removed White with the second ball to seal perhaps the most amazing comeback win by the slimmest of margins.

Hampshire won by 1 run
Points: Hampshire 2, Middlesex 0
MOTM: John Turner (Hampshire)

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20th June 2024: Essex vs Hampshire (Vitality Blast)

Hampshire are unchanged as they travel to bottom-placed Essex.

Essex: Khushi, Rossington, Westley, Cox, Pepper, Das, Critchley, Walter, Benkenstein, O'Neill, Harmer
Hampshire: McDermott+, Vince*, Orr, Prest, Weatherley, Albert, Howell, Dawson, Neser, Wood, Turner

Essex won the toss and elected to bat first.

Essex: 210-6 (20) - Khushi 81, Das 39; Wood 3-27
This time, it's a poor finish the ball that may cost us as we were doing okay until the last few overs, the last from Neser conceding 27.

Hampshire: 119 (13) - Weatherley 52; Critchley 4-50, O'Neill 3-12
You don't win many games when you're 21-3 after three overs, especially chasing over 200. The rate kept climbing, and despite a first fifty of the season from Weatherley, we never got close.

Essex won by 91 runs
Points: Essex 2, Hampshire 0
MOTM: Feroze Khushi (Essex)

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21st June 2024: Hampshire vs Sussex (Vitality Blast)

In the final match before we break for two more Championship games, James Fuller comes back in for Toby Albert, and Brad Wheal has returned from World Cup duty with Scotland, replacing Michael Neser.

Hampshire: Vince*, McDermott+, Orr, Prest, Weatherley, Fuller, Howell, Dawson, Wood, Turner, Wheal
Sussex: Haines, Alsop, Hughes, Clark, Simpson, Hudson-Prentice, McAndrew, B Currie, Robinson, Hunt, Karvelas

Sussex won the toss and elected to bat first.

Sussex: 193-5 (20) - Alsop 96*, Hughes 34; Turner 2-44
Disappointing again with the ball, leaking runs too easily and it's another high target to chase.

Hampshire: 149-8 (20) - Prest 61; Hunt 3-20, Robinson 2-23
We made a better go of it than against Essex, but the rate was always increasing and batters coming in were unable to keep up with Prest. Another heavy defeat sees us drop to the bottom of the table on net run rate.

Sussex won by 44 runs
Points: Sussex 2, Hampshire 0
MOTM: Tom Alsop (Sussex)