Gloucestershire easily overcome by perfect Hawks

By Connor Steel

HAMPSHIRE HAWKS extended their ‘perfect’ 2025 Vitality Blast streak to three games as they hosted Gloucestershire Cricket on Friday evening (June 6); comfortably overcoming the reigning T20 holders by a ‘clear’ seven wickets margin following an outstanding bowling performance that set up a good run chase under the overcast skies at the Utilita Bowl.

The visitors elected to bat first and started steadily with John Turner forcing multiple failed shots before taking their first wicket in the third over; the bowler dismissing Miles Hammond (11) as James Vince made his catch. Turner further had the second victim as Cameron Bancroft (18) was brilliantly caught by James Fuller to leave scores on 37-2 in six overs.

D’Arcy Short scored seventeen runs before being dismissed in this eleventh over and captain Jake Taylor was the next batter to depart as Vince caught his shot off Fuller with the total now 90-4. The dismissal in the 14th over sparked a big wicket cluster as Ben Charlesworth (1) became Benny Howell’s 2nd wicket, whilst Scott Currie removed James Bracey.

Turner continued the Gloucestershire collapse as he took the scalp of Matt Taylor for one before Currie dismissed Ollie Price; who had scored 42 runs as the only batter to offer real resistance. Mark Wood further took both wickets of David Payne (0) and Ajeet Singh Dale (1) as the visitors ended this innings 119 all out, scoring just 10 boundaries throughout.

Hampshire made a quicker start for their reply and had Toby Albert scoop Singh Dale’s delivery for a good maximum in the second over whilst he copied the style in the second six within the fifth over. This batsman was somewhat fortunate to add a third maximum as a lofted hook effort looked to be heading to a fielder who could only flip it over the boundary.

Albert was spilled when on twenty-nine and Vince continued to play a supporting role in this fifty-seven run partnership; which was ended when the latter was caught by Jack Taylor for 17 runs after seven overs. A slow period of run-scoring soon followed before Tom Prest hammered a high catch to deep square as the Hawks were left 71-2 in their tenth over.

Any ‘potential wobbles’ were ended as Joe Weatherly and Albert took full control; the latter passing the half-century via a fourth maximum as they reached 98-2. And although Weatherly edged behind one ball later for twelve Dewald Brevis (9*) hit a six as he linked up with Albert (73*) to add the remaining 22 runs needed for a win with thirty balls left to bowl.

This success means that Hampshire have won all three matches of their South Group schedule to date and are one of just three teams to have a perfect record to date in the competition. They will hope to make it four wins out of four later this weekend as they travel to Kent on Sunday afternoon; whilst the Hawks are scheduled to host Middlesex on Friday.

PICTURED BY ALAMY (3BH1RPA): Hampshire team celebrate this dismissal of D’Arcy Short caught off Benny Howell.