HAM vs GLO 122nd Match - South Group Prediction

HAM vs GLO Team Previews

Hampshire

Hampshire's Ben McDermott delivered yet another outstanding performance, scoring his fourth fifty of the Vitality Blast season against Glamorgan. His remarkable innings of 54 runs off 27 balls put the defending champions, Hampshire Hawks, in an excellent position to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

 

Despite rain interrupting the match at the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire managed to post a formidable total of 97 for 2 in just 9.2 overs. The Hampshire team's strong bowling unit, led by John Turner, Nathan Ellis, and James Fuller, displayed exceptional skills and limited Glamorgan to 54 for 1, winning the match by 21 runs.

 

With this victory, Hampshire has moved level with Surrey in second place, both teams having accumulated 16 points. This result opens up the possibility of a home knockout tie for Hampshire. A win against Gloucestershire on Sunday would confirm their progression to the next stage. Meanwhile, Glamorgan's chances of reaching the quarter-finals, which would have required two wins and a significant improvement in net run rate, have come to an end.

 

Earlier in the match, James Vince played aggressively from the start, hitting a boundary off the first legal delivery. However, he was caught brilliantly by Prem Sisodiya off Jamie McIlroy's bowling in the fourth over. Tom Prest, returning from a broken foot, showed his power by hitting a six but was soon dismissed leg before wicket by Peter Hatzoglou.

 

It was McDermott who took charge of the innings, forming a crucial 48-run partnership with his explosive stroke play. His ability to find boundaries, including two massive sixes, helped Hampshire reach a commanding position. McDermott has been consistently impressive throughout the season, accumulating 371 runs at a strike-rate of 144.

 

Despite the rain interruption, Hampshire intelligently raced to 97 for 2 before the players were forced off the field for over two hours. When play resumed, Glamorgan faced the daunting task of scoring their revised target in just six overs, with an eight-ball power-play. Colin Ingram provided some hope with a quick-fire 34, but John Turner's exceptional second over, conceding only two runs and including five dot balls, put Hampshire firmly in control. Ellis and Benny Howell maintained the pressure, and eventually, Glamorgan fell short of the target with 29 runs still required when rain returned, ending the match prematurely.

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Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire dealt a decisive blow to Sussex Sharks' hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast with a convincing five-wicket victory at Hove.

 

Sussex's total of 160 for 9 appeared inadequate on a slow pitch, and Gloucestershire, already out of contention for the quarter-finals, chased it down comfortably with 19 balls to spare. Ben Charlesworth led the charge with a top score of 34, becoming their first batsman to surpass 300 runs in this season's competition.

 

As a result, Surrey, Hampshire, Essex, and Kent will battle it out on Sunday for the remaining spots in the knockout stages, while Sussex rued their lackluster record of winning only one of their seven games at the 1st Central County Ground.

 

Gloucestershire maintained control throughout the match after reducing Sussex to 52 for 4 in the seventh over. Ajeet Dale claimed two wickets during the powerplay, including the dismissal of Sharks' captain Ravi Bopara, who had scored an impressive 108 in the win against Kent on Friday. This time, Bopara's attempted shot resulted in a leading edge, which was brilliantly caught by Charlesworth running in from midwicket. The momentum continued for Gloucestershire as Shadab Khan took a return catch off Tom Smith's bowling in the next over.

 

Although Michael Burgess was dropped on 21 by Grant Roelofsen, Gloucestershire tightened their grip on the match. Burgess and Harrison Ward then built a crucial partnership of 64 runs from 47 balls, with Ward reaching his second T20 fifty. Sussex's acceleration between the 13th and 16th over resulted in 46 runs, but Ward's dismissal, caught at long-on after dragging a ball from outside off stump, triggered a collapse. Gloucestershire claimed four wickets for just ten runs, with left-arm spinner Graeme van Buuren delivering a superb spell of 4-0-13-2, not conceding a boundary while dismissing Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Nathan McAndrew.

 

Burgess reached his second T20 fifty in the final over, providing a late surge by scoring 18 runs off Josh Shaw's bowling, including two sixes. However, Sussex's total never appeared to be enough.

 

Gloucestershire began their chase strongly, thanks to the aggressive start by South African opener Roelofsen, who smashed 30 runs off just 14 balls before falling to McAndrew. McAndrew struck again in the same over, dismissing Ben Wells, but Sussex suffered a setback as Bopara had to leave the field due to an injury sustained while attempting to stop a straight drive from Charlesworth.

 

Although Hudson-Prentice dismissed Charlesworth to keep Sussex in the contest, Gloucestershire always maintained a superior run rate. Despite Sussex utilizing eight different bowlers, James Bracey and Jack Taylor calmly achieved the target. In a disappointing end to Sussex's campaign, the winning runs were conceded as four wides.