Middlesex victory sets up quarter-final dash

Middlesex 100 for 2 beat Hampshire 99 by eight wickets
Scorecard

Tom Smith and David Warner led Middlesex to a crushing eight-wicket win over Hampshire in their Friends Provident t20 match at the Rose Bowl. Smith took three wickets, held a catch and also ran out Hampshire captain Dominic Cork as the hosts were bowled out for 99 in 17.5 overs.

Australia opener Warner then blazed a rapid 43 to make the result a formality. Middlesex breezed for 100 for 2 to win with 34 balls to spare and set up an intriguing last day in the race for the final quarter-final place in the South Group.

Hampshire, Middlesex and Surrey all have one match to play and each have 14 points. Glamorgan are one point behind and can overtake them all if other results go their way and earn a place in the quarter-final knockout stage.

Hampshire made a bright start after winning the toss, despite the early loss of the prolific Jimmy Adams. But from the moment James Vince was bowled by Tyron Henderson at 43 in the seventh over, Hampshire fell away, losing their last nine wickets for 56.

Only Michael Carberry stood in Middlesex's way with an aggressive 34 which included two sixes and three fours. Henderson had Carberry leg before and Hampshire rapidly fell away with Smith making most of the damage caused by Henderson's spell.

Left-arm spinner Smith dismissed Neil McKenzie, Abdul Razzaq and Nic Pothas to end with three for 26 from his four overs. Henderson and Neil Dexter each took two wickets as Hampshire subsided to a total which was never going to trouble Middlesex.

Dexter and Warner made sure of the two points with an opening stand of 57 before Dexter, the minor partner in the opening stand, was dismissed. Warner smashed seven fours in his 43 before he drove his countryman Dan Christian to Razzaq in the ninth over with the score on 60.

But Middlesex steadied when Owais Shah and Dawid Malan came together in a stand of 40 for the third wicket in 5.5 overs.