Glamorgan began their campaign in the Vitality Blast in emphatic style by defeating Hampshire by a record 63 runs at the Ageas Bowl as they posted their best-ever victory by runs in Twenty20 cricket, with Andrew Salter taking a career-best 3/34 and David Lloyd top-scoring with an unbeaten 38.
After Glamorgan had made 168/6 in their 20 overs, Glamorgan’s bowlers ripped the heart out of Hampshire’s batting as the team who last weekend won the Royal London One-Day Cup at Lord’s were brought back down to earth. Andrew Salter started the clatter of wickets as having been despatched for six by Colin Munro off the first ball, he removed the Kiwi second ball courtesy of a catch by wicket-keeper Chris Cooke.
Three balls later, the off-spinner trapped Rilee Rousseau l.b.w. 8/2 then became 11/3 as Timm van der Gugten brilliantly caught and bowled James Vince one-handed in his follow through, before Michael Hogan removed Sam Northeast in his second over as Sam Northeast was caught by the Dutchman to leave the home side reeling on 13/4.
Tom Alsop and Liam Dawson briefly stabilised things before Salter returned to remove Alsop, before the effervescent Graham Wagg dismissed Dawson and McManus as Hampshire nosedived further to 32/7 in the eighth over. Gareth Berg and Kyle Abbott then used the long-handle to good effect and with the aid of a few outside edges they took the score to 86 before the former was l.b.w. to Craig Meschede.
Abbott was then bowled by Colin Ingram before some inventive strokes by Mujeeb and Chris Wood took Hampshire into three figures, but their innings ended on 105 as Wood was stumped by Cooke against Ingram as Glamorgan won by 63 runs, eclipsing their previous best winning margin by runs – 58 runs against Worcestershire at New Road.
Earlier, David Lloyd had top-scored in Glamorgan’s innings and provided some late impetus with an unbeaten 38 off 26 balls as 61 runs came in the last five overs. This was after Usman Khawaja had departed in the fourth over as he was bowled by young spinner Mujeeb Zadran. Colin Ingram then struck Berg for six before hitting three fours off successive balls from Mujeeb.
With the total on 59/1, Shaun Marsh was dismissed by Dawson, before Aneurin Donald blasted successive fours and a six against Kyle Abbott. But Dawson then had Ingram caught by Mujeeb before Donald was caught in Colin Munro’s opening over. Chris Cooke responded by striking Abbott for 6 and 4 before Lloyd, who had cleverly worked the ball around, cleared the ropes for a huge six.
Lloyd found the ropes again before Salter struck Chris Wood for four, before smiting Abbott for six in the final over. Fittingly, Lloyd struck the last ball of the innings for another massive six as Glamorgan ended on what proved to be a match-winning total of 168/6.