Surrey see off champions in tight semi-final

by Tom Maston

Surrey secured their place in the Friends Life t20 Final for the first time since 2003 as they came out on top in a low-scoring encounter against Hampshire.

After electing to field first, Surrey made almost the perfect start as Azhar Mahmood began proceedings with only the fifth maiden in Finals Day history.

The pressure created by the Pakistan seamer began to tell on the Hampshire batsmen as first James Vince was dropped at extra cover before Michael Carberry fell the following ball as he drove straight to Jason Roy off Jon Lewis.

With the in-form Carberry gone, the Royals’ hopes then hinged on Vince, and they seemed well-placed as he hoisted Chris Tremlett back over his head for the first maximum of the encounter.

Jimmy Adams also got in on the six-hitting act, but the introduction of Jade Dernbach to the bowling attack soon took the wind of their sails.

The England man began by bowling Vince with his first delivery before deceiving Neil McKenzie with a slower ball to trap him leg before.

Dimi Mascharenhas’ side were in a spot of bother at 39-3 from their six-over powerplay, and it was down to Adams and Sean Ervine to rebuild the innings.

That they did for four overs until Adams was undone by a near-perfect yorker from Zander de Bruyn to again leave the champions tottering.

That wicket prompted a counter-attack from Ervine, who hit Zafar Ansari for successive sixes. Any momentum gained from that, though, was quickly extinguished when Liam Dawson was caught at cover later in the over.

Adam Wheater came and went, and on his final day as Hampshire skipper, Mascharenhas was tasked with supporting Ervine as best he could.

The veteran did his upmost in helping the Zimbabwean towards a par total, but when the left-hander was caught on the fence off the bowling of Mahmood the writing was on the wall.

Despite some lusty blows from Chris Wood, the Hampshire lower-order could only raise their side to 142-9, with Mahmood finishing with figures of 4-1-9-2; the second most economical on Finals Day.

Behind the eight ball, the Ageas Bowl outfit showed why they have been so successful in this competition as both Surrey openers fell to the medium-pace of Mascarenhas and Wood.

First Jason Roy picked out Dawson on the mid-wicket boundary before Davies tried to lost Wood over mid-on, only to pick out Mascarenhas.

That brought Vikram Solanki to the crease, and despite some nice touches, the Surrey captain was lucky to survive twice before Danny Briggs trapped him in front.

That left the promoted Glenn Maxwell to try and take the attack to his former side, but when he holed out to Ervine at long-off the Lions were in a bit of trouble on 71-4.

It was down to Zander de Bruyn to hold his nerve, and along with Gary Wilson he kept the score ticking along at a rate where the required rate never got out of hand.

Alec Stewart’s side were in control requiring 32 from the final four overs, but when Wilson became Wood’s second victim with some help from a superb McKenzie catch and Mahmood was run out without facing a ball some belief returned to the South Coast side.

That quickly evaporated, though, as Zafar Ansari drove Wood back over his head for a six and a four before sealing the win with a top-edged hook to the boundary.

The Cambridge University student made an unbeaten 21 from 12 deliveries while de Bruyn finished on 41.