Ackermann ends busy weekend with match-winning innings

Colin Ackermann ended a frantic weekend on the UK's motorways by guiding Leicestershire Foxes to a four-wicket victory over Hampshire, extending their lead at the top of Metro Bank One-Day Cup Group A.

Allrounder Ackermann was called up by Hundred side Southern Brave while travelling to the Ageas Bowl from Leicester on Saturday morning, which meant a detour to Cardiff - where he wasn't selected to play.

He took an Uber to Southampton on Saturday night before driving the Foxes over the finish line with a mature unbeaten 93, which combined with half-centuries from Sol Budinger and Lewis Hill to chase down 296.

The talented Josh Hull starred with the ball to claim 4 for 57, after Fletcha Middleton's 78 and Tom Prest's 65 had set Hampshire up only to collapse.

Leicestershire move clear of Hampshire in second and Kent in third with their fourth victory in five fixtures, while condemning Hampshire to their first defeat of the tournament.

Hampshire were stuck in and openers Middleton and Nick Gubbins eased through the gears against tight bowling to put on 89 for the first wicket.

After Gubbins had played Hull on, Middleton continued to plug away and added a couple of lofted on drives into his repertoire as he reached his second fifty of the competition in 51 balls.

He and Prest added 69 together before wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb ended his stay with a fine diving catch, with the Australian gloveman stumping Ben Brown in the following over.

Aneurin Donald naturally lifted the scoring rate with 25 off 17 balls and accompanied Prest to a 56-ball half-century as Hampshire looked on course for a total well in excess of 300.

But the mixture of the Foxes' discipline and rash shot-making saw the hosts lose seven wickets for 89 runs and fail to see the full 50 overs.

Donald and Prest were both bowled swinging hard - to Wiaan Mulder and legspinner Uttam Ramji - while Toby Albert hooked Chris Wright to deep fine and Keith Barker looped a paddle to Handscomb.

Everything else was the domain of Hull and his size 15 boots. His height and pace found Ian Holland off balance and pulling onto his stumps, Mason Crane slicing to mid-on and Eddie Jack swinging behind. The exciting Hull ended up his second four-wicket haul in three matches as Hampshire were bowled out for 296.

Rishi Patel scored a high-quality 161 to facilitate victory over Lancashire last time out but only lasted five balls before edging a drive to second slip.

Sol Budinger showed off his range hitting with four sixes as he reached fifty in 39 balls and celebrated by carting Prest over long-on two balls later.

Hampshire roared back into the contest with two wickets in two overs. Firstly, Budinger was caught at deep square leg off 17-year-old Jack before Handscomb was castled by Holland.

Lewis Hill rebuilt with Colin Ackermann with the pair putting on 54 and Hill reaching the fifty for the ninth time in List A cricket.

Hill was given out lbw to Barker and Mulder edged Mason Crane behind but Ackermann chipped away at the runs first a 55-ball fifty - his 22nd in List As.

The game swung one way when Louis Kimber took Scott Currie for 20 in an over, and then seemingly the other when Kimber was caught at long-off.

But Ackermann showed little respect for the pressure as he and former Hampshire man Tom Scriven knocked off the remaining 74 runs in style - with 2.4 overs to spare.