Edwards leads dismantling of Middlesex

International bowlers Jackson Bird and Fidel Edwards sliced through Middlesex as Hampshire cruised to a ten-wicket win in the Royal London Cup.

Bird and Edwards made sure the Middlesex top order came and went in a constant flurry - leaving them 34 for 5 after 10 overs - as the visitors could only muster 117. Legspin talent Mason Crane continued the annihilation with a mature four-for to blast out the tail before Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry knocked off the target without a fuss.

After Middlesex captain Eoin Morgan elected to bat at the Ageas Bowl, it did not take long for the hosts to strike. Edwards flew back on Wednesday after stint in Caribbean Premier League but overcame his jet-lag in just three deliveries - former England Test opener Sam Robson edging behind.

Australian Bird - on his Hampshire List A debut - struck in the next over, having another former England star Nick Compton leg before, and Morgan was out in the same way three balls later as Hampshire left the visitors floundering on 5 for 3 by the end of the second over.

Dawid Malan gave Middlesex a 25-ball respite, the batsman scoring two boundaries, before he loosely drove to Chris Wood at mid-off off Edwards. And the Barbadian had Nick Gubbins caught at first slip by James Vince the very next ball to leave the score on 22 for 5 before John Simpson left the hat-trick ball alone.

Both Edwards and Bird - with first-spell figures of 3 for 15 and 2 for 19 respectively - came out of the attack but there was no respite for the timid Middlesex batsman.

Wicketkeeper Simpson was the next to fall, driving a simple catch to Adams in the covers to give Wood a wicket with his fifth delivery. And spin, in the shape of 18-year-old Crane, worked as well as pace when James Franklin - who patiently scored 18 amongst the onslaught - was pinned lbw.

James Harris and Ollie Rayner added some semblance of respectability to the innings with a 55-run stand for the eighth wicket. The pair took the score to 100 before Harris swiped to Will Smith close in on the off side for 32 to give Crane his second. And he bagged a third two overs later as Rayner's resolve ended on 24 when was lbw sweeping.

Last-wicket duo Toby Roland-Jones and Junaid Khan had some fun slogging three quick boundaries but Crane ended with a four-for as the Pakistan international picked out Smith - Middlesex reaching a well below-par 117.

Adams and Carberry got stuck into the chase with vigour, the openers making the pitch look less of a minefield with some crisp boundaries. Carberry in particular played the short ball with his trademark power - middling a pull to launch a six over square leg before a sumptuous cut for four.

Carberry reached a carefree fifty from 42 balls, including eight fours, brought up with a single down the ground. Adams also scored a half-century - his first since making 61 against Middlesex in the Championship in May - to boost his confidence as Hampshire successfully chased down their target with over 27 overs to spare.