Hampshire openers set up DLS win over Surrey

Hampshire secured a rare win against Surrey in the Vitality Blast when rain brought an early close to their game at the Kia Oval with the visitors 15 runs ahead under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

Miserly bowling from Scott Currie and Chris Wood restricted a subdued home side to an underwhelming 141 for 7, Jason Roy top-scoring for the third time this season with 37, while Sam Curran and Laurie Evans made 34 and 33 not out respectively.

Hampshire were cruising at 63 for 0 in reply when the rain came with skipper James Vince 33 not out and Toby Albert unbeaten on 28. It was only Hampshire's second win in their last 11 meetings with Surrey in the Blast.

As with their first two batting efforts in the Blast this season, Surrey struggled for fluency after being put in by Vince. Dom Sibley smote an early six, but the former England Test opener fell in the next over, a wicket for debutant South African slow left-arm bowler Bjorn Fortuin.

Ollie Pope, unsure if he'll retain the England No. 3 shirt for next week's first Test against India, was starved of strike and made only 11 before an attempted ramp off Currie found the gloves of wicketkeeper Albert.

Even Roy with scores of 92 and 69 behind him in the Blast struggled to break the shackles, two successive fours off John Turner from the last over of the powerplay the best of his contribution.

Eyes were now on captain Curran, who laboured until unleashing successive sixes off Turner, the first of which disappeared down the exit steps beyond the midwicket boundary onto the concourse. He too though fell attempting a third big hit on the spin and only some late blows from Evans carried Surrey to a third successive score in the 140s.

The first over of the chase brought drama, Dan Worrall finding the edge of Albert's bat, only for Roy to grass the chance at second slip.

Vince's dismissive cover drive to end the over though suggested he was in the groove and he soon caressed another from Nathan Smith to the fence at point.

Rain was now falling but three boundaries, one from a misfield on the fence helped raise the 50 partnership and put Hampshire well ahead of the DLS par score. Albert, growing in confidence, cut one from Surrey debutant, Kiwi international Mitchell Santner, to the fence just before the increasing rain brought a halt to proceedings.