Ervine century eases Hampshire into final

Hampshire 199 for 2 (Ervine 100, Pothas 73*) defeated Yorkshire 197 for 9 (Lumb 43, White 40*) by eight wickets
Scorecard

Sean Ervine eased Hampshire into the C & G Final with a silky 100 from 99 balls at the Rose Bowl. Hampshire outplayed Yorkshire in all three disciplines, tight bowling and impressive fielding restricting the visitors 197 for 9. The home side made smooth work of their reply, coasting to an eight-wicket victory with more than ten overs to spare.

"It's been a pretty average day," admitted Yorkshire's captain Craig White afterwards, "but we are not making any excuses. We were outplayed by Hampshire." They did make early inroads into Hampshire's innings, though, when John Crawley played all round one which Deon Kruis got to nip back.

Kruis bowled a tight line throughout, and was rewarded with 1 for 23 from his ten overs, but the rest of Yorkshire's bowlers offered little in the way of hostility, allowing Ervine and Nic Pothas to pick off runs at will. Ervine and Pothas did what Yorkshire failed to do: get a decent partnership together. The pair put on a stand of 147 for the second wicket to tee up victory for the home side.

Pothas struck an unbeaten 73, while Shane Watson hit the winning runs with 11 not out. It was fitting that Watson should be on hand to take his new side home after his thrilling run-out halted Yorkshire's momentum.

Michael Lumb and Phil Jaques had given Yorkshire a good start after they were sent into bat, and the visitors reached 103 for 2. But Watson changed the course of the innings, his direct throw from the mid-wicket boundary removing Anthony McGrath for 17. Yorkshire's momentum fell away with the wicket.

In the next over Watson was involved again, inducing Richard Pyrah's edge through for Nic Pothas to snaffle the edge. It was a second sharp catch for Pothas, the first even more impressive, when he grabbed a sharp chance off Lumb.

As Yorkshire's slide continued, Ismail Dawood fell for 2, the victim of another direct shy, this time from the man of the match, Ervine. Dawood was only fractionally out, but at 127 for 6 the pressure was on. Richard Dawson was the next to feel the heat. He was building a solid recovery and had reached 21 when Dimitri Mascarenhas's slower ball nipped his off bail.

Two quick wickets from the offspinner Shaun Udal plunged Yorkshire into further disarray, although Craig White lifted them with 40 not out, his contribution could prove to be too little, too late.

Hampshire will now meet Warwickshire in the final as the other Roses side, Lancashire, was also knocked out.