Agony as seconds lose out on penultimate ball

Hampshire's second XI lost their third one-day Trophy final in four years against Kent yesterday - by five wickets with just two balls remaining, writes Simon Walter.

Jimmy Adams and John Francis made 58 and 49 respectively after resuming their partnership when rain forced the 50 overs clash into the reserve day at The Rose Bowl.

Alex Morris had smashed a 31-ball 38 before the rains came on Monday but yesterday James Hamblin provided the impetus to Hampshire's middle order, belting 40 off 26 deliveries, including two sixes and a four.

That was after Adams and Francis had put on 72 for the fourth wicket but Hampshire's last four wickets fell for 26 runs and they were bowled out for 238 with five balls left of their allocation.

Off spinner Irfan Shah took 3-45 in his ten overs but Kent skipper James Tredwell won the match for his side with 111 at the top of the order before he was stumped by Iain Brunnschweiler off the medium pace of Lawrie Prittipaul.

James Schofield was Hampshire's only other wicket taker while first teamer James Tomlinson was the most economical, going for 34 off his ten overs.

Adams, Francis, Prittipaul and Hamblin were also in the second XI side that lost the first of the three recent one-day trophy finals, also against Kent, at Canterbury in 1999.