Hampshire win after Mascarenhas heroics

Hampshire 146 (Mascarenhas 79) beat Kent 124 (Warne 3-24) by 22 runs at Canterbury
Scorecard

Shane Warne and Shaun Udal combined to send Kent spinning to defeat against Hampshire in their National League game at Canterbury last night. Dimitri Mascarenhas carried Hampshire's innings with a career-best 79 as they were bowled out for 146, and Kent then fell 22 runs short of their target in the 36th over.

The pitch was helpful to both seam and spin, and Hampshire had collapsed to 47 for 5 after Martin Saggers, Ian Butler, and Andrew Symonds had ripped through the top order when Mascarenhas came to the crease. Michael Clarke, who had until then played a lone hand as wickets tumbled around him, fell soon after to his Australian contemporary, as Symonds held a sharp return catch to reduce Hampshire to 54 for 6.

Running out of partners, Mascarenhas was positive from the start, hitting 10 fours and the only two sixes of the match, off James Tredwell and Butler, in his 93-ball knock. No-one stayed with him for more than 19 balls though, as Warne and Udal were undone by Tredwell's spin, and Alan Mullally, who stayed with him the longest, was caught by Michael Carberry to give Symonds his third wicket (116 for 9). Mascarenhas was the last man out, caught by Symonds off Alex Loudon's third ball, but by then he had taken Hampshire to what turned out to be a defendable score.

Kent got off to a good reply at first, with Ed Smith stroking a fluent 27, but when he was caught at short leg off Mascarenhas, and Carberry fell in the next over (43 for 2), Hampshire had a vital early breakthrough. Kent were still favourites, though, as Symonds and Loudon both made starts. But Warne then brought himself on and almost immediately had Symonds caught at slip (75 for 3). Udal struck at the other end, as Matthew Walker fell to an excellent catch at silly point and David Fulton was out first ball, caught off bat and pad by John Crawley (90 for 4).

Warne then also struck twice in one over, dismissing Loudon, who top-scored with 34, and Niall O'Brien to leave Kent reeling at 102 for 7. Mullally ended Tredwell's resistance when he was caught behind for 10, and Clarke wrapped the innings by running out Butler and Saggers for ducks.