England opening batter James Vince showed his pinch-hitting abilities with a stupendous century that was the highest individual score by a Hampshire player in T20 cricket as the side's skipper led his team to a 16-run victory over Somerset on Friday (June 24) morning.
Vince carried the bat with an unbeaten 129 runs off just 62 balls, striking the ball at a rate of 208.06. His innings included 10 sixes and nine fours and was the aggressor in a partnership alongside 19-year-old Tom Prest (62), with whom the 31-year-old set up a brilliant 144-run partnership.
Vince's contributions also helped Hampshire record their biggest total in the competition — 208/5 — even though the side lost the toss. This result left Somerset hanging onto second place in the South Group table, while Hampshire moved up the ladder and into the top five. Vince's amazing innings bettered the unbeaten 124 made for Hampshire by Michael Lumb in a T20 game against Essex at Southampton back in 2009.
Chasing this mammoth target was no easy feat and Somerset was pegged back from the get-go when their innings were affected by rains. They went on to finish their innings at 194/9, with Rilee Rossouw top-scoring for his team with 55 runs off 28 balls. Tom Banton also contributed 54 balls off 38 deliveries. Meanwhile, the best bowler for Hampshire was Chris Wood picked up two wickets for 26 runs.
Earlier, Somerset had kept the Hampshire Hawks to 45/1 in the powerplay. Their solitary wicket was that of Vince's opening partner Ben McDermott, who was dismissed for a duck on the third ball of the game. The side would have been happy with the situation at the halfway point of the Hampshire innings, with the side on 83 for one.
Vince's contribution displaced Rossouw from the top of the highest run-getters of the season, taking the Englishman up to 528 runs. The 31-year-old former batter, who last turned out for England in a T20I match back in January, averages 66.00 runs and has also notched up a strike rate of 148.31, with two tons and as many half-centuries to his name.
