Middlesex supporters who braved the cold, overcast day at Southgate saw their team go down by seventeen runs to Hampshire in the Norwich Union League.

At no stage did the Middlesex batsmen seemed able to settle into a substantial partnership in the face of some steady, accurate bowling.

Chris Tremlett, coming on as first-change, struck with his first ball, having Andy Strauss held at mid-wicket for 12 and the second bowling change proved just as effective with James Hamblin trapping Ben Hutton leg before wicket in his first over. Middlesex were 51 for two in the 17th over.

They suffered another blow eight runs later, losing Stephen Fleming for ten but Mike Roseberry and Robin Weston added 29 before the medium pace of Hamblin caused further damage.

Weston skied to short mid-wicket in the 28th over, with the total on 88, a run later Simon Cook also skied, this time to mid-off, and with Roseberry caught at deep mid-wicket for 22, Middlesex were reduced to 109 for six.

It was good accurate bowling from Hamblin who, playing in only his third league match, finished with four for 29 from nine overs.

After top scorer Paul Weekes' departure in the 43rd over, the end came quickly. His was the eighth wicket to fall after David Nash was run out in the previous over. Middlesex needed 26 from the last over and managed only eight.

Earlier, after deciding to make first use of a wicket that was cut only about an hour or so before the start, as water had leaked under the covers on the pitch that was first intended for use, Hampshire began poorly.

They lost the first wicket on 29 when Neil Johnson dabbed a ball on to his stumps and a run later Dimitri Mascarenhas went without scoring. Chad Keegan had picked up both wickets.

Hampshire's highest partnership came for the third wicket with 66 added between James Laney and Derek Kenway. They picked up the scoring rate which had fallen to the extent that after the first boundary of the innings had been struck in the first over the second didn't come until the seventeenth.

Kenway continued with his big hitting while wickets fell at the other end. After Laney's dismissal on 96, Hampshire lost four wickets for 43 when Kenway's lofted shot was held at deep mid-wicket. His 65 had come from 77 balls and included four boundaries and a six over long-off.

The end of the Hampshire innings came rapidly with Keegan running through three wickets in the 44th over, all with the total on 164. He finished with five for 17 from eight overs, his best figures in limited overs cricket. Robin Smith remained not out with 18 as his team reached 171 for nine in the allotted 45 overs.

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