Facing defeat at Lord's in their Norwich Union Division II match against the Middlesex Crusaders, the Hawks bowlers rallied to the task to pull off an incredible 2 run victory.

Middlesex winning the toss chose to send Hampshire in to bat on a green looking wicket, and runs against the white new ball were hard to find early on.

Hampshire were without their captain Robin Smith, who had an Achilles tendon problem, so chose to rest. Will Kendall took on the captains duties.

Seam bowlers Chad Keegan and Tim Bloomfield bowled tight lines suiting to the conditions, and it was the latter that dismissed Hamblin, who played an expansive pinch-hitter stroke that went straight up in the air to be caught by the wicket-keeper.

Derek Kenway perished to an in-swinger, and when the Pakistani all-rounder Abdur Razzak had Neil Johnson trapped in front the Hawks were struggling.

John Crawley playing his first Norwich Union match for his new county, played some spirited shots to up the tempo, but his attempt to pull Razzak to the short leg-side boundary proved his downfall.

Nic Pothas, first with Giles White, then Will Kendall batted well and raised the score, but the Middlesex overseas player was a handful as he completed 9 overs cheaply, picking up three wickets on the way. Pothas remained unbeaten on 39.

The Crusader openers Andrew Strauss and Sven Koenig gave their side a good start with a 69 run partnership to put them in command. Both were dismissed on the same score to give Hampshire hope, but at 120-3 the home side appeared to be coasting to victory.

As Concorde and the Red Arrows flew by in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee nearby, the match seemed to change. Razzak was bowled immediately after by Neil Johnson, and from then the batters struggled against the excellent Hampshire bowlers, and the fielders who were giving everything, particularly a steeping running catch by Hamblin to dismiss the dangerous Shah off the admirable Udal.

Two run outs brought the match to the boiling point, with the light fading. 25 runs were needed from the last three overs. Chris Tremlett conceded just five from his last over, then Mullally only 5 plus a leg bye and a run out, left the crowd biting their nails.

14 was required of the last over with Neil Johnson given the responsibility, 3 runs and a run out came off the first three of them, then Nash struck 2 and 4, leaving 6 to win and 4 to tie the match. Middlesex managed only two.

© Hampshire Cricket