Following Hampshire’s six wicket defeat to Lancashire in the second semi-final of the NatWest T20 Blast, Hampshire captain James Vince expressed his bitter disappointment.
“I was really unhappy with some of the shots we played,” said Vince. “We struggled to get a partnership together. Having seen what the pitch was like in the first game, we thought that 150 would be a tough target to set, but we lost wickets at key times and never came close to that.”
Did Vince still think Hampshire could win after being bowled out for 115? “Well, we always had hopes. Getting Ashwell Prince early on was a big bonus. When Fidel Edwards got Alex Davies caught off a no-ball, that maybe was a key moment. But, to be honest, we lost it with the bat.
“Now we have to pick ourselves up for the Championship run-in. That’s all we have to play for. We have a chance of avoiding relegation so that must be our target now.”
Asked about his England prospects and whether his innings of 69 off 60 balls in this game would enhance his confidence going into the run of ODIs, Vince asserted that he felt he had been in good form recently and his innings had only confirmed this.
“I’ll join up with the England squad, get in some practice tomorrow and then find out if I’m playing on Monday. We’ll have to wait and see.”