Hampshire advanced to the T20 Blast final following a comprehensive 27-run victory over Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston. The win sets up a championship clash against Northamptonshire, giving Hampshire the chance to secure a record-breaking fourth title. The decisive performance was anchored by an unbeaten 88 from Joe Weatherley and a clinical display from the team's seam attack.
After entering the crease in the first over following Mohammad Amir's dismissal of Toby Albert, Weatherley played with exceptional poise. He shared a 126-run partnership with captain James Vince, who contributed 57 runs off 37 balls. Their collaboration helped Hampshire post a competitive 187 for 3. Weatherley, a Winchester-born academy product, paced his innings perfectly to surpass his previous T20 best of 71, which he had set in a 2021 semi-final against Somerset. Vince’s effort included two significant leg-side sixes, though he was eventually dismissed by Benny Howell.
In response, Nottinghamshire’s pursuit faltered despite a promising 85-run second-wicket stand between captain Joe Clarke, who made 64, and Jack Haynes. Once the partnership was broken, the Nottinghamshire middle order collapsed on a challenging surface. From a position of 100 for 1, they lost their final nine wickets for just 60 runs. Liam Dawson claimed the crucial wicket of Haynes, while the seamers dismantled the remaining lineup.
James Fuller emerged as the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4 for 26. Scott Currie also made a vital contribution, pulling off a sharp caught-and-bowled to dismiss Liam Patterson-White before removing Dillon Pennington. Despite some late resistance from Hilton Cartwright, Nottinghamshire fell well short of the target, finishing on 160 all out.
Weatherley, who had been dropped from the County Championship side earlier in April, proved his value as a consistent T20 performer throughout the season. Hampshire now looks ahead to their final match, aiming to capitalize on the momentum gained from this dominant semi-final showing.
