Sourced from Daily Echo article
Hampshire leap into top three after winning rain-affected T20 Blast game in Bristol
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Michael Klinger’s seventh T20 century was not enough to save Gloucestershire from a 24-run Duckworth-Lewis defeat to Hampshire at soggy Bristol tonight
The experienced Australian carried his side’s innings of 174 for five in a match reduced to 19 overs per side, smashing six sixes and seven fours in a masterly demonstration of clean hitting that saw him finish unbeaten on 101.
Spinners Mason Crane (1-17 from three overs) and Liam Dawson (1-24 from four) fared best of the Hampshire attack.
In reply, the visitors raced to 121 for three off 11.4 overs, with openers James Vince (42) and Rilee Rossouw (46 not out) putting together a stand of 85 in eight overs.
However, the visitors only needed to be on 97 under DLS when heavy rain put an end to proceedings - meaning Hampshire leapfrog their opponents in the tightly congested NatWest T20 Blast South Group.
Hampshire started the game third bottom in their nine team group, but ended it third top.
Klinger needed one moment of good fortune after losing the toss. Having made only a single, he skied a miscued shot to deep cover where the ball fell inches short of the onrushing Michael Carberry.
Hampshire’s bowlers did well in the six-over powerplay, which ended with the hosts 38 for one.
Phil Mustard fell to Reece Topley for three, while Dawson - back in Hampshire colours after being left out of the third Test by England at The Oval - had the distinction of bowling a maiden to Klinger.
When Ian Cockbain and Kieran Noema-Barnett departed cheaply in quick succession, the visitors looked to be taking control. But former Hampshire batsman Benny Howell (25) helped Klinger add 54 for the fourth wicket before Crane removed him and Jack Taylor in the 15th over.
Klinger, who had gone to his half-century off 37 balls, was by then in full flow. The 18th over, bowled by Chris Wood, saw him clear the ropes twice, including a massive six over midwicket off a no-ball full-toss and Thisara Perera (26 not out) added another maximum in an over which cost 31.
When Klinger reached his ton in the final over with another superb six over extra cover off Gareth Berg, his second 50 had occupied just 21 deliveries.
Hampshire’s reply looked to have stuttered when Vince was caught by Jack Taylor at deep-square off a short Matt Taylor delivery in the third over but umpire Billy Taylor - the former Hampshire seam bowler - was signalling a no-ball for height.
That was all the encouragement Vince and Rossouw needed to get ahead of the required rate on Duckworth-Lewis, with more rain threatening.
By the end of the powerplay the total read 59 without loss and by the time Vince got an inside edge off Perera to be caught behind, having faced 30 balls, the rain was getting heavy.
Carberry, batting with a runner and a pronounced limp, lofted Noema-Barnett over long-on for another maximum and repeated the dose off Tom Smith as Hampshire stayed comfortably ahead of the required rate.
Matt Taylor gave Gloucestershire hope by pinning Carberry lbw for 20 and then having George Bailey caught behind down the leg-side in the 11th over.
But by the next over the driving rain finally sent the players from the field. Hampshire were well in control, Rossouw, having faced 27 balls and hit four fours and two sixes.
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