HAMPSHIRE need to win their final T20 group game at The Ageas Bowl tonight if they are to reach the quarter-finals for a seventh successive season.

After winning a thriller against Sussex by four runs at Hove last Friday, tonight’s game against Somerset (6.30pm start) is effectively a last-16 tie.

A win will almost certainly be enough to book a place in the last eight. If Hampshire win, Glamorgan are the only county that can pip James Vince’s side to a quarter-final place, but their net run-rate is vastly inferior.

Hampshire’s Will Smith, pictured left, said: “It would take something bizarre for us not to go through if we win so we’ll just worry about our game.

“We were in a similar situation last season, it seems to be when we have to win that we play our best T20 cricket.

“We knew we had to win last week and it produced a special batting performance and some special bowling.

“Chris Wood and Yasir at the end were phenomenal under high pressure. Now it’s all down to the last game. But it was like this last year and Hampshire have been in this sort of situation for the last six seasons or so.

“We’d love to win that many that we’re already through but in some ways it’s good to be on an upward curve at this stage.”

Hampshire could yet have a home quarter-final, but that cannot be confirmed until the final games are played tomorrow night.

“It won’t matter where we play, we can win any game against any team in any conditions, as we did in front of a partisan Trent Bridge crowd last year,” added Smith.

Somerset have no chance of qualifying after losing their last four games. They may field two players known to Hampshire in Michael Bates and Ventnor’s Adam Hose.