Carberry blasts Hants to another cup final (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Carberry blasts Hants to another cup final

12:19pm Saturday 1st September 2012 in Sport By Simon Walter, Senior Sports Reporter

Hampshire stormed to their fourth Lord’s final in eight years by thrashing rivals Sussex in their Clydesdale Bank 40 semi-final at Hove.

After losing the toss and finding themselves up against it when Luke Wright blitzed 122 from 100 balls, the Royals fought back in impressive fashion.

Without the injured Dimi Mascarenhas, Hampshire conceded 159-1 before taking seven for 60 from the final 70 balls of the Sussex innings.

Chasing 220, Michael Carberry and James Vince put on 129 for the first wicket from the first 76 balls of Hampshire’s reply.

Carberry’s performance was extraordinary and very timely coming as it did a few days after Andrew Strauss's retirement.

He hit 68 from only 36 balls before holing out as he attempted his sixth six. Carberry’s five maximums were violent blows, three of them pulled high over the long-on/mid-wicket boundary.

Vince was his typically classical self before he was bowled by a Will Beer googly for a 43-ball 58.

The platform was laid for Jimmy Adams (44no) to lead Hampshire to the September 15 final against Warwickshire. Hampshire’s captain completed an eight-wicket win, with seven overs to spare, alongside Simon Katich (47no) that keeps the Friends Life t20 champions on course for an historic cup double.