Ben Allison Shines as Essex Comfortably Chase 167 Against Hampshire
Essex secured their fourth victory in the Vitality Blast with an 8-wicket triumph over Hampshire, thanks to a composed innings from Dean Elgar and impressive bowling from Ben Allison.
Batting first, Hampshire posted 166/7, with Joe Weatherley (48) and James Fuller (39*) playing key roles. Allison was the pick of the Essex bowlers, claiming 3/39. In response, South African Elgar led the chase with an unbeaten 60, while Michael Pepper (44) and Jordan Cox (41*) provided solid support as Essex reached the target with 20 balls to spare.
“Ben Allison’s bowling performance was crucial in restricting Hampshire’s innings and setting up the chase for Essex,” said the team’s head coach.
After losing James Vince and Ben McDermott early, Hampshire struggled to maintain their momentum, with Essex spinner Simon Harmer (4-0-28-0) keeping a lid on the scoring. The regular wicket-taking came from others, including Allison, who removed Weatherley and Toby Albert.
With the bat, Elgar’s composed 60* off 34 balls set the tone for Essex’s chase, as he combined with the swashbuckling Pepper and the measured Cox to comfortably overhaul the 167-run target. Cox’s unbeaten 41 ensured there was no late collapse, and Essex coasted to victory, with the winning runs coming off the bat of the South African.
The win maintains Essex’s strong start to the Vitality Blast, thanks in large part to Elgar’s consistent performances and the bowling exploits of Allison.
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