Hampshire win Vitality Blast after edging out Lancashire in dramatic final

Hampshire collected their first Vitality Blast crown in a decade after edging out Lancashire in the final in a low-scoring thriller that went down to the last ball at Edgbaston.

While Matt Parkinson claimed four for 26 having been released from England duty to feature at Finals Day, Ben McDermott’s 62 off 36 balls proved more significant as Hampshire got to 152 for eight.

Lancashire became the first team to chase down a 200-plus total at Finals Day in overcoming Yorkshire in their semi but they were beaten by a solitary run on a wearing pitch following an extraordinary finale.

With four required from the last ball, Nathan Ellis’ yorker cannoned into Richard Gleeson’s stumps but as fireworks filled the night sky, replays showed the Australia quick had remarkably overstepped.

Ellis quickly regained his composure following the no-ball as Gleeson swung at fresh air with the free hit before scurrying through for a single, ultimately of no consequence as Hampshire claimed their third title, equalling Leicestershire’s record for the most domestic T20 titles in England.

They had earlier ended a luckless run in semi-finals, overcoming Somerset by 37 runs, following five successive defeats over the last 10 years and they went all the way here courtesy of McDermott’s counter-attacking innings and a disciplined bowling performance in the final.

Lancashire looked to be in control on 72 for one in the eighth over but spin twins Liam Dawson and Mason Crane stifled the run-rate before the Red Rose ultimately subsided, rendering their own excellent bowling display a mere footnote after they were asked to field first in the Saturday gloam.

Gleeson had leaked 54 runs against Yorkshire seven days after starring on his England debut here,