Hampshire win Vitality Blast after incredible last-ball drama

Hampshire Hawks beat Lancashire Lightning by one run to win the Vitality Blast after an extraordinary finish to the final at Edgbaston.

The Hampshire players were celebrating with fireworks going off around the ground when Nathan Ellis bowled Richard Gleeson with what should have been the last ball of the match, only for the ball to be called a no-ball.

That left Lancashire with a free hit and just two needed to win, a tie being enough for them to triumph courtesy of a higher powerplay total.

However, Gleeson swung and missed and despite trying to scramble two byes to the wicketkeeper amid more confusion, they managed only one and Hampshire could celebrate again.

A third Blast title seemed a long way off when Matt Parkinson (4-26) took his fourth wicket to leave the Hawks 111-7.

Even after finding their way to 152-7, Ben McDermott top-scoring with 62 from 36 balls, Hampshire appeared in trouble with Lancashire seemingly cruising at 72-1 in the eighth over.

However, spinners Liam Dawson (2-23) and Mason Crane (1-19) started the fightback and with the pitch getting increasingly difficult to bat on, Lancashire struggled to regain any sort of momentum.

They did enough to keep themselves in contention right to the last but even with all the last-ball drama, it was more Finals Day disappointment for Lancashire as the Hawks took the trophy.

James Vince won the toss and quickly decided to bat first, following the formula that had helped Hampshire to 11 wins from 12 games coming into the final.

They were quickly under pressure though as Vince (5) was castled by Richard Gleeson (1-27) in the second over before Luke Wood (2-26) removed semi-final star Tom Prest (2) at the end of the next.

McDermott countered for the Hawks, hitting