The Crusaders recorded 174-7, which seemed to represent a defendable total on a slow pitch. However, a lacklustre bowling performance by a weakened Middlesex attack gave Hampshire, who were eliminated because of results elsewhere, what proved to be a fairly straightforward victory.

Deprived of the consistency of Irfan Pathan, who has returned to India, the Crusaders lacked discipline with the ball. Their seamers bowled far too short and the spinners struggled for rhythm. Both Paul Hutchison and Chris Wright were wayward with the new ball and only the experience of Scott Styris managed a degree of control.

Sean Ervine (39) and a ruthless assault by Craig McMillan (65*), who struck Paul Weekes for huge successive sixes, were the main contributors to a confident Hampshire run chase. The Hawks were always close to ten an over and secured their triumph with 2.4 overs to spare.

Earlier, Middlesex won the toss but their openers were made to struggle by some accurate early bowling. Yet the slowness of the pitch and the fact that the ball didn’t come easily onto the bat were clearly apparent, and the cautious approach taken by the Crusaders appeared to have worked.

From a snails-paced 49-1 after 9 overs, Middlesex added a further 125 runs from the remainder of their allocation. Styris, put down by Ervine of Shaun Udal when 8, proceeded to despatch the next delivery for six and reached a whirlwind 34 before being sent back by Owais Shah to be run out.

Jamie Dalrymple scored a breezy 21 while Shah recorded yet another Twenty20 half century, this time a slightly more watchful knock, and made it 22 sixes for the competition with a further two maximums. He departed caught on the boundary for 54, before Nick Compton (17) maintained the home side’s acceleration to good effect.

And, when Paul Weekes (25*) struck each of the last four balls of the innings for boundaries, Middlesex would have hoped their total was too much of a challenge on a sluggish pitch.

That aspiration, however, was soon dashed and, with Surrey Lions losing to Sussex Sharks, Middlesex missed out on the perceived advantage of a home quarter final awarded to sides topping their group. That would have meant hosting Surrey, Somerset Sabres, Derbyshire Scorpions or Warwickshire Bears. As it is, with a trip to one of Surrey, Lancashire Lightning, Northamptonshire Steelbacks or holders Leicestershire Foxes now to come, the Crusaders will certainly need to deliver a far more efficient performance to earn themselves a place at Finals Day.

Please click here for the scorecard for this match

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