Hampshire's Vince: 'We need to sharpen up in all areas and get on a bit of a run'

HAMPSHIRE Hawks captain James Vince insists his side need to "sharpen up" if they are to progress in this season's T20 Blast.

The Utilita Bowl side have just two wins from their first eight matches of the season, with two fixtures rained off for no result.

They sit sixth in the T20 Blast's Southern qualifying group, four points off Essex in fourth following back-to-back defeats to them and Sussex last week.

Vince, 33, hit over a half-century against Sussex in just 37 balls but - after winning the toss and deciding to field first - were unable to reach the 184 target.

Speaking after the match. Vince said: "I think we had them 70 off for five but we were a bit sloppy in the back end in the field and with the ball.

"They got around 75 in the last five overs which was about 20 more than we would have liked. It was a decent pitch.

"There was a bit in there for the new ball and then if the bowlers into the pitch you could create mis-hits so it was always going to be a tough chase.

“It got up to 11s and 12s quite early in the chase and we know here you don’t want to get beyond that."

He added: "There were a few crucial overs around the 13 over mark where if we had taken them for 15 or so runs then we would have jumped ahead.

“We lost our way a little bit and gave ourselves a little too much to do at the end. We aren’t out of it yet but it would be nice to be higher up in the table.

"We have six games left and play all the teams above us so it is still in our hands. But we need to sharpen up in all areas really and get on a bit of a run.”

Sharks captain Tymal Mills added: “We’ve had a few starts this season where our middle and lower order have bailed us out.

"Nathan McAndrew played a brilliant knock, which he’s done a few times, and we walked off knowing it was a score we could defend.

“It got a bit close in the end but it rounds off a really excellent first eight games for us. In the last few overs I just told the bowlers to bowl their best ball in that situation.

"I’ve played a lot of cricket here in the Hundred and know it gets easier to chase. I thought we held our nerve brilliantly, especially young James Coles bowling the 15th over and getting Vince out.

“These are games we probably would have lost in the last couple of years but the whole squad have got more confident. We can still get better but we’re happy with how we have gone so far in the comp.”