Stubbs powers Hants to T20 Blast win against Essex

Stubbs powers Hants to T20 Blast win against EssexImage source, ShutterstockImage caption, Tristan Stubbs struck five sixes and three fours in his 42-ball inningsPublished20 minutes ago3 CommentsTristan Stubbs hammered a formidable 69 less than 24 hours after jetting in from the IPL to hand Hampshire Hawks their first T20 Blast men's competition win of the summer.South African Stubbs had a quiet IPL for the Delhi Capitals but grew through his innings before ending up with five sixes in a 42-ball innings as the Hawks made 200-4 aginst Essex.The Eagles could not keep up with the required rate in the South Group tie and finished 30 runs short on 170-7.Stubbs had been assisted by Joe Weatherley and fellow overseas Hilton Cartwright in contrasting 64 and 84-run partnerships.The 201 set to win was always above par and Scott Currie's personal best 4-18 made sure that last year's runners-up Hampshire made it five home T20 wins over Essex in a row.Image source, ShutterstockImage caption, Luc Benkenstein threatened to match Stubbs' efforts, but fell on 48Hampshire's innings had two distinct sections. A scrappy half where every run had to be fought for, and then the other, where fun was the operative word.Having been stuck in, James Vince middled two gorgeous fours before he and opening partner Toby Albert were caught pulling Charlie Bennett, who bowled better than his 2-44 suggested.Tom Prest also holed out but Joe Weatherley and Stubbs grafted in a 64-run partnership to put Hampshire in the right direction for some death overs destruction.And when Weatherley found long-on, the two overseas players Stubbs and Cartwright pumped out 84 from the final 37 balls.Stubbs took down Luc Benkenstein with a pair of sixes down the ground to kickstart a final four-over splash of 70 runs.Wiaan Mulder was next in the firing line as Cartwright took centre stage in a 22-run over before two more to reach 200 – which hadn't looked likely at 80-3 at the halfway poin...