Lymington’s Lewis McManus would have experienced mixed feelings having been blooded in Hampshire’s faltering Natwest T20 Blast campaign this week.
McManus was handed his debut in the competition as Hampshire suffered a narrow eight-run defeat at Kent on Wednesday. The 21-year-old opened the batting and was run out for six at Canterbury before top-scoring with 41 as Hampshire crashed to an 80-run defeat against Surrey on Thursday.
His performance was one of the few positives as Hampshire were condemned to a club record defeat in front of a bumper crowd of almost 17,000 at The Oval. With overseas star Shahid Afridi ruled out due to illness, Michael Carberry injured and James Vince on duty with England, Hampshire’s pursuit of Surrey’s 188 for five lurched to 38 for four at the end of the six-over power-play.
McManus looked on from the non-striker’s end as they were reduced to 52-5 after Will Smith had been caught by Dwayne Bravo on the square-leg boundary and then 52 for six when Darren Sammy was snapped up first ball by slow left-armer Zafar Ansari.
Having made a T20 century for the seconds last week, McManus kept his head as wickets fell around him, his 35-ball stay including three fours and a six. He could again feature when Hampshire face Sussex in the T20 Blast at the Ageas Bowl on Friday and may have played his way into contention for back-to-back Royal London One-Day Cup games against Gloucester and Surrey on Tuesday and Wednesday.
McManus was handed his debut in the competition as Hampshire suffered a narrow eight-run defeat at Kent on Wednesday. The 21-year-old opened the batting and was run out for six at Canterbury before top-scoring with 41 as Hampshire crashed to an 80-run defeat against Surrey on Thursday.
His performance was one of the few positives as Hampshire were condemned to a club record defeat in front of a bumper crowd of almost 17,000 at The Oval. With overseas star Shahid Afridi ruled out due to illness, Michael Carberry injured and James Vince on duty with England, Hampshire’s pursuit of Surrey’s 188 for five lurched to 38 for four at the end of the six-over power-play.
McManus looked on from the non-striker’s end as they were reduced to 52-5 after Will Smith had been caught by Dwayne Bravo on the square-leg boundary and then 52 for six when Darren Sammy was snapped up first ball by slow left-armer Zafar Ansari.
Having made a T20 century for the seconds last week, McManus kept his head as wickets fell around him, his 35-ball stay including three fours and a six. He could again feature when Hampshire face Sussex in the T20 Blast at the Ageas Bowl on Friday and may have played his way into contention for back-to-back Royal London One-Day Cup games against Gloucester and Surrey on Tuesday and Wednesday.
