Hampshire return to Finals Day thanks to Vince and Baker heroics

Hampshire are heading to Finals Day after a big win powered by James Vince’s century and Brad Baker’s five-wicket haul. Vince leads with the bat Vince scored a century to anchor Hampshire’s innings and set up a big total.Baker picked up a 5-wicket haul to tear through the opposition and seal the win. The result books Hampshire another spot at T20 Blast Finals Day, continuig their run as one of the competition’s top teams. The Hawks will face Notts Outlaws in the second semi-final at Edgbaston on Saturday as they hunt for a record fourth Blast title. Hampshire have still only lost one Blast quarter-final, their first in 2009 - winning 12 in a row. Vince has more than a thousand runs more than anyone else in Blast history, but for him, he's had a quiet competition. Having been stuck in by Simon Harmer, Vince initially started slowly, thanks to Sam Cook getting prodigious swing with the new ball. But Vince got himself moving with four boundaries in five balls against Shane Snater in the fifth over and barely looking back.He showed off his full gambit of gorgeous stroke-making, seemingly trying to fill in every angle of the wagon wheel with pulls, drives and every other luscious shot. Vince 100: His 8th T20 hundred and 2nd vs Essex. First 50 came in 38 balls, next 50 in just 16 balls. Reached the ton with a six. He was dropped on 46, but after that it was "pure brutality". Weatherley support: Kept his good tournament going with 46 off 26, but was overshadowed by Vince. Team total: Vince and Weatherley fell in the death, but Hampshire still finished on 211/3. Baker returned to pin Simon Harmer lbw and then bowled Snater to pick up 5 for 24. Essex were eventually getting to 136 for nine - losing by 75 runs. Hampshire 211 for 3 (Vince 125, Weatherley 46) beat Essex 139 for 9 (Allison 44, Baker 5-24) by 75 runs