One-Day Cup: Hampshire reach final as Liam Dawson & Keith Barker blitz Bears

Liam Dawson took 7-15 in 6.5 overs to demolish Warwickshire's innings

Hampshire cruised to their first One-Day Cup final in four years as the Liam Dawson-inspired visitors destroyed Warwickshire again on home soil.

In a repeat of their T20 Blast quarter-final win in Birmingham in 2022, when the Bears were bowled out for 82, this time over the longer format they were skittled for just 93.

Fletcha Middleton and Tom Prest then helped Hampshire cruise to their target inside 20 overs.

Warwickshire old boy Keith Barker did the hard yards up front, taking the first three Bears wickets, including in-form key man Ed Barnard.

But he then surrendered centre stage to England spinner Liam Dawson who proceeded to cause carnage.

On a wicket offering turn, but aided by some appalling batting, Dawson took 7-15, the best figures by a Hampshire player in List A cricket and the best by any county in white-ball cricket against Warwickshire.

From 42-2, Barnard's loss for 26 triggered a complete collapse, which accelerated as Dawson bowled Michael Burgess and Jacob Bethell before taking the last five wickets in 16 balls for just two runs, leaving Sam Hain stranded on 33.

Hampshire will meet Leicestershire, who beat Gloucestershire by six wickets in the other semi-final, in the final at Trent Bridge on Saturday 16 September.

Fired-up Barker sparks Hants

Put into bat, the Bears were initially left in disarray by one of their most popular former players as 36-year-old left-arm paceman Barker produced a seven-over opening spell in which he took three wickets, had one caught off a no-ball, one drop and a big edge through an unmanned gully.

Rob Yates was dropped by Prest at first slip off Barker but then skied his next ball straight to Hampshire's other former Bear Brad Wheal at mid-off.

Barker's outswinger then did for home skipper Rhodes, who was caught behind before he also duped Barnard into edging to wicketkeeper Ben Brown.

Just one run after going past Andrew Umeed's total of 613 to become the top run scorer in this season's competition on 614, Barnard chased a ball which would have been called a legside wide - and got an edge to leave Warwickshire 42-3.

Dawson then got in on the act as he bowled both Burgess and Bethell before taking three in four balls.

Ethan Brookes holed out to extra cover, Jake Lintott was out first ball, sweeping to long leg. Having survived the hat-trick ball, Dawson got one to turn and bounce and Danny Briggs was given out lbw.

The scalps of Henry Brookes and Oliver Hannon-Dalby followed in his next over as Hain stood gaping in disbelief at the other end - and that completed Dawson's best bowling analysis in any form of cricket.

The Bears' total was the second lowest in the competition this season. Only Essex, bowled out by Notts for 69 at Chelmsford four weeks earlier, had fared worse.

Hannon-Dalby has bowled beautifully throughout the tournament with 24 wickets at an average of just 12.2. But it left Hampshire with very little to chase and they reached 95-1 for the loss of only skipper Nick Gubbins, lbw to Lintott for 9.

Middleton then advanced smoothly to his fifth List A half-century, from 56 balls with seven fours, before Prest struck the match-winning six.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson:

"There's not much you can say really. We have had done to us what we have done to a few teams this year.

"At times we have won the toss in good bowling conditions and made heavy inroads in a powerplay and got a team out for a low score. This time it's happened to us.

"Fair play to Dawson. He bowled really well. The ball held in the wicket a tiny bit, but we are better than losing five like that. But it's cricket and these are the ones you've got to take on the chin. You feel a bit embarrassed and a bit ashamed but actually it can happen.

"We just needed someone to stay in with Sam Hain. 200 would have made it interesting. If we had got to 200 we would have had a sniff. But, apart from a brief stand between Barny and Sam we never looked like doing that."

Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson told BBC Radio Solent:

"Before the game I had an idea it was going to spin because we played the Hundred game here on Thursday night and it spun then.

"To get an analysis like that is a special achievement but it was a nice pitch to bowl on. It was the sort of wicket where I knew that if I bowled the ball in a good enough area at the right pace, I'd get something out of it.

"I felt if I got my pace and length right, it wasn't going to be that easy to score on. I naturally bowl a bit quicker than some spinners so sometimes when the pitch is turning I can get a bit more out of it than others.

"It feels outstanding to be in the final. I've not been part of the group for the best part of the month so to come in and contribute to getting to the final is really pleasing."