One-Day Cup: Hampshire beat Worcestershire to reach semi-finals

Aneurin Donald has scored 221 from 146 balls across two matches in six days

Hampshire booked their place in the semi-finals of the One-Day Cup with a pulsating win over Worcestershire.

Aneurin Donald smashed 115 from 73 balls for his second century in succession as the hosts posted 306-9.

Half-centuries from Gareth Roderick, Rob Jones and Jake Libby pushed the visitors within sight of victory, but Brad Wheal's four wickets in nine balls saw Hampshire over the line.

Hampshire now visit Warwickshire in the last four on Tuesday (11:00 BST).

In the second semi-final later in the day, Leicestershire will host Gloucestershire (14:00 BST).

Hants hold upper hand on Pears

Hampshire have now beaten Worcestershire in three straight One-Day Cup games at Southampton. They also skittled the Rapids for 100 on their way to a five-wicket win in the T20 Blast quarter-finals at the Ageas in July.

After being asked to bat, Fletcha Middleton hit seven boundaries in his 41 to give the hosts a solid foundation, before Ben Brown and Donald put together a 162-run fourth-wicket stand in 21 overs.

Donald brought up his half-century from 40 deliveries and continued to go through the gears, hitting 18 off four balls from Dillon Pennington, on his way to reaching a century with a pulled six.

The Welsh batter had scored 773 runs in 40 innings at an average of 19.32 before Tuesday's game against Kent when he hit 106 from 73 balls, and he went even bigger this time, cracking 13 fours and four maximums before holing out off Josh Baker.

Brown struck 66 before being caught behind by opposite number Ben Cox off Pennington but Worcestershire stemmed the flow of runs and claimed five wickets for just 34 runs in the final eight overs.

Keith Barker struck in his second over of the reply to have Azhar Ali caught behind, before Gareth Roderick and Rob Jones spent the next 20 overs compiling a stand of 124 for the second wicket.

Skipper Libby hit just one boundary as he brought up his fourth half-century of the competition but added 66 in eight overs with Cox (26), before the latter was caught by Liam Dawson at long-off, off Wheal, to leave the visitors needing 33 from 22 balls.

Wheal then accounted for Logan van Beek and Joe Leach lbw, and bowled Pennington, while Dawson caught Libby for a run-a-ball 70 just inside the rope at mid-wicket off Barker to start the celebrations.

Hampshire paceman Brad Wheal:

"It's a great result for us, a tight one in the end but we got across the line.

"The lads have done so well this year. We've got a great bunch of youngsters showing what they can do and we're ecstatic to be going to Edgbaston for the semis.

"It was an unbelievable knock from Aneurin Donald. He's got two in a row now and is showing his class - he can change a game in 60 balls. We were lucky he was on our side. it was a heck of a knock."

Worcestershire captain Jake Libby:

"It's a really tough one to take. We're absolutely devastated. The lads are really gutted. We knew it would take something special to chase that.

"The wicket deteriorated into a tough pitch to bat on and they had two really good spinners.

"We dragged it back but hats off to Aneurin, he batted really well and was the difference between them getting 260-270 and 300."

Tuesday's semi-finals

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire (11:00 BST)

Leicester: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire (14:00)