91�ȱ�

Neil McKenzie produced a match-winning innings as Hampshire dramatically beat Nottinghamshire to reach the FL t20 finals day for a third successive year.

Nottinghamshire looked in charge after England international Samit Patel blasted 60 off only 33 deliveries as the hosts made 178-7 at Trent Bridge.

Patel then also claimed three wickets as the visitors were facing defeat.

However, McKenzie (79 not out) hit three boundaries in the last over as Hampshire won off the final ball.

Hampshire, winners in 2010 and semi-finalists last year, won the toss and elected to field.

They gained an instant result as Alex Hales was out without scoring with Riki Wessels dismissed the following over.

Patel, who came in at number six, made his 12th half-century in T20 cricket to take Nottinghamshire to a challenging total.

Hampshire lost Jimmy Adams in the second over of their reply and they were then restricted by Patel (3-26), the most economical of Nottinghamshire's bowlers.

Glenn Maxwell, who was playing his last match for Hampshire after an international call-up from Australia, became one of Patel's three wickets when he was stumped by Chris Read.

But McKenzie's innings proved decisive as his unbeaten 79 off 49 balls saw Hampshire edge into the semi-finals where they join Somerset,Sussex and Yorkshire in the finals day in Cardiff on 25 August.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Nottinghamshire captain Adam Voges told 91�ȱ� Radio Nottingham:

"It was a terrific game of cricket and there had to be a loser and, unfortunately again, it had to be us on the wrong side of it.

"We ended up posting a pretty decent total. On a good wicket with a fast outfield it was about par.

"We knew they would need someone to play a big innings for them to win the game. Credit to Neil McKenzie - he played beautifully and got them home in the end."