‘I owed the coach and the boys a few runs – it was nice to slog a few up in the air – Aneurin Donald’s career best helps Hampshire book home Royal London Cup semi-final

Group B winners Hampshire’s 16th win in 17 games across all competitions - they comfortably defended a 314 target to win by 72 runs - also contributed to the Vikings’ exit from the competition.

Yorkshire knew a final day win would secure third place in the table and an away eliminator clash on Friday. But defeat opened the door for Glamorgan and Kent to usurp them, the latter going on to qualify.

Donald clattered five sixes in a 31-ball innings which was the feature of the Hawks’ 313-9 having been inserted, while opener Ben Brown made 60 and Tom Prest 55.

Matthew Revis claimed his own career best 4-77 from nine overs before adding 41 as Yorkshire attempted to recover from 31-4 in reply before being bowled out for 241 inside 46 overs.

New ball seamer John Turner impressed with 5-41 from 8.3.

‘It’s awesome (to get a home semi-final). The boys are really proud of that,’ said Donald.

‘It’s a long way up to Scarborough, so it’s nice to get the job done and secure an extra couple of days off.

‘It’s great to see all the youngsters come through and perform. At this stage, it seems like everyone has stood up and taken their chance. It was nice to see a couple of the oldies contribute today!

‘We thought we had a big score. The wicket got better, and Yorkshire struck it pretty well throughout. It was just early wickets from our seamers.

‘We actually thought it did a bit early on, Nick Gubbins and Ben Brown took the shine off and allowed the rest of us to take advantage.

‘I owed the coach and the boys a few runs, so it was nice to slog a few up in the air. Just for me, I felt like I took the shackles off and went back to what I’m good at. Hopefully that’s the way forwards.’

Hampshire lost Nick Gubbins for 38, lbw sweeping at the off-spin of Dom Bess, as their score fell to 87-1 in the 19th over on a pitch which nibbled early on.

Brown scored the bulk of his runs behind square on both sides of the wicket.

Prest slog-swept Bess over midwicket for his first six and drove Revis on the up over cover for his second. The latter came two balls before Brown drove the same bowler to cover, leaving the score at 150-2 in the 33rd.

But that only paved the way for Donald’s pyrotechnics.

Prest was 40 when the Welshman arrived at the crease, and both men were on 52 when the latter reached his fifty off 23 balls.

At one stage, he hit four sixes in as many balls, three off Jack Shutt’s off-spin. He pummelled the leg-side boundary and scattered spectators in a 3,500 crowd.

But Yorkshire limited the damage impressively.

First they removed Prest and Donald with successive balls at the end of the 41st over and the start of the 42nd - 243-4. Prest was superbly caught at long-off by a diving Will Luxton, on as a substitute fielder, off Bess before Donald picked out cover off Matthew Waite.

Revis then added another three wickets as Hampshire’s lower order succumbed against a host of miscues, the visitors losing seven wickets for 76 in the last 10 overs.

Revis had Fletcha Middleton caught and bowled, Toby Albert caught at cover and Turner caught at backward point.

However, Yorkshire’s top order was obliterated inside eight overs amidst significant new ball movement through the air and off the pitch.

Turner jagged one back in at Will Fraine and bowled him before getting a squared up Fin Bean caught behind.

Either side of those wickets, Ian Holland forced Harry Duke into a miscued pull to wide mid-on and bowled George Hill through the gate with an in-swinger, leaving the hosts 31-4 after 7.1 overs.

A 55-run stand between Jonny Tattersall and Waite, 25 and 28, gave Yorkshre brief respite. But they fell caught at midwicket and behind inside three overs to seamers Campbell and Scott Currie - 106-6 in the 17th.

Revis and Bess (27) then shared 64 for the seventh wicket as Yorkshire battled back again. However, the latter was forced to retire hurt having been struck on the back of the head by a wild throw from Middleton at cover as he tried to complete a quick single.

That came at 170-6 after 32, bringing Harry Sullivan into the game as concussion sub.

Revis was caught at point by Middleton off Currie shortly afterwards before Ben Coad (24) handed Turner his third wicket at 228-6 after 42.

He bowled Sullivan for wicket number four before the game was wrapped up when Shutt top-edged him behind. Loten finished unbeaten with a consolation 43, Yorkshire’s top score.