‘We were a little bit loose in all three aspects’ – Hampshire Hawks suffer defeat in Vitality Blast T20 opener against Middlesex at The  Ageas Bowl

Luke Hollman’s wickets and Toby Roland-Jones’ miserly bowling sent Middlesex to two wins from two with a 10-run victory over the Hawks at The Ageas Bowl last night.

Leg spinner Hollman claimed 3-34 – including two in an over – while fast bowler Roland-Jones returned 2-19 and defended 14 off the final over.

Max Holden, John Simpson and Jake Davies all scored in the 40s as Middlesex defended 163 with relative ease and handed them their first T20 win at The Ageas Bowl since 2016.

‘I think we were a little bit loose in all three aspects of the game,’ said Vince, who top scored at No 3 for his side with 47.

‘It did a bit early and we got three wickets, but in between that we gave them too many easy boundaries and they managed to score through the middle overs.

‘We perhaps didn’t do quite enough with the ball and were a bit sloppy in the field as well.

‘It is our first run out and it would have been nice to win but we will have to bounce back on Monday. It isn’t the ideal start but it is the small margins.

‘I tried to bat through a little bit and losing regular wickets held me back a little, and then at the backend we were in the game but we didn’t quite execute.”

Hampshire chose to bowl first, and Brad Wheal bookended his first over with wickets of a Hobartian flavour. Big Bash team-mates Nathan Ellis and wicketkeeper Ben McDermott snaffled catches to see off Steve Eskinazi and Joe Cracknell.

Chris Wood, on his return from his third career ACL operation, thought he had struck with the first ball of the innings, with a failed caught behind shout.

The left-armer - Hampshire’s leading T20 wicket-taker of all time - succeeded in his second over when he beat Martin Andersson for pace and kissed the top of his off stump. Wood returned miserly figures of 1-20, with a maiden included.

Having been dumped down to 14-3, Holden and Davies steadied the ship and milked the middle overs with a 77-run stand. Holden may have pinged a six over Liam Dawson’s head, but the partnership was borne out of singles around the expansive outfield.

Davies had come into the side for the rotated Eoin Morgan, having previously scored a total of 48 runs in four T20s – here he scored 47 with six predominantly legside boundaries.

Holden and Davies both fell in their 40s but John Simpson clubbed Wheal for two sixes on his way to 41 and guided Middlesex to a competitive 163.

In the chase, McDermott - on his Hawks debut - threatened to explode after a four, six, four combo off Blake Cullen before some added bounce and a leading-edge saw his demise, with opening partner Aneurin Donald holing out to deep square four balls later.

From 41 without loss, Hampshire dive-bombed to 58-4 when Hollman’s spin grabbed the double-bubble of Joe Weatherley and Dawson in the ninth over.

Like McDermott, Ross Whiteley struck some might blows on his Hampshire debut but took one adventure too far to plink Hollman to deep extra cover.

Vince had trickled and scratched along under the radar during 48 and 34-run stands with Whiteley and James Fuller – and appeared to be on course to get his side over the line.

But he was caught at long on to the last ball of the penultimate over for 47. And Roland-Jones only conceded three runs off the final six balls, with the bonus wicket of Wood to round off a solid display.

Hampshire next host Somerset at The Ageas Bowl on Monday (7pm).