HAMPSHIRE Hawks could hardly expect to find themselves anywhere other than at the bottom of the CGU National League Division 1, after all, they spent their tine kicking their own in losing by three runs to Leicestershire Foxes.

Perhaps it's something about teams that play along Northlands Road. Saints at one end, Hampshire Hawks at the other, both it seems destined to fight against the drop in one competition or another.

Not that Hampshire have anyone else but themselves to blame. Perhaps they should change their NL monicker to the Hampshire Explorers as they somehow keep managing to unearth previously undiscovered ways of chucking matches away.

Rank sloppy fielding handed Foxes probably 30 runs more than they should have, while Hawks reply foundered in a mid-innings torpor zone where they fudged just 25 runs in 12 overs.

The finish had no right to be as close and feverish as it was. Until Nixon McLean belted three successive fours off the penultimate over from Mike Kasporowicz, Hampshire were as actively chasing the Foxes as hunt sabateurs.

Needing 14 off James Ormond, McLean and Dimi Mascarenhas got the last-ball target down to a six to win, or a four to earn a tie. They got neither. Leicestershire had looked on course for a target in excess of 300 as early batsmen Darren Stevens and Jon Dakin attacked with the field up, helped by some poor bowling. McLean's inconsistent length saw him plundered for 40 off his first five overs.

He recovered well in his second spell, although by that time Hampshire's fielding had gone up the pictures which didn't help his final figures.

Hampshire's fielding seemed at best lethargic, with Leicestershire able to take singles at will, while various fielders continually dived over the ball to concede what would be vital runs.

For all that, Hampshire reigned Leicestershire in and despite Darren Maddy's efforts to glue things together with 89 off 87 balls, Hampshire pol-ished off the last six wickets for 33 runs in 37 balls to bowl the Foxes out for 248 in 42.4overs which represented a great fightback.

Hampsire's innings got off to the sort of start that suggested they would make light work of the target, Jason Laney continuing his good form with a lusty 35 as he and Derek Kenway put on 96 in 16 blistering overs for the opening wicket.

But this is Hampshire. Once the openers departed the steam disappeared out of the innings, with Matt Brimson's slow left-arm, and the gentle medium pace of Vince Wells and Maddy applied the anchors.

Robin Smith looked ill-at-ease against Brimson, holing out with shot that smacked of desperation and it wasn't until John Stephenson's entry with 38 off 34 balls that the pace picked up as he and Mascarenhas blasted 64 in nine overs.

But it was all too late, the damage was done and Hampshire Hawks were left to ease their aching butts.

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