Hampshire 167/5 beat Glamorgan 145/9 by 22 runs

LEWIS McManus blasted a career-best 59 before Shahid Afridi took 4-20 as Hampshire won their opening T20 match in Cardiff.

The wicketkeeper-batsman vindicated his selection ahead of Tom Alsop with a blistering knock as he and George Bailey shared a match-winning fifth-wicket stand of 95 in ten overs.

James Vince and Rilee Rossouw, Hampshire’s new-look opening partnership, put on 52 from the first 23 balls, with the captain hitting six of his seven fours in the first two overs.

But the visitors slipped to 70-4 at halfway after Vince and Rossouw were dismissed in successive Michael Hogan overs during the powerplay. McManus provided the impetus that was needed, showing once again that he is a more than adequate replacement for Adam Wheater.

The 21 year-old’s 35-ball 41 at Surrey last season was more than double his career aggregate before last night.

Yet he showed the composure of a veteran in hitting the joint second-highest T20 score by a Hampshire wicketkeeper, blasting five sixes (including two in as many balls against Colin Ingram’s leg-spin in the 16th over) on his way to a 31-ball half-century.

Reece Topley, one of three Hampshire players making their T20 debut for the county alongside Bailey and Rossouw, then bookended the first over of Glamorgan’s reply with the wickets of David Lloyd and Ingram before finishing with 3-23 - his best T20 figures for four years.

Glamorgan recovered to 43-2 at the end of the powerplay before Afridi struck twice in two balls en route to his best Hampshire haul since taking 5-20 on his home debut in 2011.

Afterwards, Afridi said: “That was a great start to the T20 season for the team and it was a really important spell for me as well.

“I think we started well in the batting but after the six overs I think we played too many dot balls and the pressure came on us, and that’s why we lost wickets in that time as well.

“I think the pitch was very good and I thought maybe we’d go to 180+.

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph was Afridi’s third victim when he drove to opposite number Vince.

After putting on fifty with Graham Wagg, Chris Cooke pulled Afridi to Michael Carberry on the mid-wicket boundary.

When Wagg (50) was dismissed by Mason Crane, who bowled well in tandem with Afridi, it was effectively all over for the home side.

“Graham Wagg played a great knock in a crucial situation,” added Afridi.

Hampshire play Sussex at Hove on Wednesday and host Middlesex on Friday.