YORKSHIRE snuffed out Hampshire's interest in the B&H Super Cup on Friday before it ever caught fire.

Four wins from four meetings and an unbeaten century from David Byas suggest that Yorkshire can beat Hampshire at will.

Of the four wins - two in the CGU National League, and the champi-onship win at Basingstoke - this nine-wicket drubbing was the easiest.

Hampshire might have hoped the law of averages might have been on their side, but not for the first time, the law won.

A Yorkshire attack wise to the ways of Headingley was too good for Hampshire, and 187-9 represented a target as easy to defend as beating off a grizzly bear with a rolled-up news-paper.

Jason Laney continued his impressive form trot with Hampshire's highest score as he and Derek Kenway assembled their third successive 50-plus parternship.

But once the pair were separated at 57 with Kenway providing Blakey with the first of four catches, the innings failed to get into second gear.

When sides score low, looks are inevitably cast at the batting. Not enough credit is given to very good bowling.

Robin Smith will vouch for that as Craig White produced an absolute beast off a length. Smith's attempted evasive action saw him end up on the floor after gloving a simple chance to Blakey.

Hampshire again found themselves caught between the devil of batting out their overs and the deep blue sea of trying to assemble a defendable target. Will Kendall scratched around for a punchy 28, John Stephenson tried to anchor with 39 and Shaun Udal had a bit of a late blast with a six off Craig White before falling trying for a repeat.

Byas was severe on a wilting attack and once again filled his boots against Hampshire.

He offered two difficult chances, Smith only able to parry at short mid-wicket as Byas pulled powerfully at James, while Aymes couldn't get a glove on the thinnest of edges to Udal.

Greg Blewett gratefully accepted the chance to play his way into form, and Jason Laney was forced off after trying to catch an artillery shell at mid-wicket.

Byas reached his century with a single off a mis-field, and his 104 came off 112 balls, including one six and 11 fours. One of Blewett's five fours in his 121-ball knock came courtesy of Stephenson's petulant shy at the stumps after Blewett had creamed him for six. As Stephenson missed stumps and wicket-keeper by three yards it somehow summed up Hampshire's day.

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