Tom Prest’s hundred and Ashutosh Sharma’s debut wickets see Hampshire past Yorkshire

Hampshire began their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign with a 50-run win over Yorkshire at Scarborough on Tuesday, and two names carried the day. Tom Prest struck 109 to give the innings its shape, and Ashutosh Sharma, on his Hampshire debut, took three wickets to make sure a total of 320 was never chased down.

Prest and Lehmann set the total

Batting first on a good Scarborough surface, Hampshire built through the middle overs rather than exploding early. Prest was the anchor, reaching his hundred off 94 balls and finishing on 109, an innings that mixed patience with clean hitting once he was set. Jake Lehmann kept the momentum going with 75, and the two of them turned a steady start into a score that always felt above par. Hampshire closed on 320 for 8 from their 50 overs, the kind of total that asks hard questions of a chasing side on a slow outfield.

Ashutosh Sharma makes an immediate mark

Ashutosh had signed on as Hampshire’s overseas player for the tournament, and he did not wait long to justify the deal. Better known as an uncapped IPL finisher with the bat, he did his best work with the ball instead, returning 3 for 48 from nine overs and breaking Yorkshire’s innings at the moments it threatened to build. Yorkshire had platforms to work from, with Will Luxton making 64 and George Hill 61, but no partnership stretched far enough to bring the required rate under control. They were bowled out for 270, well short of the target.

A useful start to the campaign

For Hampshire, the value was in the manner of the win as much as the result. A 320 total defended without fuss, an overseas debutant chipping in with wickets, and a controlled, match-shaping hundred from Prest all point to a side that has settled quickly into the 50-over format. Ashutosh, who has built his reputation in the shorter game, will be one to watch across the rest of the group stage as he adjusts to English conditions. Yorkshire, beaten at their Scarborough outground, are left to regroup before their next fixture.

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