Matt Critchley continued his 2026 domination over Hampshire Hawks as Essex kept Vitality Blast men’s competition quarter-final qualification in their own hands.

Critchley, who thumped Hampshire around with the bat in both Rothesay County Championship matches earlier in the season, claimed 4 for 16 with his legspin before scoring the winning runs in his 27 not out. Shane Snater also picked up three wickets as the already-qualified Hawks crumpled to 130 all out.

Paul Walter‘s half-century made sure the chase was simply navigated ahead of Essex’s group finale at the Kia Oval – where a win against quarter-final-bound Surrey would take them to the knockouts.

Hampshire were stuck in and had clearly decided that they would need to set over 200 runs to win – a usual par score at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, in Chelmsford.

The start of their innings saw that landmark a distinct possibility. Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley and Ben Mayes all freed their arms successfully and regularly found the boundary.

After Snater had wiped out James Vince and Albert’s stumps, Weatherley and Mayes put on 49 to take the visitors to 76 for 2. But largely, Essex’s bowlers put on a clinic of how to bowl on a pitch which held up a little bit, and made sure 200 was taken off the agenda very quickly.

Critchley has already had quite the season against Hampshire. In the two Rothesay County Championship fixtures, he scored 173 and 90 not out, plus took a five-wicket haul.

He dislodged Mayes and then Hilton Cartwright in his first over before getting Weatherley caught at deep midwicket in his second. He would round out figures of 4 for 16 when Andrew Neal was the last to go.

Mayes’ dismissal had sparked a long and painful collapse, which saw the remaining eight wickets fall for just 54 runs in as many balls. Snater added Tristan Stubbs to his three bowled victims to take home 3 for 33 in the procession.

A quite miraculous one-handed catch by Mackenzie Jones topped off Essex’s fielding efforts, as they bowled the Hawks out for 130 inside 16 overs.

Before Wednesday night’s defeat to Middlesex, a home quarter-final looked a formality for Hampshire. This chastening night meant they’ll now have to win at south coast rivals Sussex Sharks on Sunday afternoon.

Sonny Baker, released by England’s T20 squad for this match, did bowl Michael Pepper and Charlie Allison to return an impressive 2 for 28. But Essex didn’t have to go hard to reach 200, and could therefore stick in a lowerr gear and take the risk-free route to victory.

Walter was the personification of that with his 52 off 37 and, even though Luc Benkenstein fell, the hosts won with over four overs to spare.