ADAM Wheater struck a half-century as Hampshire beat MCC Young Cricketers in a Second Eleven Trophy match on the Isle of Wight.

Wheater, who pulled out of Hampshire’s LV County Championship match against Durham for personal reasons at the weekend, prepared for tomorrow night’s must-win T20 Blast match against Somerset with a 42-ball 51 (nine fours) at Newclose.

Hampshire made 277-9 from their 50 overs before completing a 139-run win by bowling MCC YC out for 138.

Wheater put on 57 in nine overs with Tom Alsop (25) following the early loss of Joe Weatherley (three).

When the wicketkeeper-batsman was run out, Sean Terry responded to being dropped from Hampshire’s Championship side by making 79 (84 balls, eight fours).

Terry put on 111 for the fourth wicket in 19 overs with Chris Wood, whose 61-ball 49 included six fours.

Then Danny Briggs hit a run-a-ball 25 before taking 3-26 from his ten overs as MCC YC were bowled out in 42.3.

There were also wickets for Wood (8-3-23-1), trialist Moin Ashraf (8-0-31-2), Basil Akram (6-0-28-1), Brad Wheal (7-1-14-1) and Brad Taylor (3.3-0-13-1).

Hampshire start a three-day Second Eleven Championship match against the same opposition tomorrow.