HAMPSHIRE’s Natwest T20 Blast campaign reached a new low when they suffered a record defeat against Surrey in front of a bumper crowd at The Oval last night.

Sean Ervine’s side crashed to an 80-run defeat – their heaviest-ever T20 loss by a runs margin - in front of nearly 17,000, writes Simon Walter.

The day began badly when overseas star Shahid Afridi pulled out due to illness.

He tweeted his apologies, adding: “im unwell&dnt want 2take chances.Will back in action in the nxtT20.” [sic].

Next up is a visit from Sussex on Friday (after back-to-back Royal London One-Day Cup games on Tuesday/Wednesday).

But Hampshire’s hopes of qualifying for a seventh successive Finals Day are already fading fast after a fourth defeat in five matches.

They are in the middle of their worst start to a T20 campaign for more than a decade and without Afridi - as well as Michael Carberry and James Vince - were always going to struggle after conceding 188-5.

Tino Best (4-0-25-1) produced his most economical T20 performance for two years but after Jason Roy chipped a leading edge to deep mid-off against Darren Sammy’s fifth ball, Dominic Sibley (67) and Kumar Sangakkara (72) put on 114 in ten overs for Surrey’s second wicket.

Best, Sammy (2-27) and Ryan Stevenson (2-40) at least ensured Surrey did not pile up 200-plus.

And Jimmy Adams got the Hampshire chase off to a good start when he upper cut the third ball of the reply for six over third man. But he dragged the next delivery from Sam Curran on to his stumps.

Adam Wheater (8) square drove his second ball for four but also played on, after stepping outside leg stump to cut Sibley’s leg spin.

Ervine was soon caught behind having a swing outside off stump against West Indies seamer Ravi Rampaul.

Liam Dawson was comprehensively bowled by a Tom Curran off-cutter in the next over as Hampshire were reduced to 38-4 at the end of the six-over powerplay.

They were 52-5 when Will Smith swung a Zafar Ansari full toss to Dwayne Bravo on the square-leg boundary.

The sound of a quacking duck echoed round the Oval when Sammy was caught behind first ball by slow left-armer Ansari’s next delivery.

Lewis McManus’s performance was one of the few positives for Hampshire, along with Stevenson’s two wickets on debut, after replacing Gareth Berg in the other change to the team that lost at Kent on Wednesday night.

Having made a T20 century for the 2nd XI last week, he kept his head as wickets fell around him in making a 35-ball 41, which included three fours and a six.

But after sweeping the second ball of a new Sibley spell for his only maximum, he top edged the next ball attempting a repeat.

Gareth Andrew launched Sibley over long-on for six during a 22-ball 31 that restored a modicum of pride, before Surrey debutant Dwayne Bravo took a stunning boundary catch.

Stevenson was caught behind in the following over and Best only lasted two balls as Hampshire were bowled out with 21 balls remaining.

Hampshire director of cricket Giles White said: “We were dealt a tough hand tonight with the injuries and with Afridi being ill but we can’t use that as an excuse.”