Hampshire will have to win their next Natwest T20 Blast to stay in the south group’s top four after today’s washout against Surrey.

Heavy rain meant Hampshire’s latest T20 Blast match was abandoned without a ball bowled at 4.25pm, after an inspection by umpires Mike Burns and Rob Bailey was curtailed by a heavy downpour.

Hampshire took a point from the Ageas Bowl fixture but the back-to-back defeats against Sussex and Essex last week leave James Vince’s side in fourth, the last of the quarter-final places.

Somerset’s win at home to Middlesex today means the Cidermen can replace Hampshire in the top four by winning their meeting at Taunton on Wednesday.

Hampshire have one other game next week, against second-placed Gloucestershire at Bristol on Friday night.

On Tuesday night Gloucestershire host Glamorgan, who are level with Hampshire on seven points from six fixtures.

After today’s abandonment, Hampshire batsman Tom Alsop said: “Hopefully the next two games will be very winnable especially with the line-up we have.

“The good thing with us is that some of our batsmen haven’t fired yet.”