Jimmy Adams talks to Steven Woodgate

Following Hampshire Hawks’ one run victory over Yorkshire Carnegie, opener Jimmy Adams admitted it was a win that the team needed: “We needed that win having lost against Sussex. We were very disappointed after last week’s game at Northants where we didn’t do ourselves any justice at all and were well below par. To win a close game is always a great feeling so we’re very happy.”

Adams praised the batsmen for their part in the win. “The guys in the middle did a great job. We got a little stuck after the first 15, the spinners and Hoggard bowled well and pegged us back a little but we kept wickets in hand and it served us well.”

As the floodlights came on, Yorkshire’s fielders seemed to struggle as a series of chances went begging: “It seemed that a few guys had trouble picking the ball up but in a tight game the losers will always think about their errors – that’s the nature of the game.”

Adams believes it was a job well done as a real team effort gave Hampshire victory: “I felt we started really well with the ball, but once they got going we struggled to hold them back. A few of the bowlers may feel they’ve had better days but us batters have had better days as well, they’ve done the job a lot for us this year and this time we were able to do it for them.”

The opener believes the heavy schedule of matches (Hampshire play Lancashire in the LVCC starting today) is tough but accepts it as part of professional cricket: “The fixture list is the fixture list; we can only do what we can do. We’ll try and get a good night’s sleep and we’ve got half an hour lie in! It’s a little bit bonkers but that’s the way it is, we were lucky to have a week off before the FP Trophy semi. Sometimes the fixture list works in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t but most of the lads are night owls anyway.”

Adams was bemused by the Twenty20 defeat against Northants last week and believes it will spur the team on to better things. “Northants was hugely frustrating. We were nowhere near where we wanted to be, unfortunately we had a low but it gave us a kick up the backside. Winning every game isn’t possible. It was a massive game for us and annoying we had it so soon after such a great day at Lord’s.”

Post match reporting by Steve Woodgate.