Glenn Maxwell blasts Hampshire to FL t20 victory over Essex

Friends Life t20, Chelmsford

Hampshire 177-4 beat Essex 176-4 by six wickets

Match scorecard

Big-hitting Australian Glenn Maxwell produced another explosive FL t20 innings as Hampshire beat Essex with two overs to spare at Chelmsford.

The 23-year-old Aussie smashed an unbeaten 60 from only 24 balls as the visitors overhauled their opponents' total of 176-4 to win by six wickets.

And 30 of those came in one over off spinner Tim Phillips, Maxwell three times putting him out of the ground.

Simon Katich made a more leisurely 42 off 38 as Hampshire got home on 177-4.

Maxwell's explosion of shots came a few days after he struck a match-winning 66 from 32 balls in beating Kent and leaves Hampshire well on course for a place in the quarter-finals.

Essex, who slip to third in the group, had looked set for a much bigger total after an opening stand of 83 from James Franklin, who went on to hit 78 from 49 balls, and Mark Pettini (38).