HAMPSHIRE Hawks head coach Adi Birrell insisted his side have not "put in a good performance in all departments" after their defeat to Sussex Sharks.

Sussex Sharks made it seven wins out of ten in the T20 Blast when they beat Hampshire by 22 runs at Hove on Wednesday evening.

Hampshire have won just twice and will surely have to win all their remaining matches to make the quarter-finals.

Hampshire, chasing a target of 201, could not have got off to a worse start, losing two wickets in the first two overs.

In the first, overseas batsman Ben McDermott was run out after hitting Ollie Robinson to extra cover and calling for a single. And in the next over Tom Prest lobbed James Coles to Tom Clark at mid-on.

But Vince and Joe Weatherley then breathed life into the Hampshire innings with a partnership worth 59 in just six overs. Vince hit Danny Lamb for a spectacular six over midwicket and out of the ground.

And Weatherley, dropped on 21 by Lamb, hit four fours and a six in a 23-ball 34 before he skied Jack Carson to Alsop at deep mid-off. When Vince was bowled by Lamb for 32 Hampshire were up against it. 

But a spirited partnership of 50 in five overs between Toby Albert (27) and Benny Howell (32) kept them on course. But while Hampshire were keeping up with the run-rate they continued to lose wickets. 

Albert, swiping to leg, was bowled by Coles, James Fuller prodded Coles to Lamb at midwicket and Howell was run out after Liam Dawson, who had just dug out a yorker by Robinson, did not leave his crease after his partner had called for a quick single. 

In the end, Hampshire bowled out for 178 in 19.1 overs and finished well short. Speaking after the defeat, head coach Birell said: "We’ll have to do some maths to see if we can still qualify. 

"I can’t really think that two wins out of ten gives us a chance of getting through to the quarter-finals but we’ll have to have a look at it. 

"We had three rained-off games, which has given us a few points, but we’re not really playing well enough to go through.

“We were up with the rate after about 12 overs.  But we had two silly run-outs and had a lot to do. 

"We bat deep but we were a bit off in all departments, as we have been throughout the campaign. We haven’t really put in a good performance in all departments.”