HAMPSHIRE have to win their final Royal London One-Day Cup group match to be sure of another quarter-final - after losing at home to Lancashire.

Adam Wheater’s 111 (114 balls) was not enough to prevent a 29-run defeat against Hampshire’s T20 semi-final opponents at The Ageas Bowl.

It means Hampshire need to beat group leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge tomorrow to be sure of their place in the last eight of the 50-over competition.

But James Vince’s side will still go through in fourth place if they lose and Lancashire are beaten at home to Glamorgan.

“We like to keep fans on the edge of their seats!" said Wheater. "Ideally we’d have guaranteed it against Lancashire because Notts is not an easy place to go.

“But we should take confidence there because we’re playing good cricket.”

Hampshire conceded 301-4  against Lancashire on a slow, used pitch after losing the toss.

It could have been a lot more but Liam Dawson and Chris Wood did well to restrict Lancashire during their last ten overs.

Ashwell Prince’s 102 (113 balls) laid a solid foundation but he and Alviro Peterson, who made a run-a-ball 82, were both dismissed in Wood’s second spell to give Hampshire hope.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Davies blitzed an unbeaten 27 from 12 balls to ensure Hampshire had a six-runs-an-over target to chase.

Wheater, having discarded his wicketkeeping pads and gloves to field as a ‘back-stop’ when Davies unveiled his ramp shots in Lancashire’s final over, continued to revel in his No. 3 white-ball role.

He benefited from missed stumpings by opposite number Davies, on 35 and 50, to keep Hampshire in the game.

Michael Carberry (14) holed out in the fifth over of the reply, but Wheater put on 100 in 19 overs with Jimmy Adams (53).

James Vince (7) was bowled three overs later and Sean Ervine (14) soon followed.

But Wheater shared another 53 at a run-a-ball with Liam Dawson (52). With nine overs remaining, Hampshire were 226-4, requiring a gettable 76.

But Lancashire’s slow left-armers made three crucial breakthroughs between them. Wheater holed out against Parry and Simon Kerrigan dismissed Will Smith (5) and Wood (4) in successive overs to end Hampshire’s hopes.

Hampshire bowling: Wood 10-0-66-2, Edwards 8-0-49-1, Yasir Arafat 7-0-47-0, Smith 5-0-35-0, Dawson 10-0-36-1, Crane 10-0-65-0.