GERAINT Jones celebrated his 39th birthday by guiding Gloucestershire to a five-wicket NatWest T20 Blast South Group victory over Hampshire in a low-scoring contest at Cheltenham.

The visitors could muster only 116 all out after losing the toss in overcast conditions on a pitch assisting all types of bowling. James Vince top scored with 32, while Craig Miles returned three for 25 in an excellent bowling and fielding display.

Gloucestershire plunged to 44 for four in reply before Jones (40) and Benny Howell (31 not out) calmed dressing room nerves by adding 61 in 8.4 overs. They eventually reached the target with eight balls to spare, helped by a couple of dropped catches.

Hampshire batted from the start as if they didn’t trust the Festival pitch. A six over square leg from Michael Carberry and some sweet drives from Vince were rare shots in anger during a power play that yielded only 38 runs as Miles bowled three overs for 19.

Carberry was bowled by Miles in the third over, the ball after his six, and Adam Wheater was content to push singles to give the strike to Vince, the one batsman who appeared at home. The Hampshire captain had moved to 32 when caught at long-on off Howell with the score 57 in the ninth over.

Wheater fell in the same over, a double wicket-maiden for Howell and at the halfway stage of their innings the visitors were becalmed on 62 for three. Owais Shah drove a catch to long-off to give Jack Taylor a wicket before Tom Smith claimed his 23rd victim of the competition as Sean Terry was bowled on the back foot.

Will Smith provided brief acceleration with a six and four off successive balls from off-spinner Taylor in the 16th over, but wickets continued to tumble and Hampshire managed only 13 off the last four overs, with last man Jackson Bird being run out off the final ball.

Soon it was Gloucestershire struggling with the bat. The competition’s leading run-maker Michael Klinger went lbw to Jackson Bird for a duck in the opening over and by the end of their power play the hosts were 39 for three.

Ian Cockbain was run out when sent back attempting an unnecessary third run, while Chris Dent, on 23, clipped Chris Wood straight to Joe Gatting at mid-wicket. It was starting to look a close contest when Peter Handscomb was bowled behind his legs by Danny Briggs for seven.

But Jones soon set about steadying the ship with some confident strokes. The England Ashes winning wicketkeeper hit 3 fours and 2 sixes in his 30-ball innings before being bowled by Vince with only 12 runs needed.

Howell offered excellent support in a fine individual all-round performance, following his two for 15 from four overs with some well-timed strokes.