Holders Hampshire downed by Davies

Steven Davies fired a career-best 127 not out as Surrey claimed a convincing nine-wicket win over reigning champions Hampshire at The Oval. It was Davies' sixth one-day hundred, coming in 81 balls.

He and opening partner Graeme Smith, who scored a quick-fire 74 from 75 balls, shared an opening stand of 162 in 21 overs after Zafar Ansari helped to restrict Hampshire to a modest 228 all out with a career-best of 4 for 46.

Surrey already had 43 on the board by the end of the fourth over of their reply, with Davies warming up by pulling James Tomlinson for six. Nine overs later, Davies simultaneously took the hosts to three figures in addition to bringing up his half-century, which came off 43 deliveries.

Smith, meanwhile, eased to a 36-ball fifty in the fifteenth over before he was caught at wide long-on off Liam Dawson six overs later for 74, though not before lifting Hamza Riazuddin back over his head for six.

Davies moved to 98 with a second six off Michael Carberry and in the 26th over, brought up his hundred, continuing his fine start to the season, with ten fours and three sixes. Vikram Solanki also chipped in with an unbeaten 22 as he and Davies saw Surrey home with more than eight overs to spare.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Hampshire were indebted to Sean Ervine's 63 from 70 deliveries for their total of 228. James Vince and Jimmy Adams overcame the departure of Carberry, to a thin edge off Jade Dernbach, to give the innings some early impetus.

But after Vince was caught at deep square leg off Jon Lewis in the ninth over, the visitors became bogged down against the spin of Ansari and Gareth Batty.

With George Bailey and Adams both holing out to long-on, Hampshire were 89 for 4 in the 18th over. Ervine then took charge, initially by bringing up the hundred for the Royals with a straight six off Gary Keedy.

Dawson and Ervine added 54 in nine overs for the fifth wicket before a superb catch, at short extra cover by Smith off Ansari, drew a line under a resourceful knock of 36 from Dawson. Ansari struck again when Adam Wheater was stumped two overs later, though not before Ervine, on 31, was dropped off a bottom edge off Batty.

After Chris Wood had been run out at the non-striker's end by Davies, Ervine brought up a 61-ball half-century with the second of two successive fours through midwicket off Dernbach. But Hampshire's innings slipped away after Ervine, looking to launch Ansari into the pavilion, was bowled.