JAMES Vince starred for Hampshire with a magnificent 171 to knock Yorkshire out of the Royal London one-day Cup at the semi-final stage.

The England fringe batsman was at his elegant best with 20 fours and three sixes in 126 balls as the hosts posted 348-9 at the Ageas Bowl.

In reply, Yorkshire slipped to 47-3 inside 12 overs and failed to recover as they were bowled out for 241 inside 44 overs, losing by 107 runs.

Jonny Tattersall top-scored with an excellent career best 89 off 81 balls.

Hampshire will face Kent in the Lord’s final on June 30.

Yorkshire may have been beaten heavily here, but their campaign has shown promise.

Without up to six internationals for the last two knockout matches – five here – they showed plenty of character in the eliminator match at Essex last week to record a win that will be remembered for some time.

Here, they were off colour with the ball against a Hampshire side who finished top of the South group.

Steve Patterson elected to bowl first, and Hampshire fell to 76-2 in the 13th over, with the game in the balance.

But Vince and England Lions batsman Sam Northeast, their next best contributor with 58, shared 142 inside 31 overs in good batting conditions.

Vince has struggled in Test cricket over the last nine months, but he played superbly without using his signature cover drive.

He punched well through the covers off the back foot and pulled and whipped through mid-wicket handsomely.

Vince, who posted his fourth career century in 20 innings against Yorkshire across all cricket, and Northeast also ran superbly.

The hosts also took advantage of Yorkshire’s spin options, Karl Carver (0-66 from six overs) and Adam Lyth (1-35 from five).

Hampshire actually could have posted more. They were 285-4 after 41. But Yorkshire came back well, with Ben Coad, Tim Bresnan and Steve Patterson all striking twice.

However, the Vikings chances of overhauling their target were all but over inside the first 16 overs of their chase, with them reduced to 73-4.

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn hit his straps with the new ball, getting Che Pujara caught at second slip for a duck with one that rose from short of a length.

Chris Wood (3-46 from 8.4) had made the initial breakthrough to trap Lyth lbw for 11 as Yorkshire fell to 15-2 inside five overs.

Gary Ballance then pulled Gareth Berg’s seamers to deep square-leg for 25 before Tom Kohler-Cadmore cut Liam Dawson’s left-arm spin to backward point for 21 as the visitors tottered.

Tattersall and Jack Leaning shared 50 for the fifth wicket, but the latter was bowled by Dawson for 23 as the score fell to 123-5 after 26.

By the time Tattersall reached his second fifty in three games off 57 balls, the required rate was escalating, and Tim Bresnan was bowled by Wood almost immediately afterwards for 26 – 173-6 after 34.

With Yorkshire’s chances decreasing, Tattersall opened his shoulders and hit Berg for three successive boundaries as he enhanced his chances of a County Championship debut under lights on Wednesday, his place in that match being confirmed afterwards.

At 220-6 after 40, Yorkshire needed 129 from the last 10 overs. But their chances were ended in the 41st when Tattersall miscued Topley high to cover (223-7).

Dawson then removed Steve Patterson and Matthew Fisher in the 42nd to finish with 4-47 from 10 overs. Wood wrapped things up by getting Coad caught at mid-off.