ANEURIN DONALD’S blistering career-best 76 saw Hampshire eliminate Yorkshire from the Royal London Cup at Scarborough.

Group ‘B’ winners Hampshire sealed a 16th win from 17 games across all competitions after comfortably defending a 314 target to win by 72 runs.

Yorkshire knew a final-day win would secure third and an away eliminator clash on Friday. But defeat opened the door for Glamorgan and Kent to usurp them, the latter going on to qualify.

Donald clattered five sixes in a 31-ball innings which was the feature of the Hawks’ 313-9 having been inserted, while opener Ben Brown made 60 and Tom Prest 55.

Matthew Revis claimed his own career-best 4-77 before adding 41 as Yorkshire attempted to recover from 31-4 in reply before being bowled out for a respectable 241 inside 46 overs.

New ball seamer John Turner impressed with 5-41.

Hampshire lost Nick Gubbins for 38, lbw sweeping at the off-spin of Dom Bess. Brown then drove Revis to cover, but that only paved the way for Donald’s pyrotechnics.

Prest was 40 when the Welshman arrived at the crease, and both men were on 52 when the latter reached his 50 off 23 balls.

At one stage, he hit four sixes in as many balls, although Yorkshire limited the damage impressively.

They removed Prest and Donald with successive balls - Prest was superbly caught at long-off by a diving Will Luxton off Bess before Donald picked out cover off Matthew Waite.

Revis then added another three wickets as Hampshire’s lower order succumbed against a host of miscues, the visitors losing seven wickets for 76.

Revis had Fletcha Middleton caught and bowled, Toby Albert caught at cover and Turner caught at backward point.

However, Yorkshire’s top order was obliterated inside eight overs.

Turner bowled Will Fraine before getting a squared up Fin Bean caught behind.

Either side of those wickets, Ian Holland forced Harry Duke into a miscued pull to wide mid-on and bowled George Hill through the gate.

A 55-run stand between Jonny Tattersall and Waite, 25 and 28, gave Yorkshire brief respite. But they fell caught at midwicket and behind inside three overs to seamers John Campbell and Scott Currie.

Revis and Bess (27) then shared 64 as Yorkshire battled back again. However, the latter was forced to retire hurt having been struck on the back of the head by a wild throw from Middleton at cover as he tried to complete a quick single.

Harry Sullivan was brought on as a concussion sub.

Revis was caught at point by Middleton off Currie shortly afterwards before Ben Coad (24) handed Turner his third wicket.

He bowled Sullivan for wicket number four before the game was wrapped up when Shutt top-edged him behind. Loten finished unbeaten with a consolatory 43, Yorkshire’s top score.