Hampshire were crowned English county cricket's Twenty20 champions on their Rose Bowl home ground after a last ball win over Somerset.

But their tense victory yesterday was almost scuppered by Australian Dan Christian's ignorance of the Laws of Cricket. Hampshire, who opted to do without Kevin Pietersen after England made the star batsman available, needed one run off the last delivery of the final to beat Somerset on fewer wickets lost.

Christian had called for a runner after pulling a hamstring off the penultimate ball. But off Zander de Bruyn's last delivery, Christian set off for a leg-bye single as Somerset appealed for lbw.

Jimmy Adams, the runner, scampered through and non-striker Sean Ervine made it safely to the other end. But if the ball had been thrown to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter, Christian, despite getting to the bowler's end, could have been run out as he was technically out of his ground.

Both teams made 173 in their 20 overs but Hampshire, who won this tournament for the first time, lost five wickets to the six of Somerset, beaten in the final for the second successive season.

Hampshire were coasting while South Africa's Neil McKenzie was making 52. But with 11 needed off nine balls, McKenzie was out and panic set in.     However, Zimbabwe all-rounder Ervine's 44 not out - although he was dropped late in his innings by substitute Nick Compton - helped see Hampshire home.