Hampshire Cricket History

There are 16 stories on the BBC’s cricket site today before you get to Hampshire v Durham which astonishingly they suggest might end as a draw. Before that come stories about most other Championship games (Divs 1 & 2). Anderson, the IPL, women’s games etc.

I think that’s quite generous; there are some statistical events in this match but beyond that it’s hardly worth reporting a game that’s seen just 18 wickets (including two run outs) in three full days – and yesterday just 264 runs all day. Cricket matches of the kind we are seeing at the Bowl this year are doing more to bring on the demise of Championship cricket than the ECB, the Hundred, franchises, central contracts etc. Maybe the change of ground name came with a curse – utilitarians hardly set the pulse racing.

PS Do you have one of those delightful pink earpiece sets? Me too. By accident I left it on so the battery was flat yesterday.The shop were very helpful – they provided free a new battery and when I had problems putting back the cover they did it for me. It was awkward but eventually they managed it and I to listen to the commentary on another enthralling day. But late in the day I discovered the cover had fallen off somewhere in the ground/commentary area – so watch out.

PPS Pompey at just after 9am and rain in the air.

Discuss

Liam Dawson is on the five-for honours board again and this is now his second longest bowling spell in an innings, beating 53-8-180-0 v Surrey here in 2019.
In the same year, his longest was 60-4-184-3 v Yorkshire also at home
That one is the sixth most for Hampshire – the longest was 80 overs by fellow SLA Stuart Boyes in 1934

PS So Liam beat his own record and now stands 4th= in the Hampshire list on 62 – but just one over fewer than Peter Sainsbury in Glamorgan in 1974 – an innings tht arguably cost Hampshire their third Championship title.

In addition, Felix Organ with 40 overs has broken his own record – he’d never bowled 30 in an innings before. I wonder whether either will bowl again tomorrow morning?

I was asked yesterday whether Middleton (22) & Orr (23) was Hampshire’s youngest-ever opening partnership (45), although we quickly got to a younger one – at the end of last season Middleton (then 21) & Albert (21) = 42.

On a somewhat random search I couldn’t find another although in 2018 Weatherley (21) & Soames 22) was also ‘Younger than Yesterday’ (which just happens to be the title of a favourite Byrds album …)

Another 45 aggregate was Tony Middleton (20) & Chris Smith (25) and, adding one, in 1975 Peter Barrett (just 20) & Andy Murtagh (26). Any other suggestions?

I noticed the stories about James Anderson yesterday. Back in 2003 he took nine Championship wickets in his first three matches, then came to the Rose Bowl where he returned match figures of 9-50 and off he went.

PS There is an article in the current Cricket Statistician about the last time Leicestershire fielded an XI all born in the county (1922). I don’t think Hampshire have ever done that but again, any suggestions?

PPS The Book Sale went well yesterday for which thanks – it continues today and through the morning session tomorrow (Sunday).

OK, I’m on a rant this week (I’ll calm down)

But I did post that wonderful piece by Harry Lee yesterday and here is something equally fine, especially if you missed the snooker (which I have enjoyed more than the cricket so far in 2024)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/02/ronnie-osullivan-snooker-sport-politicians-business-celebrities

14 names

Pick one from Holland, Organ, Turner, Wheal maybe?

Don asks (comment, previous post) “what some of the old timers would have said…”

Well entirely by chance (are these things ever really coincidences?) as a member of the ACS (Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians) I have access to a daily round of often fascinating emails about ‘stats’ and history. And just before I saw Don’s comment I opened this, written by Harry Lee (Middlesex 1911-1934 & England in 1930/31). His brother Frank (FS) was an umpire when I was a nipper and a third brother JW Lee (mainly Somerset) was killed on 20 June 1944 after landing in France on D-Day.

This follows on from the conversation James and I have shared this morning in the Comments on the previous post.

It’s about how the ECB (ICC etc) are no longer the only ones wishing to make a further mess of English domestic cricket – they now have strong allies in the players who, despite proportionally playing fewer days of cricket per week than any other generation in living memory are exhausted and fearful of their safety while mostly travelling to away games in luxury coaches.

The focus here is on a very interesting review of a new book in the current edition of The Cricketer. The book by Ben Bloom is Batting for Time: the Fight to Keep English Cricket Alive and the review by David Hopps describes it as “an excellent piece of journalism” and a “valuable snapshot in time” which is no “manifesto” but so “even-handed” as to be “startling”.

Despite that, Hopps looks for Heroes and Villains and while suggesting the “reader must choose their own” in the latter category he nominates James Harris, the chairman of the PCA and in cricketing terms “a free marketeer, awash with financial ambition on behalf of his globetrotting members” but also crucially “oblivious to the responsibilities they might hold to the counties that provide them with all-year-round support”.

I never thought I would think or say this but finally, after 65 years, I’m tired not just of the people who manage and organise county (Championship) cricket but increasingly of the people who play it. If they don’t care, I can’t see why I should.

This Friday and Saturday – all proceeds to Hampshire Cricket Heritage (it’s in the shop)

Lots of reports today (BBC, Guardian etc) about how players don’t want to play as much cricket.

(I am therefore delighted to hear they are all giving up their IPL and Hundred contracts to get more free time).

I am with them though. I find the schedule and the nature of much of the cricket that I used to love a turn-off – I’m quite happy to be there on fewer occasions and therefore offer them less support.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/may/06/pca-warns-county-cricket-schedule-could-result-in-disaster-without-cuts

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cqvn97dvvd8o

I was asked earlier about worse starts – I’m not sure I’ll check everything but I guessed 1980 since it’s the only time we have finished bottom of the table in the past 119 years (2003 might be a bit dodgy too)

Sure enough in 1980 we started with Drawn; Lost; Lost; Lost so that was worse than this year. In 22 matches we won just one game, in late August when Malcolm Marshall returned from the West Indies’ tour. Chris Smith averaged 30.58, easily the best batter. Keith Stevenson with 48 wickets at 31.12 was the only bowler to reach 40 wickets.