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Hampshire’s website carries an article by Neil Evans about the ground developments, Royals franchise etc describing this time as “arguably the most exciting period of Hampshire’s illustrious history”. Well this site is all about history and there’s nothing like sport to encourage a good argument so …
I don’t wish to suggest that these are not interesting times since they certainly are but I’d love to hear what others think. Clearly any judgements of this kind depend on many factors – not merely facts but memories and experiences. For many reasons I’d like to nominate the Championship win of 1961 as the best of the lot, but while I saw that team, I was too young to appreciate it fully.
So for me the most “exciting period” is quite simply from the start of the 1973 season through to the penultimate game of the following year when Hampshire were easily the finest Championship team in the country. The end of 1974 was a soggy disappointment but it doesn’t alter the fact that Gilliat’s side were magnificent and in the end, nothing can beat the excitement of what happens on the field. Every day I expected them to win – usually with ease – and I’ve never known that feeling since in quite the same way.
What period would you nominate?
(picture above v Derbyshire at Portsmouth 1973)
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Hampshire Cricket History 