Hampshire Cricket History

A scene from the 2010 reunion at the Rose Bowl. In the left foreground, Leo Harrison talks with his daughter, behind him Malcolm Heath and then Alan Rayment. In the centre, Dennis Baldry speaks with Alan Wassell and in the right corner, Richard Lewis speaks to Peter Sainsbury. The man standing behind Richard is Sam Barnard, Mike’s brother who sadly was unwell and could not attend.

Bob Cottam was a welcome attender at the former players’ reunion yesterday (day two v Lancashire). Here he is on the Roof Terrace of the Rose Bowl Pavilion with the ball with which he took 9-25 v Lancashire at Old Trafford in 1965. This remains the best bowling in Hampshire’s history.

Hampshire have today won a very narrow victory against Kent in the 40 over league. It’s probably not a big deal as Hampshire are so far off top place BUT

No Mascarenhas, Kabir Ali, Simon Jones, Pothas, Pietersen, (who was ‘offered’ by the ECB)

No overseas player

But no less than SIX players produced by Hampshire’s coaches through the junior sides:

Adams, Vince, Briggs, Wood, Bates, Riazzuddin

WONDERFUL! Well done Tony Middleton (etc)

This Friday is my favourite day of the season – the annual reunion of former players at the Rose Bowl. It is organised by Keith Wheatley and this year we are expecting a record number (around 70) including Bob Cottam Malcolm Heath, Bob Herman, Nick Pocock, Alan Rayment,Dennis Baldry, Peter Haslop, Jimmy Gray, Peter Sainsbury, Mike Barnard, Keith Stevenson, Keith Wheatley, Alan Castell, Bryan Timms, Kevin Emery, Richard Lewis, Raj Maru, Ray Flood, Mike Taylor, Leo Harrison, Ralph Prouton, Charles Fry, John Francis, Kevan James, Rupert Cox, Andy Murtagh, Jim Bovill, John Manners, Bob Stephenson, Mike Hill, Alan Wassell, Julian Shackleton, Richard Gilliatt. John Manners, now in his mid 90s is the senior pro (although he was an amateur) – with leo Harrison and Neil McCorkell the only living player from pre-war

One of the criteria often used to judge the quality of individual batsmen is the number of times that he moves from 50 to 100+. For example, on 63% of the occasions when Don Bradman reached fifty, he went on to complete a century (and often more). The great England batsman Peter May did so in 40% of his first-class innings, while in Test Matches Robin Smith reached 100 in almost 25% of the 37 times when he had reached 50.

For Hampshire in first-class cricket, Robin Smith had a conversion rate of 37.12%, just slightly below the 37.4% rate of the great Phil Mead. But at this precise moment, following the home match v Kent in July 2010, Michael Carberry’s record for the county is 40.54% – better than any REGULAR batsmen in the county’s history. (NB: KP in seven matches has three centuries and one fifty – so 75%, while CB Fry played only 44 matches in nine seasons but his rate is 48.28%.)

One other current player has a rate better than 30% (Nick Pothas) – of past players only nine others exceed 30% (including Mead and Smith). There are some surprising inclusions and omissions: Greenidge, AJL Hill, T Middleton, RH Moore, MCJ Nicholas, CL Smith, VP Terry

The figures also tend to reveal things about certain periods in English county cricket. For example the eleven players to exceed 30% for Hampshire do not include any batsmen who batted on uncovered wickets in the bowler-dominated 1950s and 1960s – not one, not RE Marshall (27.15), not even Richards (29.46).

In alphabetical order others above 25% are MJ Brown, G Brown, TE Jesty, CB Llewellyn, D Mascarenhas, NH Rogers, J Stephenson,, C Walker

In the group stages of this year’s competition there were 144 matches, of which five ended with No Result because of the weather. These were all in the Northern Division and four of the five involved Durham. In this longest ever T20 season there are seven more matches to go in the quarter and semi finals and the final (at the Rose Bowl)

Neil McKenzie’s fine half century led Hampshire’s batting performance yesterday and took them to a total that was improbable at the halfway stage. Here he receives his M-of-the-M award from Michael Atherton (Sky Sports)

Hampshire’s England U-19 wicket-keeper Michael Bates was called into the side at the last moment yesterday and impressed everyone with his performance. Here he is above (2nd right) with Dan Christian, Michael Carberry and Chris Wood. Hampshire’s side yesterday had five players who had come through the ranks and represented England at junior level (Adams, Vince, Wood, Briggs and Bates).

Prior to the start of yesterday’s match, John Crawley was awarded honorary life membership of Hampshire for his various contributions as batsman and captain over the past decade (above Rod Bransgrove, John Crawley, ‘Dimi’ Mascarenhas, Dominic Cork.)

Hampshire’s players leave the field yesterday after their fine victory over Sussex which took them to the Quarter-Finals of the T20 for the third time in eight years. Will this be the year they reach Finals Day? Warwickshire stand in their way.