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In October 1945 Desmond Eagar was interviewed at the County Ground for the post of captain and Joint-Secretary with Len Sprankling. Eagar had played for Oxford University and Gloucestershire as an amateur before the war.
He had not yet been demobbed and was interviewed in uniform while the Committee offered the post to the Surrey and England cricketer FR (Freddie) Brown. In the event Brown preferred Northamptonshire and the appointment of Eagar was made which, in 1957, he revealed had brought him “much happiness”. He took over as captain from the start of the 1946 season.
During the war, the Chairman Lt Col WK Pearce, Hon Secretary WL Sprankling and Hon Treasurer WF Hodges had ensured that Hampshire County Cricket Club continued to function while over 500 members maintained their subscriptions throughout the war. In addition to the award to Major R Aird MC, Squadron Leader PA Mackenzie was awarded the DSO and DFC.
In addition to Boyes, Mackenzie and RH Moore appeared in Hampshire sides in 1945 for the last time while Len Creese had taken up a coaching appointment. Sam Pothecary was appointed groundsman and Sam Staples returned as coach.
In the spring of 1946 an appeal was launched to mark Hampshire’s fifty years as a ‘first-class’ county. We know now that some years pre-1895 are now considered first-class so that fifty years marked their admission to the official County Championship.
Hampshire Cricket History 