Hampshire Cricket History

So Hampshire finished their group stage with another victory and their best ever record to that point. Now it’s Lancashire Lightning at the Ageas Bowl next week and it’s not unreasonable to suggest that our last meeting with them at this stage was Hampshire’s worst-ever domestic performance in the T20.

It came in 2004 on the back of a resounding win over Kent in which Shane Watson scored 97* but Shane Warne recalled himself for the Quarter-Final and since Michael Clarke was also playing, Hampshire had to omit Watson. Warne batted at number three and scored nought (with Udal at number one managing five). Hampshire finished on 120-9 (Clarke 36) after which Mal Loye (64*) took Lancashire to victory in the 17th over by nine wickets (Warne 4-0-22-0). It was rubbish! And it was Hampshire’s only quarter final until 2009.

So let’s hope Lightning does not strike twice.

I have a long day at the Ageas Bowl today where Middlesex need to win and hope Surrey beat Essex for them to qualify. Meanwhile even if Hampshire lose they will have lost fewer matches than any other side to get to the Quarter Finals.

I’m there much of the day because I’m organising a book sale today – lots of stuff, including Wisdens and Handbooks although nothing too exceptional apart (perhaps) from a couple of framed & signed images of Gooch and Botham. I’ll be somewhere between the turnstiles and the Atrium between 5pm and the conclusion of the interval – I guess I won’t see much cricket but there is a four-day game looming, thank goodness.

Bob Comments below: “… my point about the Quarter Final is that 2.30 on a Thursday is ridiculous, and cannot be right. I am sure both games will be in the evening, with only one televised.”

I don’t know the answer although it may well be in the Radio Times which is on sale from today but I’m not convinced. I think Sky will want all four on the box. The arguments against an afternoon fixture are principally that people are at work and either cannot or won’t take leave. In my days as a schoolteacher I got nice holidays but could not take leave in term-time so, for example, I recall arriving at a mid-week SEMI-final just in time to see the applause for Mike Procter who had demolished our upper order

Of course back then, and for many years after, all quarter and semi finals were midweek and daytime – for example a couple against Northants, one at Edgbaston, the first successful semi (at Chelmsford), the Gooch ‘run out’ v Essex, the Fraser ‘beamer’ v Middx. Saturday/evening knock-out matches were Finals only until very recently. Next week is school holidays so the kids can be there and maybe more kids in an afternoon –  T20 has always been aimed quite a bit at them.

I wonder whether it may be determined by the home grounds. Trent Bridge and Ageas Bowl have lights (the fourth may be the Oval) – if Northampton does not, they may get the afternoon game – assuming there is one. But maybe Bob is right and there will be two Thursday evening games – I’ll just be surprised if Sky does not mind missing one of the four.

PS: If the ECB site is correct, the day with two matches is TUESDAY and since Hampshire are playing Bangladesh A on that day, I guess they cannot play then. Neither could Sky get access on the day before Weds to set up, so it’s looking increasingly likely to me that Hampshire will get Thursday evening

Michael Carberry started today on 1,908 T20 runs and ended 83*. I haven’t yet checked where that puts him in T20 records but there cannot be many county batsmen who have scored that many (1,991) * and Hampshire’s score is about what Essex challenged Hampshire with last Friday, when Hampshire’s winning total was the second highest they have ever scored to win a T20 match.

To answer Bob’s query, Hampshire have requested one of the matches on Thursday to allow them to recover from the Championship match v Glams and the game v Bangladesh A on Tuesday. Tickets will be available this week with 24 hours priority to anyone who has been to a T20 match this season (including Weds v Middx). Tickets (including members) are £20

* Here’s a list, mostly overseas.

http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/T20/Overall/Most_Runs.html

I’ve only had a quick look but it appears that Michael Lumb is (one of) the leading English county players. Sean Ervine, Neil McKenzie and Simon Katich are heavy scorers – oddly Jimmy Adams and MC were level on 1,908 at the start of today.

Incidentally Carberry has scored eight of his T20 runs for England Lions and 286 for Kent, so 1,697 for Hampshire. Ervine has scored 1,751 for Hants including today and is probably highest scorer (Lumb just 1,101 for Hants) while Adams has 1,660 for Hants.

‘Dimi’ has bowled a fine spell and his two wickets take him to 93 career wickets for Hampshire, with at least two more matches and perhaps four more so he might be the first to 100 T20 wickets for Hampshire – he has completed the career T20 double.

It’s just after 5pm and while Notts and Lancs are off for rain at Trent Bridge they have played enough overs for a result and Notts look certain to win – Durham have too. It will then leave the FINAL North Group as

Notts 14 points

Lancs 12 points

Durham 11.75 points

If by some miracle Lancashire win the top two are simply reversed

Hampshire already have 13 points so even with no more points will finish a better second than Lancashire

In the West Division there are no games today but in second place, neither Somerset, Glamorgan or Warwickshire can get more than 12 points

From the ECB Regulations:

“21.10.3 The top two teams from each group and the two best third placed teams will qualify for the Quarter-finals. The top team from each group and the best second placed team will receive home draws in the Quarter-finals.”

So Hampshire are guaranteed a HOME QUARTER FINAL

My profound apologies – Brian Cherry’s comment below is correct and I’ve been wrong all along. This is because a couple of years ago I got excited about run-rate until it was pointed out to me that results between teams took precedence.

Somewhere along the line I guess the ECB changed the regs and it is indeed net run-rate that counts now – currently Surrey are best, then Hampshire, then Essex

This change is of course sensible. It’s not dissimilar to Hampshire winning last night partly because Essex were fined six points or the way Hampshire won Finals Day in 2010 by scrambling a single when all the information on the ground was that they needed two. It means that while occasional spectators can be excited by events on the field, they are also easily fooled. We wouldn’t like things to be too straightforward. (It’s interesting too that while net run-rate is first tie-break over 20 overs, it’s number of wins in the 40 over game.)

It also means that it’s much harder still to predict who will finish where at the end of the season. I’ll stop fussing and get back to the history

(Incidentally talking of prediction, I’ve been intrigued by the weather forecast today. According to the BBC at various points during the day, Portsmouth has been covered in a deluge and thunder storms since about 7am. Ten hours later and we’ve not seen a drop of rain. Has anyone?)

After last night,

Hampshire have 13 points, Max poss 17 points. (To play: Kent, Middx)

Surrey Have 12 points, Max poss 14 points. (To play: Essex)

Essex have 11 points, Max poss 13 points. (To play: Surrey)

Middlesex have 10 points, Max poss 12 points. (To play: Hampshire)

The first tie-break is always results between the two sides so if Hampshire finish level with either Surrey or Essex, Hampshire will be ahead since they have the best results against those two sides

If Hampshire finish top they get a home quarter-final draw worth perhaps £100,000 – indeed probably worth more to the club than the final.

So, if Essex beat Surrey in that last match it won’t matter what Hampshire do in their last two games, they will be top. If Surrey beat Essex Hampshire need to win one of their last two (or two ties!). It’s quite likely that three sides from this division will go through.

There’s an interesting little debate developing on the previous Post and I’m with Bob – we met each other in a crowded bar after last night’s exciting run chase in which both sides batted better than they fielded/bowled and Hampshire once again displayed real resilience to come out on top and win a fourth consecutive Quarter Final place. There was a real buzz around the ground from the huge crowd, many of whom stayed on to celebrate Hampshire’s victory

Michael Carberry had another terrific night – in the field and with the bat – and was probably unlucky to be given out, while McKenzie (yet again) was the cool head who, with Ervine, saw Hampshire home. Hampshire did not bowl or field particularly well and Owais Shah played superbly on one leg but Essex supporters will have been less than happy with a ragged display in the field. Maybe their captain spent too much time and energy appealing for caught behind every time the ball came to him!

As for comparisons, well I’d still prefer to be claiming that Hampshire are the best Championship side in the country but you’d have to be over 50 to remember when that was last the case, so I’ll take this. I shall be at all four days of the Glamorgan game next weekend but I hope it’s better than a lot of Championship cricket this season because across the country around 50% of those games end in draws – and too many in dull draws as in Hampshire’s last match at Canterbury. This week’s Cricket Paper  began its report on that match with, “It would have needed six days to conjure a result from this turgid pitch”. There have been similar matches this year (Bristol, home v Lancs etc) and I’m fearful for the future of first-class county cricket because as Bob says, few of the occasional supporters who filled the ground last night will be back in seven days – even with a weekend fixture.

Surrey have hammered Middlesex tonight which makes things clearer

Hampshire 11 points. To play: Essex, Kent, Middlesex. Maximum possible 17 points

Essex 11 points. To play: Hampshire, Surrey. Maximum 15 points

Surrey 10 points. To play: Kent, Essex. Maximum 14 points

Middlesex 10 points. To play: Hampshire. Maximum 12 points

So assuming the weather stays fair and no matches are tied, Hampshire remain in pole position.

Tomorrow evening either Essex or Hampshire will have 13 points, so Middlesex may still qualify but only in third place (if they beat Hampshire). If Hampshire win on Friday they will have qualified for the quarter finals and if Kent beat Surrey at the same time they will have secured a home quarter-final.

However,

If Essex do get their maximum of 15 points they will have beaten (Hampshire and) Surrey who can therefore only get 12 points

If Surrey get their maximum of 14 points, they will have beaten Essex who can therefore only get 13 points

So Hampshire may qualify in second place with just one more win IF Essex beat Hampshire AND Surrey and Hampshire beat either Middlesex or Kent.