Hampshire Cricket History

James Vince goes to 150 today.

Michael Bates batted very nicely and

It’s days like these that make the great days so special

I’ve been through all Hampshire’s batsmen with 10+ centuries and as far as I can see there are just two men ahead of Vince (now averaging 44.5% conversion). Both are amateurs and occasional players from way back

RM Poore: 10 x 100s and 9 x 50s = 52.6% (7 x 100s in 1899)

CB Fry: 14 x 100s and 15 x 50s = 48.3%

Vince is the only other above 40%

I have found 22 players above 25%

Tony Middleton has the best record of any Hampshire-born player (35%)

From Peter Jeffs (thanks):

Mid-day and heading for another shortest match at this ground ….

Sorry

1.15pm update. Another inspection in one hour. Sun is out

3.30 (2nd Update) – I’m at home in Portsmouth where it’s a beautiful summer day – as it has been for most of the day I gather

If we get a full day tomorrow (!) the only issue will be bonus points and the maximum length of the match will be 170 overs. That will make it the 7th shortest ever on this ground and push the previous match v Worcs into 10th place. Of course if it rains again it may be even fewer overs

His first-class conversion rate 50 to 100 for Hampshire was around 43% at the start of this season (and better than that now)

By comparison, Phil Mead, Robin Smith and Michael Carberry all around 37%

Roy Marshall and Jimmy Adams around 27%

Alan Edwards tells me he’s the youngest man ever to get 10 first-class centuries for Hampshire

The Daily Echo today reports that Hampshire won fewer home Championship matches in the five years 2009-2013 than any other county. It struck me that the majority of matches were almost certainly drawn and here are some interesting figures

In the first five seasons at the Rose Bowl Hampshire played 40 matches of which 12 were drawn = 30% drawn

In the past five seasons at the Rose/Ageas Bowl Hampshire played 38 matches* of which 24 were drawn = 63% drawn

In the past five seasons over all counties in both divisions,  there have been 309 draws in 720 matches = 43% drawn

* two fewer, because both at Basingstoke, one lost, one drawn

Once again I’ve driven home from a sodden Ageas Bowl only to find the streets of Portsmouth bone dry and the sun shining! We had two hours today and the heavens opened just as lunch began, but the two hours were quite marvellous thanks to a superb century by James Vince – his second of the season. If I had the energy I’d check whether anyone else has ever scored two Championship hundreds for Hampshire in April …

Above, Vince drives Ansari to go to three figures

Hampshire have lost 118 overs in this match on days one & two, which is 7.4 hours and that makes 27 hours this season or virtually one whole match of the first four (i.e. +25%) – with two days still to go. (I’ve amended this – my first figure incorrect)

I was surprised to see as much cricket as I did today and Surrey won’t be too delighted having inserted Hampshire (who played the same 11)

I left the ground about 6.30pm in perfectly acceptable weather but almost as soon as I hit the M27 the weather was atrocious with dreadful visibility until I came off onto the M275 into Portsmouth under light skies and on a dry road. Apparently there was little rain in Portsmouth today, just 15 miles away. let’s hope the Ageas Bowl is lucky tomorrow.

Same 11 plus Briggs and Balcombe but I gather Will Smith’s wife is about to give birth. With Sean Terry and Adam Wheater injured there is no reserve batsman so if he did not play they might have to pick Briggs – which would of course give me great pleasure (although the forecast is rather nasty throughout).

PS: It’s impossible to tell about the new Sunday starts yet. Our first (v Worcs) gave us just 8 overs and looking at the rain in Portsmouth at 7.45am today I’ll be surprised if we get much more today. If my only reason for going today was as an interested spectator, I’d still be in bed!