Hampshire Cricket History

It took a while but the season’s count has started. We lost 8 overs to bad light on Tuesday then all but 9.4 overs yesterday so I’m counting that as one full day or 96 overs lost.

Jimmy Adams said

“So far this season our seamers have done a lot of yards and we have spent a lot of time in the field – and that can take its toll. The batting isn’t firing properly. Everyone has had starts but we have only had one hundred as a group, that’s an area we need to rectify as the season progresses.”

That’s about right, isn’t it?

Or at least, a wet day at the Ageas Bowl. It’s 4.15pm and I’m at home in Sunny Southsea where the pavements are still dry and the sun is shining. But an hour ago there was a hailstorm on the ground which just about finished off everything – and to be honest it was broadly a relief. Hampshire never had a chance after today’s delayed start and with fewer than 40 overs left only an incredibly poor batting display might have helped Notts.

Incidentally Bird hasn’t quite ‘flown’ – he was on the ground today, so too was Yasir Arafat while Edwards arrives on Sunday and may play in the friendly v Dorset on Monday.

I think there might be two verdicts on the 11 days so far The bowlers have tried hard but without Bird, Coles or (much of) last-season’s rejuvenated Wood, they lack a cutting edge. Maybe Edwards will solve that temporarily? The top six batsmen have not done what they should be doing. Jimmy’s had two fifties, Wheater one and Carberry has looked good without making a big score. If they don’t deliver today (assuming not too much rain), Hampshire may lose unless Ervine comes to the rescue yet again. But the batters have to deliver and if they don’t Alsop, Terry and McManus will be pressing their claims Grant Flower appeared yesterday and was talking very positively about Alsop. PS Rain? The forecasts have been quite clear – heavy overnight, clearing by around 11am then showers. The streets of Pompey, 15 miles east of the ground are still as dry as a bone (9am) PPS it’s been pouring at the ground and unlikely to be a prompt start Its midday. There is rain in the air and nothing is happening. 12.15 the sun is shining and one man is sweeping off some water

They started at 1.20pm although no one I was with heard any announcement! Hampshire have 70 overs to score 392 to win or perhaps …. In the fifth over they are 5-0

of sorts!

By which I mean merely that Samit Patel and his team mates are convinced that he’s trapped Briggs but the umpire disagrees. That’s about as good as it got after the most disappointing day of the season. It leaves us with two possible results tomorrow – a Notts win or a draw – the latter probably requiring not only better batting than we’ve seen so far but perhaps a bit of rain too!

Just before 6pm on the 10th day of the season, was this the first weather interruption of 2015? Nigel Gray and umpires O’Shaunessy and Cowley check the light and that’s it for the day – 8 overs lost:

One of the least surprising bits of news of 2015 is that Jackson Bird is flying home for treatment and Fidel Edwards should arrive next week in his place – presumably to start at Headingley. There’s a suggestion that Bird might return but I wonder. Anyway this photo will provide a good quiz question in 20 years time: Who was no. 22?

A long hard day – not least for the frozen supporters! Alex Hales batted superbly.

It hasn’t really rained in Hampshire since Good Friday, but it’s raining hard in Pompey this evening and has been for some time. Apparently the forecast for tomorrow isn’t great – maybe a bit on-and-off – the next two days are OK but then Wednesday is lousy at present. Fingers crossed, but …

We may be missing our strike bowler this year but one who rarely missed for 20 (+) years was Derek Shackleton. I note from Bob Murrell’s stats, that Hampshire’s best match figures ever v Notts were by ‘Shack’ at Cowes in June 1957.

There was rain and just two hours play on day one but on the Monday, Hampshire declared at 1pm, on 286-5 after centuries by Roy Marshall and Henry Horton. It was Desmond Eagar’s last year but as in a number of games, Ingleby-Mackenzie was captain as ‘Shack’ took 7-81 (in 32.1 overs) to give Hampshire a lead of 27. Giles scored a century for Notts, then Hampshire scored 167-5 dec in 44 overs (Rayment 80).

Notts needed 195 to win and went for the target but in the 38th over they were all out for 114. ‘Shack’ bowled all 19 overs from one end, taking 6-54 while Malcolm Heath and Jimmy Gray took two wickets each. Notts’ England opener and captain, Reg Simpson, scored 3 & 0.

‘Shack’s’ match figures: 51.1-14-135-13

I’ve had a less than perfect season with stats so I’m checking things with Bob Murrell but I think these are correct in first-class cricket for Hampshire, pre-Notts: