Hampshire Cricket History

Some news from Paul, who is part of the McCorkell family

Dennis (Denis? Not sure) son of Hampshire’s excellent wicket-keeper/batsman Neil, has died recently. He never played for the first team and although there is nothing on Cricket Archive, he played some 2nd XI and Club & Ground matches in the early 1950s. His name is in the 2nd XI averages in the 1951 and 1952 Handbooks, and he is mentioned for one innings for the Colts, in 1951, a side that included Peter Sainsbury, Malcolm Heath, Mike Barnard, Ray Flood, and Don Cartridge all of whom played for the county side.

Here he is on the right here, early 1950s, with (l-r) Malcolm Heath, Coach Arthur Holt and Peter Sainsbury

We might be heading for three drawn matches. Two matches lost substantial time yesterday and in particular, it’s very difficult to see that Surrey & Middlesex can engineer much, given that neither can really afford to lose

It seemed that Lancashire were most likely to get a win, but their game against Warwickshire has not started because of the rain.

Surprisingly however, the forecast for Edgbaston on Saturday looks ok – if a little chilly by 9pm.

In fairness it was Ollie Robinson who once played for Hampshire in a List A game, but Sussex have just won a thriller by one wicket, and Danny Briggs kept Robinson company in an undefeated last-wicket stand of 26 to get there. Robinson won it with a six and that moves them up to second place for now.

Apparently it’s important to ensure the Ashes series continue

That’s not a problem then:

West Indies & Bangladesh in Div One; England & Australia in Div Two

Onwards!

Somebody asked Tigger and Tigger has responded as follows (many thanks)

The superb Brathwaite has just been caught on the stroke of tea. He was five runs away from being the first man ever to score a century in both innings in a first-class match at Headingley, but now it’s the turn of Hope to go for the same achievement.

It’s a fantastic game and delightful to see loads of kids in the ground. I thought they only liked T20?

None of the three Div One games yet have one side clearly dominant but the low-scoring might mean certain wins and defeats, even with a dodgy forecast tomorrow. The Test Match could still end up as a thriller – it’s been pretty good so far. I fancy West Indies hanging on for a draw, with the last pair batting out the final half-an-hour …

(It couldn’t be a tie could it?)

Starting today with an intriguing Test Match and some Bank Holiday county cricket (that’s a novel idea) in which teams on nine games, catch up with Hampshire and Yorkshire on ten.

By the end of those six days we might know the outcome of the Test series, the Championship (with Essex so far ahead), and the T20 for sure, while the Vipers seem to have a semi-final at Hove on Friday which would be more interesting if I could find a date/time for the Final – does it follow later on Friday (*see first comment)?

Not for me yesterday – on a curious and very worrying day for England, as the worst Test side in the world (about a week ago?) got themselves into a winning position after just two days. Here’s the view from Castle Hill, with the Solent behind me, on a fine day in Pompey

Jeremy posted this as a Comment but it’s very interesting and might lead to a lively discussion?

“Sometimes I try to sell the idea of adjusting the number of wickets available in the 2nd innings, either due to dead pitches or rain curtailing play, to make dull draws less likely.

Maybe we could revert to 3 day cricket, yet still have ties 🙂 , if we did the opposite – limit the first innings to 5 or 6 wickets? It wouldn’t turn out any fewer Test ready batsmen, and might make for much better cricket. If nobody is watching Cult cricket, why don’t they let us organise it so everyone enjoys it? Who knows where it might lead?!”

Thanks Jeremy