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I have a busy couple of days ahead, so this might be my last Post of the season, although perhaps I’ll add a Comment or two. I suspect I won’t be alone.
It’s a grim time, but I think that’s not just about today and the prospect of relegation. It’s because the whole thing looks a mess with not a clear answer anywhere. If they stay up, will it be any better next year? Kevan James this afternoon said he wouldn’t mind if they signed six Kolpaks but I thought they already had. Anyway, I guess you know my thoughts about that approach.
Hampshire have two chances of staying up – always assuming that really is the best outcome. One is that Somerset cannot engineer a victory from where they are right now, but their chances of winning must be good. Alternatively Hampshire can win or draw. To do so (particularly the latter), they might have to bat for 90+ overs?
The last time they did that was 12 weeks ago at the Oval. In six completed Championship innings since then, they have averaged 53 overs per innings (each time losing all 10 wickets). The best was 88 overs, and today (34.2) wasn’t even the worst (29.4).
25 Comments
Hampshire Cricket History 
I have followed Hampshire since 1961 (a good year to start) and I have been a member since 1967. I was hoping to celebrate my fifty years of membership with a decent challenge for the Championship, because it has always been my ambition to see us as County Champions at least once more in my lifetime. Sadly that’s looking less and less likely as the seasons go by, because the people who run Hampshire these days seem to have no interest in the Championship – and, as far as I can see, most of the players don’t seem to have much interest either if some of the recent performances are anything to go by.
I can’t see us winning at Edgbaston, and even a draw would be a minor miracle – unless the weather intervenes, of course. What a difference from this time last week.
Comment by Jonathan Lord September 26, 2017 @ 10:25 pmVery similar to my story and my feelings Jonathan. It’s all very sad.
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 6:09 amI keep hearing Vince for the Ashes. He’s played 18 first-class innings this season with two centuries, one half-century and 10 scores of 20 or less. In his three recent Div One seasons he has averaged 29, 33 and now 35. If he goes, it must be a comment on the current state of Championship batting
Comment by pompeypop September 27, 2017 @ 7:13 amAngers on Twitter has both Vince and Crane in the Ashes squad and a right storm these selections are provoking
Comment by Paul September 27, 2017 @ 7:35 amCheers Paul, I reckon “Angers” is a classic Freudian Slip!
Comment by pompeypop September 27, 2017 @ 7:42 amJust spotted that myself. Leach is being strongly backed over Crane. However it seems he has a dodgy action, if so the umps in Oz will call him so maybe he needs to sort that out before being selected.
Comment by Paul September 27, 2017 @ 8:28 amIf Vince gets the call, maybe its just a lack of stand out alternatives….and a second chance to an unfulfilled talent?….Balance has had a few!
Comment by Nick Jenkins (@nickjenkins01) September 27, 2017 @ 8:09 amDave,
I started the season with some musical musings so I’ll end it in the same way.
With apologies to American indie band Fall Out Boy (probably a bit too modern for most people on here – use Google :-)):
“We’re going down, down in the final round
And, sugar, we’re going down swinging
Chalky Whites for the bullet?
Is Rod’s finger on the trigger
Will he cock it and pull it?”
In all seriouness, I can put up with the fact we are where we are because – come next April – most of us will be heading to the Rose Bowl for the first game of the season. The chief concern is the lack of alternatives. The 2nd XI doesnt appear to be full of promising hopefuls.
I had a think about the line up for next season and I struggled to come up with anything better than picking 11 from this lot –
Jimmy
Tom Alsop
Rilee Roussow (maybe Div 2 is his level)
James Vince
George Bailey
Liam Dawson
Lewis McManus
Ian Holland
Gareth Berg
Fidel Edwards
Kyle Abbott
Mason Crane
Reece Topley (if he’s fit)
There’s no-one waiting in the wings as far as I can tell. Will Rod be getting the cheque book out again?
My only worry is The News’ already scant coverage will be non-existent if they drop into Division 2.
Comment by Neil M September 27, 2017 @ 8:42 amI too had a think about my team for next season. I came up with:
1 AN Other
2 AN Other
3 AN Other
4 AN Other
5 Vince
6 Holland
7 Dawson
8 Berg
9 McManus
10 Abbott
11 Edwards/Topley
12 Crane (to play instead of one of the seamers when conditions are suitable)
I don’t think we currently have anyone good enough to bat in the top four so Vince would drop to five and would have to work on his bowling in order to be our fourth seamer when we play two spinners.
Any idea where we can get four batsmen?
Comment by James September 27, 2017 @ 2:33 pmYou won’t get quality batsmen or bowlers without quality coaches. Concentrate on the main problem area and we may get some success. Perhaps a completely new management structure would be a great asset, providing that they are cricketing orientated people, unlike the current “businessmen”!
Comment by John West September 27, 2017 @ 2:40 pmI agree entirely John. With a decent batting coach I would feel confident that the likes of Alsop and Weatherley would develop into first team regulars which sadly I don’t think they will at the moment.
Comment by James September 27, 2017 @ 4:44 pmI think Crane should be in every match regardless of conditions . Pretty much agree with other 7 .Maybe we could blood some youngsters but think we need a couple of good openers. Wood cant seem to ever be fit enough to play 4 day cricket Topley has a big ? against him .Stevenson (see wood) . Does anyone know of any local league cricketers who could make it ? Bailey maybe .Have I missed anyone and will Sir Rod sanction any more signings for a sadly dying genre. 20 over cricket seems to rule these days but will it be overkill ? Oh well happy days .Hants down maybe Saints to follow?. They cant score either !
Comment by clive philipps September 27, 2017 @ 7:57 pmIf that doesnt make hants win nothing will !
apologies for lack of apostrophes !
give weatherley and alsop a chance surely…
Adams fulfilled his promise at 24.
Homegrown etc.
Batting in the top four is hard, look at most of the other counties plus England’s dilemma.
Comment by Jimtom@fsmail.net September 28, 2017 @ 6:40 amMason deserves his chance. Vince doesn’t (Collingwood, going as a coach, averages more than him this year, which must be a first!), but he’s a better choice than many others, aside from being a proven failure at that level. But as we don’t pick the former, and the latter is just a three fours and out merchant for us, we hav’n’t lost anything if they both take their chance (more likely with one than the other).
Comment by Jeremy September 27, 2017 @ 9:30 amJames is a nice man, his folks are lovely and I wish him and Mason well. But neither have done much this year to be in the best 16 in England, although in Mason’s case that has much to to do with selection.
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 10:34 amSudden flurry of morning wickets at Taunton might be bad news. Somerset are well ahead, bowlers doing well and crucially lots of time left. I fancied them leaving the declaration a bit too late. Meanwhile, for a check on life in Div 2, note ‘Carbs’ has just gone for his HS for Leics: 16.
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 10:53 amHampshire’s bowlers doing their job again, but with Middx three down, Somerset seem on course for a win. So appropriately? Ironically? Hampshire’s batsmen have one last opportunity for redemption. Will they take it and post the highest total of the match, in the fourth innings?
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 12:47 pmBell is putting the final nail in the relegation coffin. So far added 54 for the 10th wicket and he has most of them
Comment by Tigger Miles September 27, 2017 @ 1:22 pmAnnoying last wkt stand BUT – if you’d been told on Monday morning of no play on day one, all 20 Warwicks wickets going for 380 and Hampshire needing just a draw …???
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 1:53 pmIncidentally, it seems the rain might be on its way to Edgbaston around 4pm
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 1:54 pmcorrect, they’re off
Comment by Tigger Miles September 27, 2017 @ 3:08 pmWell overnight odds are 3/10 Warks and 12/5 us.
Comment by Nick Jenkins (@nickjenkins01) September 27, 2017 @ 5:16 pmSo the bookies think we have a bit of a chance!
Dry and some sun tomorrow…pitch/conditions get easier?
Can someone get their head down and grind out a 80/90 whilst other play round him?
Ok I’m going to say we get close 😉
Excluding Jimmy, who’s gone, if you add together the current batting average (2017) of the other 10 it comes to about five more than we need, without extras, so there we are – as ever – looking on the bright side. Hampshire to win with a thrilling edged four by Fidel around 4pm
Comment by Dave Allen September 27, 2017 @ 5:24 pmI am in BIrmingham and it is raining well – although I do not want it for what I am doing, I reckon Hampshire will need it. It is scheduled to stop by the morning, but hopefully the outfield will be too wet!
Comment by Stephen Saunders September 27, 2017 @ 5:59 pmGood news Stephen…keep dancing!
Comment by Nick September 27, 2017 @ 7:40 pmWinning edged four by Fidel?….is he coming in at 5 😀