Hampshire Cricket History

Just two more today to get me up to five-a-day this week.

Bond, Shane Edward (491) born Christchurch, New Zealand, 7.6.1975. Shane Bond was a right-arm fast bowler who played for Hampshire as their overseas player for the early part of the 2008 season, having played county cricket for Warwickshire in 2002. He played in 18 Test Matches for New Zealand (87 wickets at 22.09) and also 82 ODIs.

On his Hampshire Championship debut v Sussex at the Rose Bowl he took 7-66, the county’s best inter-county innings figures on debut, which were replicated by Imran Tahir, later in the same season. He played in only four Championship matches and in his final game v Durham at the Riverside Stadium, he took 5-57 & 4-72, finishing with 19 wickets at 19.21. He took only four List A wickets, but including 3-11 v Gloucestershire in a rain-affected defeat at Bristol. His otherwise impressive career was regularly troubled by injuries, and he retired from all cricket in 2010.

Bonham-Carter, Lothian George (Pre ’95) born Petersfield 29.9.1858, died Buriton near Petersfield, 13.1.1927. He came from a prominent family in the Petersfield area in east Hampshire; his son (Admiral Sir SS Bonham-Carter) played first-class cricket for the Royal Navy and his brother-in-law AJ Abdy, for Hampshire. LG went to Clifton College, and played for Hampshire in first-class cricket from 1880 (age 21) until 1885. After they were demoted to second-class, he continued playing until 1888. He was mainly a lively opening batsman, who also bowled slowly in the old-fashioned round-arm style. In his eight first-class matches for the county he twice passed fifty (HS 67 v Surrey at the Oval in 1884) and took two wickets (BB 2-22 v MCC at Southampton, 1885).

He opened the batting in a Minor Counties match v Norfolk at Southampton in May 1887 and his dismissal brought to the crease FE Lacey, whose innings of 323, albeit not first-class, is the highest individual score ever for any Hampshire side. In later years, Bonham-Carter played for Hampshire Rovers and Portsmouth Borough. He became President of Hampshire County Cricket Club in 1899-1900, and his portrait in the county’s Guide of 1899, was that publication’s first illustration. His name was omitted from the list of Presidents in the club’s official history of 1957.

(Classic rock & roll ’45’ by Larry Williams)

Alan is (entirely reasonably) concerned about keeping up with my A-Z – I hope nobody will worry too much, although I am delighted for any additional thoughts and/or information.

I have decided I will aim to publish this – maybe by mid-summer at the latest; I’d certainly like to have some copies for all our former players who attend next year’s reunion.

It will be a modest, text only, paperback publication, but if I’m to do that I’ve still got about 500 (+?) to do, and between now and April Fool’s Day there are 151 days, so I need to aim at four-a-day. Maybe (even better) I’ll take the doctor’s advice and aim at a healthy five-a-day?

I did a lot on Sunday and Monday (13), but none today, so I’m slipping. Stick with me and read/comment on whatever you’re able.

Cheers!

The greatly improved Cricketer magazine has a pretty full evaluation of every county’s performance last season. What they say about Hampshire is pretty accurate, suggesting that they “blew hot and cold”. They list the eleven players on Hampshire’s books from South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan, while adding that they have also “produced more than their fair share of English talent”. They are critical of the failure to select Mason Crane in the Championship, not because of the decisions of the county’s selectors but because of the ludicrous scheduling of the Championship season.

Their strangest observation is to nominate Liam Dawson as the player with a “Summer to Remember”, describing him as “steady as always with the bat”. Alongside this, they printed the first-class averages where Dawson was 10th with an average below 20 for the first time in his 10 seasons with Hampshire.

We’ve already noted that leading scorer James Vince’s 626 runs equalled the least ever in a season for the county. Checking the other 17 counties, that total is quite a bit fewer than the leading scorers everywhere else.

Blake, David Eustace (319 – Amateur) born Havant 27.4. 1925, died Portchester 21.5.2015.  When Desmond Eagar arrived as Hampshire’s new secretary/captain immediately after the Second World War, he set about assembling a new side and in the first four seasons, gave debuts to 24 players. One of his tasks was to find a replacement for wicketkeeper Neil McCorkell who would retire after the 1951 season, and in the period before Leo Harrison converted to ‘keeping’, Hampshire selected a number of alternatives, including David Blake, who was also an entertaining left-hand batsman.

Blake was the younger brother of JP (below) who had played in the late 1930s. Both boys went to Aldenham School and David represented the Rest v Lord’s Schools in 1943 at Lord’s, completing three stumpings. He played as an amateur for Hampshire in 50 matches between 1949-1958 – his status being a consequence of his career as a dentist in Southsea.

In his Hampshire career he scored 1,811 runs including one century against Somerset at Bournemouth in 1954, sharing a second wicket century partnership with Neville Rogers. His 30* in the second innings took Hampshire to a ten-wicket victory. In addition he passed fifty on a further 12 occasions, including 56 & 97 v Nottinghamshire at Bournemouth in 1950, which was the principal reason Hampshire drew the match. In the field, he held 62 catches, adding eight stumpings. He did not play in 1955 when Hampshire finished in third place but returned in 1956 and appeared in Hampshire’s first-ever match at Cowes, when they returned to the Isle of Wight for the first time since the war. He received his county cap in 1953.

David Blake also played first-class cricket for a number of other non-county sides including MCC, Free Foresters and made two tours of the West Indies in the mid 1950s with EW Swanton and the Duke of Norfolk. His last recorded match was for MCC v Sherborne School in 1964, scoring 36 at number three, after the two MCC openers had both gone without scoring.

Blake, John Philip (283 – Amateur) born Portsmouth 17.11.1917, died in action 3.6.1944 in Croatia, Yugoslavia. Unlike his brother DE, he was a right-handed batsman, who showed promise at Aldenham School and Cambridge University, although his first-class debut at Worthing in June 1937 (age 19) pre-dated his University debut. His main year with the student side was 1939 when he won his ‘Blue’; scoring 23 in his team’s valiant effort to score 430 to win – they lost by 45 runs.

He played in 29 first-class matches, 15 for Cambridge University, averaging nearly 32 (HS 88 v MCC), but in his 14 matches for Hampshire, his average was less than half that, with a best of 48 v Somerset in a victory at Yeovil in 1938. His final Championship match was at Canterbury in August 1939, and while he enjoyed little success at that level, he was still only 21, and clearly promising. A few months later, he enlisted in the Royal Marines and in 1943, joined No. 43 Royal Marines Commando, serving in Sicily, Anzio and then Yugoslavia. His last recorded match, presumably on leave, was for Southampton Touring Club v British Empire XI at Northlands Road in June 1943, playing alongside fellow Hampshire cricketers Arthur Holt, Charlie Knott, Lloyd Budd and Jack Andrews. One year later he was awarded the Military Cross for leading dangerous action while serving in Yugoslavia, but in another raid, shortly after, he was killed, and is buried in Belgrade War Cemetery.

Blundell, Frederick John (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born 19.11.1850, South Stoneham died 26.4.1929, Botley. He was a slow right-arm bowler and lower order batsman who played one match for Hampshire v MCC at the Antelope Ground in 1880. He took 2-22 in 17 four-ball overs, and scored two runs as Hampshire took a lead of 81, which was sufficient to win by an innings – he was not required to bowl again as MCC were dismissed for 43. He is recorded as playing other matches at that time in the Southampton area for teams such as St Luke’s, Gentlemen of Hampshire and Southampton.

Bodington, Cecil Herbert (88 – Amateur) born 20.1.1880, Norfolk, died in action Pas-de-Clais, France, 11.4.1917. He was a right-handed batsman and bowler who played at King’s School Canterbury and at Cambridge University, although he did not play for the latter in any first-class matches. He played in ten matches for Hampshire in the weak sides of 1901 (age 21) and 1902, averaging 11, with a best of 36 v Sussex, and taking nine wickets, including 3-19 in the same match at Hove in 1902. Hampshire drew that game, closing on 287-9, well short of the target of 410 to win, and Bodington’s innings at number eight made a significant contribution after arriving at 160-6. His final first-class match v the Australians at Southampton in August 1902 was less successful, and ended in a two-day innings defeat. Captain CH Bodington was killed in action in 1917 (age 37). His father was vicar of Upton Grey near Basingstoke and Captain Bodington is commemorated on the village war memorial.

Bolton, Robert Henry Dundas (‘Bertie’) (180 – Amateur) born India 13.1.1893, died 30.10.1964 London. He was a right-handed batsman who first played for Dorset while still at Rossall School, and subsequently for them in the Minor Counties Championship, before making his first-class debut for Hampshire v Cambridge University in 1913 (age 20). He played in Hampshire’s next match, a defeat at Edgbaston and then not again until 1921 (two matches) with three more in 1922. In 12 innings he scored just 121 runs for Hampshire, with a best of 24 (and 22) v Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1921. He became Chief Constable of Northamptonshire and served on their county cricket club’s Committee. He played minor matches for the MCC and regularly for the Forty Club into the 1950s, opening the batting and top-scoring (31) in his last recorded match for them v Ratcliffe College, at the age of 60.

Bichel, Andrew John (‘Andy’) (480) born 27.8.1970, Queensland, Australia. Pace bowler Andy Bichel played for Australia, and in England for Worcestershire, before he joined Hampshire for a brief period in 2005 approaching his 35th birthday. He played in just four first-class matches and a further seven List A games, despite which he had a considerable impact on Hampshire’s history. He made his Hampshire debut at Cheltenham on 3 August and came to the wicket to join Nic Pothas with Hampshire on 81-7. When they were parted, both had scored centuries (Bichel 138), they had added 257, a new record for Hampshire’s 8th wicket which still stands, and Bichel had become the sixth (and to date last) batsman to make three figures on his first-class debut for the county. He took three wickets in the match which Hampshire won, aiding their challenge for the title – they finished runners-up.

A few days later he made his Totesport League debut on the same ground, and within a fortnight was playing in the C&G semi-final v Yorkshire at the Rose Bowl, which Hampshire won to secure their first Lord’s Final in 13 years. In the final, v Warwickshire, he scored 16, helping Hampshire to a total of 290, and when Knight and Bell threatened to win the match, he encouraged the Hampshire supporters from the field and then dismissed Knight, one of his three victims that day. Hampshire won by 18 runs with four balls to spare. Bichel played just one more Totesport League match for the county but his brief stay was certainly a memorable one.

Bignell, Guy Newcombe (117 – Amateur) born 3.12.1886 India, died 10.6.1965 Switzerland. Guy Bignell was a right-hand batsman and medium pace bowler who played for Hampshire for 21 years but as a professional soldier, never regularly, appearing in just six seasons and a total in 55 matches. He occasionally played under a pseudonym, a practice fashionable among amateurs in the previous century, but in 1919 certainly because he was home from India on sick leave, when he appeared in the Hampshire averages as G Newcombe.

Bignell played for notable club sides including MCC, Hampshire Hogs and Free Foresters. For the county he scored 1,670 runs at an average of 20.61 and took 17 wickets. There was one century v Kent at Portsmouth in 1905 and he played most regularly in 1912 but with modest success, although he was a member of the XI that beat the Australians. He also had his best bowling figures that year, 3-67 v Warwickshire at Coventry.

In 1908 he was a member of the Hampshire side that played England in the only first-class match played on Broadhalfpenny Down, Hambledon. The match was held to commemorate the achievements of the team that played there in the 18th century and included the unveiling of the commemorative stone. It was an unusual first-class match as both sides fielded twelve players. Bignell’s older brother HG (below) played five matches for Hampshire at the start of the century.

Bignell, Hugh Glennie (90 – Amateur) born India 4.10.1882, died of fever India 6.5.1907. He played just five first-class matches for the county and while he is described as a fast bowler, he bowled just nine overs without a wicket. As a right-handed batsman he averaged just 14.14, although on debut v Somerset at Portsmouth in 1901, he scored 49* and 22* in a Hampshire victory. In the next four Championship appearances he scored 10, 6, 0, 0, 12, 0 & 0. His last recorded match was for North West Frontier v Punjab in Lahore four years before his premature death.

Bird, Jackson Munro (534) born 11.12.1986 Sydney, Australia. Jackson Bird was an Australian pace bowler who signed as Hampshire’s overseas player in 2015 but struggled with injuries. In six first-class matches he took 19 wickets at an average just under 40, there were two wickets in two List A appearances, and four wickets in six T20 matches. He played Test cricket for Australia, and in England also played for Nottinghamshire.

Bird, Percy John (77 – Amateur), born Isle of Wight 27.5.1877, died 11.11.1942. Although an Isle of Wight man, left-handed batsman Bird went to Cheltenham College. He played just once for Hampshire, scoring 9 & 28 in an innings defeat v Somerset at Southampton in 1900. He also scored 32 & 9 in a non first-class match v the West Indians at Southampton in the same year, when he is shown as keeping wicket.

Black, LG (103) born Lambeth 15.9.1881, died Yorkshire 14.8.1959. The Who’s Who of Cricketers lists him as Lennox Graham Black, Cricket Archive as Lawrence Garfield; the latter is more recent and probably correct. He was a left-handed batsman and left-arm medium pace bowler, who played once for Hampshire v Gentlemen of Philadelphia in 1903 and then in three Championship matches in 1919. In those four first-class matches for the county he scored 36 runs (average 7.20) and took just one wicket. In 1907, 1908, 1910 & 1911 he played for Canada v USA. In 1907 he took 7-46 but Canada lost. They drew in 1911, when he took 7-35.

Here are two more. One will be very familiar, the other not so – but a couple of interesting stories about him. Bethune is number 65 in this series, which means I’ve done almost 10% – and not yet finished with the Bs

Don’t forget you can check more on Tigger’s site:

http://hampshirecricket.net/H_players.htm

Best, Tino La Bertram (541) born 26, 8, 1981, Barbados. Hampshire’s West Indian fast bowler Fidel Edwards was injured in a warm-up during the second Championship match of the 2016 season, and to replace him they signed another fast bowler from Barbados, Tino Best who had played in Tests and internationals for the West Indies, and in England for Yorkshire.

He made his Championship debut for the county on 1 May and played in six first-class matches. In his second match he took 5-90 in an innings defeat at Old Trafford, but overall he took just 14 wickets at a fraction under 40 each. In List A matches he took just one wicket, with four more wickets in nine T20 matches. In early July he had figures of 0-104 at Durham and did not play another Championship match, ending that season playing for Lashings – including a match at Ventnor (IOW).

Bethune, Henry Beauclerk (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born 16.11.1844 Worth, Horsham, Sussex, died 16.4.1912, Horsham, Sussex. HB Bethune was an all-rounder, including slow bowling, sometimes underarm.  He played in two first-class matches for the county, twelve years apart in 1885 and 1897, but in their in-between period of second-class matches he played frequently for Hampshire XIs, and in other games in the county, particularly in the Portsmouth area (Combined Services, US Portsmouth, Portsmouth Corinthians, Portsmouth Borough etc.). In September 1888 he played with Arthur Conan Doyle, at the County Ground, Southampton, for the Portsmouth Borough side that lost the Hampshire County Challenge Cup Final to Winchester (including EG Wynyard).

His two matches for the county v Somerset at Taunton and v Lancashire at Southampton, were unremarkable; he scored 26 runs (HS 9) and took 1-27 in his 10 overs. At around the same time, two other players with the same surname are recorded as playing non first-class matches for Hampshire. About one, CC Bethune we know only that he is recorded playing in 1885 v Devon at Sidmouth but the other, George Maximillion (sic) Bethune, was born in 1854, also in Worth, Horsham, Sussex. It seems too much of a coincidence that GM and HB were not related, although the record books do not suggest this..

Benjamin, Winston Keithroy Matthew (422) born 31.12.1964 Antigua, WI. Except when touring with the West Indies, Malcolm Marshall was Hampshire’s overseas professional from 1979 until he retired after the 1993 season. In his place Hampshire signed Benjamin who had always seemed to have the potential to replicate Marshall’s performances as a fast bowler and useful batsman. Ultimately however, his career figures indicate that he fell short of that potential both for his country and for Hampshire.

He signed for Hampshire age 29, after eight years with Leicestershire when he enjoyed some successful days in Championship and List A cricket – particularly with the ball, taking 237 first-class wickets at 26.84. His three-year Hampshire career was hampered by fitness problems playing just 11 matches, although he scored a fine century v Essex at Southampton  (117) in 1996, sharing a partnership of 178 for the 7th wicket with centurion ‘Adi’ Aymes. Despite this, and a first innings total of 539, Hampshire contrived to lose the match by four wickets. There would be only one further first-class match for any side, which came at Edgbaston a week later, and in May 1996 and with a couple of wickets he left major cricket, injured again. He did however play some limited overs games that year and in his last one, top-scored as Hampshire lost a Nat West quarter-final – Benjamin, playing only as a batsman, top-scored with 41.  In his 11 first-class matches for Hampshire, he took 30 wickets overall with a best of 6-46 in the first innings at Worcester in 1994 – this was one of two five+ wicket hauls for the county, but even then he batted at number 11 in the second innings and was unfit to bowl, as Hampshire won the match.

He played in 21 Test Matches with a best score of 85 and best bowling of 4-46. In England he had played for Cheshire in 1985. Benjamin was cricketer who natural ability rarely shone for Hampshire, ultimately he frustrated the hopes of the club and its supporters.

Bennett, Richard Alexander (30 – Amateur) born 12.12. 1872 Bournemouth, died 16.7.1953 Gloucestershire. Alexander was a right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper who played at Eton, and later for Eton Ramblers, and appeared in 23 first-class matches for Hampshire between 1896-99. He played also in first-class matches for MCC and on tours with his own side (to the West Indies) and Pelham-Warner’s XI (Philadelphia). He made his highest first-class score of 47 for Hampshire v Derbyshire at Southampton in 1899. He had played for Hampshire initially as a batsman, with captain Charles Robson wearing the gloves, but when Wynyard captained to side from 1897, Bennett sometimes kept wicket, and on one occasion, captained the side. His final first-class match was for the Gentlemen of England v Oxford University in 1903. His two brothers-in-law, AW Crawley and  CJ Webb both played first-class cricket.

Bentinck, Bernhard Walter (83 – Amateur) born 16.7.1877 South Warnborough, died 27.6.1931 Winchester. No fewer than 19 men made a Hampshire first-class debut for Hampshire in 1900, and 16 of them played in fewer than 10 matches, including batsman Bentinck who played once that year and once again in 1902, scoring just 26 runs in his four completed innings; Hampshire lost both matches. He had played at Winchester School and his brother-in-law CR Seymour had played for Hampshire in the 1880s.

Berg, Gareth Kyle (529) born 18.1.1981 South Africa. Berg is an all-rounder who played for Middlesex 2008/14 and made his debut for Hampshire in 2015. He is still under contract.

(Reminder, I will complete current players’ profiles whenever this project is completed)

Jason Gillespie has started a weekly Ashes column in the Guardian. He says that despite the loss of Stokes, the squad “looks OK to me” but then singles out James Vince as a decision that “raised eyebrows”. He points out that England have given debuts and extended runs to nine batsmen in the past three years “and Vince is the only one not to have made a half-century. Seven caps, a highest score of 42 and an average in the 30s since returning to Hampshire, what exactly have the selectors seen in him?”

In the Cricket Paper, Derek Pringle fancies England’s chances in Adelaide’s day/night Test, but has a second piece which reveals that as details of the new 2020 T20 emerge, some counties have questioned the proposals, which he says “comes as little surprise”. He adds that the new competition seems “from some angles” as if it is “little more than a debt reduction scheme for the Test Match counties”. He concludes that “much needs sorting before this has the goodwill of all counties”.

In the same ‘paper, there is also a report on the recent departures from Sussex, with Rob Andrew saying that a “major part” of their future strategy “will be the on-going development of home-grown Sussex players”.

Good for them!

Belcher, Gordon (126 – Amateur) born 26.9.1885, died in action in France 16.5.1915. Belcher was a right-hand batsman and medium pace bowler who enjoyed success in school cricket for some years at Brighton College, where he was captain in 1903 and 1904. It was a measure of the weakness of the Hampshire side in the early twentieth century that ten men made their debuts for Hampshire in 1904 and another ten in 1905, and 13 of those 20 played only in that one season, with nine appearing only once. Among the latter group was Gordon Belcher, whose one match v Warwickshire at Southampton in August 1905 ended with a ‘pair’ and one over (0-3) – and Hampshire lost by 10 wickets. He went to Cambridge University but did not obtain a ‘blue’ or play in first-class cricket there. He played for Berkshire from 1910-1913. Two of his brothers were killed also in the war and his father Rev TH Belcher, who played first-class cricket for Oxford University, died in 1919, when vicar of Bramley, Hants.

Bencraft, Dr Sir Henry William Russell, (5 – Amateur) born 4.3.1858 Southampton, died 25. 12. 1943 Winchester. He was known in later years as Sir Henry William Russell-Bencraft. As a cricketer he was a right-handed batsman and pace bowler, who captained Hampshire in their first season in the County Championship, having played for some years previously, making his first-class debut for the county in 1876 (age 18). In 1889 he had scored 195 v Warwickshire, but his first-class career was modest; in 46 matches (all but two for the county) he scored just under 1,000 runs at 15.53 (HS 62* v Derbyshire in 1895) and took five wickets. Nonetheless, when FS Ashley-Cooper published the first history of Hampshire in 1924, he described Bencraft as “the best friend Hampshire cricket ever had – a man who however dark the outlook might appear, kept a stout heart and spread cheerfulness around and whose enthusiasm … is characterised by all the energy which marked his activities of thirty, forty and even more years ago”.

Bencraft earned that tribute through his various roles in establishing Hampshire as a first-class county; as captain, honorary secretary from a time when the club’s future was under threat, chairman for 15 years and eventually president. His father was a medical officer in Southampton, and Bencraft was educated at St George’s Hospital, London, before returning to Southampton where he held a number of medical positions, was a director and chairman of Southern Newspapers Ltd, and president of Southampton FC – he had been a football referee. He was also president of Hampshire Rugby Union. In 1937 there was a considerable attendance at a dinner in his city, to honour his sixty years with Hampshire County Cricket Club.

Benham, Christopher Charles (‘Chris’) (473) born 24 March 1983, Frimley.  Although born for convenience just across the border, batsman and good fielder Chris Benham was a Hampshire cricketer who emerged through the county’s age group and 2nd XI sides and after appearances for Loughborough University, made his debut in September 2004 v Derbyshire with a promising innings of 74 in a Hampshire victory. His next match in early 2005 was a subsequently crucial defeat at Stratford-upon-Avon which might be seen as preventing Hampshire from winning the Championship. But his next appearance was another defeat – by an innings – in that broadly successful year; v Surrey at the Rose Bowl. The match only lasted 165 overs – the shortest game ever on that ground, that was not rain-affected as Hampshire were dismissed for 146 & 160. In their first innings Surrey’s Harbhajan Singh took 6-36 with Benham top-scoring with 41 in more than two hours.

He seemed to have a promising future and there were highlights; in 2006 he played in quite of number of List A matches and in late September in a televised relegation/promotion play-off v Glamorgan at the Rose Bowl played a magnificent innings of 158 as Hampshire clinched their place in Division One of the Pro 40 league. His first-class appearances never reached double figures in a season but in 2009, he averaged 45.11 and scored his first – and only – Championship century 111 v Durham at the Rose Bowl. Earlier that season he was a regular member of the side that reached the Friend’s Provident Trophy Final at Lord’s and joined the injured Nic Pothas at 154-4 with Hampshire pursuing 220 to beat Sussex in 50 overs. The pair were not parted, adding 67* with Benham 37* as Hampshire won with almost 10 overs to spare.

Benham played in 54 List A matches for Hampshire, scoring three centuries and 1,564 runs average 36.37 – a more impressive return than his first-class record (average 27.05). He played also in 37 T20 matches with just one half-century. Despite the successes of 2009 he lost his Championship place in mid-May of the following year, did not play any List A games (three in the T20) that year, and after one further Championship match, covering injuries at Scarborough, his Hampshire career came to an end at the age of 27. He played for Wiltshire in 2011 and also in the Southern and Surrey leagues.

Ian Holland has signed a new two year contract, while Aussie Nathan Rimmington has joined Durham.

Rimmington? So what, you ask.

Well when I get to the Rs he’ll be in my A-Z of Hampshire players, at number 527, one after Glen Maxwell and one before Tom Alsop.

You remember, surely?