Hampshire Cricket History

Hambledon, Broadhalfpenny Down (see Comments with John West on previous post)

The following morning – Next to Adi (left) is Dick Orders who was then Landlord of the Bat & Ball

at Worcester, the fixture list is barmy, England are in trouble down under, Stokes is still not ‘off the hook’

So here’s a little light relief – and rather different from what you usually find here:

Pace bowler Chris Sole came down from Scotland to play for our 2nd XI last season and as a consequence the ICC stopped him from representing his country. The BBC site today informs us that they’ve changed their minds and he can now stay with Hampshire and play for Scotland.

That’s interesting, since it seems to confirm that he will be around next season – I wonder about other pacemen like Salisbury, Stevenson, Hart

Meanwhile the fixtures are out today. Hampshire’s Championship season starts at home v Yorkshire on 14 February and will include a special package in Beefy’s for young lovers everywhere. After the match at the Oval on 1 April the Championship takes a break until early October.

Andrew Strauss on the Bairstow ‘incident’:

“These guys are not thugs. They are good  honest hard-working cricketers who sacrifice a lot to play for England”

I don’t doubt the first half, but the emphasis is mine. If it’s all too much for them, I’m entirely willing to make the sacrifices.

A group of ‘less familiar’ players to complete the Cs. I’m back on course now, so I’ll slow down a bit!

Crofts, Edmund Sclater (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born Winchester 23.1.1859, died Bedford 23.12.1938. Crofts was a batsman who attended Winchester College and then Sandhurst. He played one match for Hampshire v MCC at Southampton in 1885, and batting at number three scored three and two, in an innings defeat.

Crookes, John Edward (208 – Amateur) born Lincolnshire 7.3.1890, died Surrey, 8.9.1948. Crookes, a sergeant-major in the Army, was principally a batsman, who played regularly for Lincolnshire in 1909 and once in 1910. In July and August 1920 he played in three first-class matches for Hampshire, scoring 1, 3, 36* (in an innings victory v Worcestershire at Portsmouth), 8 & 2. He bowled one over for six runs.

Crowdy, Rev James Gordon (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born Wiltshire 2.7.1847, died Winchester 16.12.1918. He attended Rugby School and Oxford University but did not play for the University in first-class matches. His debut at that level was for MCC against the University in 1872 and from 1875, 1877, 1882 & 1884 he appeared in six first-class matches for Hampshire. He played also for Gentlemen’s teams in Worcestershire, Devon and Hampshire and in later years for Winchester. In his county career he played 12 innings with a highest score of 21 v Sussex in 1875, and bowled once, taking 1-31 in the same year.

Cull, George (Pre ’95) born  Lymington 3.3.1856, died, Sandown IOW 9.5.1898. Cull was a wicketkeeper and batsman who played in a county colts match in April 1877 and then twice in first-class matches for the county in the following month. He scored 14 runs in four innings and held one catch – although in neither match did he keep wicket.

Currie, Cecil Edmund (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born Berkshire 4.4.1861, died Staines 2.1.1937. Currie came from a cricketing family, including his father (FL Currie), and was a lower-order batsman, slow right-arm bowler and fine field. After attending Marlborough School he was at Cambridge University where in 1883, he played in just two first-class matches (no ‘blue’), but his first-class debut was for Hampshire v Sussex at the Antelope Ground in 1871. He played most regularly for Hampshire in 1884 & 1885 and thereafter until 1893, as they lost their first-class status. For the county he scored 284 first-class runs at 13.52 (best 32) and took 56 wickets at 21.87, including 8-57 v Somerset on his one appearance in 1882, and 5-53 v Sussex in 1885 – both matches were at Southampton and both won by Hampshire. He was a solicitor, at some point based in London.

Curzon, Christopher Colin (389) born Nottinghamshire 22.12.1958. Through the 1980s, Hampshire’s wicketkeeper was Bobby Parks, and Curzon, who had played 17 first-class matches for his native county 1978-1980, joined Hampshire as Parks’ deputy, although he played in just one first-class match in 1981 v Sri Lankans at Bournemouth. He scored 31* and 22 (one catch) in what was his final first-class match. He left Hampshire after that season although he played once for Derbyshire in the 2nd XI Championship, and also played in Nottinghamshire league cricket

Through the years that I ran Hampshire Cricket Heritage, I kept a separate account for urgent jobs, quick (online) purchases etc. I raised pretty well all the money in the account from those book sales on the ground, giving talks to local community groups, flogging/auctioning signed items etc.

Everything raised, helped to develop the Heritage work, although the bigger items like the Wisden boards were funded by the club or by one-off gifts and subscriptions (eg the Roll of Honour Board)

When I departed in September 2016, that account still had just over £1,000 in it and I discussed that with the guys now running Heritage (Stephen Saunders, Richard Griffiths & Bob Murrell). Since I was the signatory, I was adamant that it was not simply going into the Hampshire Cricket PLC account to fund adverts for James’ favourite venue, and earlier this year a small amount funded a Heritage purchase.

Last week I sent a cheque to cover the balance of £1,000 as Stephen has effected the purchase through auction of a series of scrapbooks kept by Desmond Eagar, which will join many other scrapbooks in the Archive. Stephen had a quick look and told me they contain:

“Masses of press cuttings and photos – even an x ray of part of Desmond! Unfortunately most of the photos are not annotated as to who is in them. They are around  the start of my membership (I joined in 1953) so can I name many. Dave will be able to pick up the rest. (DA: Very happy to do that) If not Alan (Rayment) should be able to help.  I will bring them to Bat & Ball in March. I was pleased to see a couple of photos of my dentist and family friend (David Blake).”

I think this is lovely news and I’m looking forward to seeing them. If you ever parted with any cash in a transaction with me at the Ageas Bowl (unless it was buying me a drink) you contributed to this, so thank you. It pretty much brings to a conclusion my official work as the Archivist.

A couple more – I hope to complete C today.

Creese, William Charles Leonard (‘Len’) (248) born South Africa 27.12.1907, died Dover 9.3.1974. Len Creese was a valuable all-rounder in the Hampshire side of the 1930s and one of many cricketers whose career was curtailed by the war, which came when he was just 31. He played in 278 first-class matches for the county but it might have been many more.

We know that Creese came to England as a young man in the hope of establishing himself in the county game, and we know too that he came from a family that was involved in the administration of cricket in Transvaal for many decades, although his father WH, was born in Monmouthshire and played Minor Counties cricket there before emigrating and playing a couple of first-class games in South Africa. Len Creese’s first recorded match is as a schoolboy against a touring side captained by Lionel Tennyson – Creese ended the innings with just his third ball (1-0) but sadly recorded a ‘pair’, despite which he became a member of Tennyson’s last sides.

He was a hard-hitting left-handed batsman who scored six centuries for Hampshire between 1933-1939, including 241 v Northamptonshire in that last year, with 37 boundaries. There is some uncertainty about his bowling which was left-handed, but in accounts varies from medium-slow to fast medium. He did not generally take the new ball and perhaps bowled at a similar pace to Derek Underwood. With the ball he took 401 wickets for Hampshire at 27.87 and a best of 8-37 v Lancashire at Southampton in 1936. That was his finest year as a bowler, taking 95 wickets at just under 23 each – and with 1,331 runs was just five victims short of the ‘double’. In season for four years, from 1934, he took over 50 wickets and on 13 occasions in those years, he took at least five in an innings; just once he took 10 in the match, against Warwickshire at Bournemouth in 1937, after Dick Moore’s record 316 on the first day – Hampshire won in two. In his last two seasons he took just 70 wickets, but there is some uncertainty as to whether his form slipped, or he was under-used, in a weak Hampshire side.

His first few years at Hampshire were a struggle but he established himself in 1933 with 1,275 runs at what would be his best season’s average of 35.41, and he followed this with 909 runs in 1934, and then, scored over one thousand runs in four of the next five years -the exception was an injury-hit season in 1937. He was also a fine fielder, holding 190 catches for the county. During the war, he played a number of matches for the Army and in 1946, represented them in two first-class matches. He played also for Dorset from 1949-1951. Subsequently he was a coach at Sherborne School, and then groundsman at Hastings and Hove. His character often matched the exuberance of his batting, but in later years, following a family tragedy, life was less easy.

Crofton, Edward Hugh (Pre ’95 – Amateur) born Plymouth 7.9.1854, died Dublin, 15.5.1882. He was a batsman who played in three first-class matches for Hampshire in 1881 when a soldier, living in Winchester. Two of his matches were against MCC, the other v Sussex and his career was unremarkable with 32 runs in five innings, to which he added one wicket. He died in Ireland at the start of the following season, but we have no details of his death.

Crawley, John Paul (457) born Essex, 21.9.1971. Right-handed batsman John Crawley played for Lancashire from 1990-2001 and after leaving in somewhat difficult circumstances, joined Hampshire and on debut at Canterbury scored 272 – the highest innings ever by a debutant for the county, but one that in his eight seasons, he would exceed on two further occasions. Having joined Hampshire at the age of 30, he was, for a brief period, a magnificent batsman for his second county.

Although born in Essex, Crawley was educated at Manchester Grammar School. He played at Cambridge University from 1991-1993, captaining them in the last two years, and played for England’s age group sides and then in 37 Tests from 1994-2003, scoring 1800 runs with four centuries (HS 156*) and for a player of his ability, a slightly disappointing average of 34.61. He played also in 13 ODIs (HS 73). Overall he scored just under 25,000 first-class runs at 46.49, and for Hampshire 7,210 runs at 45.06.

In that debut season for Hampshire he passed 1,000 runs at an average of 53.80 but in the following year, pressed into deputising for the banned Shane Warne as captain, he scored just 878 runs at 33.76. He had left Lancashire after being replaced as captain and there was a feeling that captaincy affected his batting, although he did not agree. But when Warne returned in 2004, his average went back above 50 with almost 1,000 runs. That included an innings of 301* at Trent Bridge which was just 15 short of Hampshire’s highest innings, when they declared. In 2005 against the same opponents, he reached 311*, when Warne declared again, despite having plenty of time to conclude what would be an innings victory. So Crawley never made Hampshire’s highest score, but he is the only man to score two triple centuries for the county.

He always seemed happiest playing first-class cricket but he did score 102 in a limited overs match v Durham in 2003 and two years later he was a member of the Hampshire side that won the C&G Trophy, beating Warwickshire at Lord’s. His highest T20 score was just 23, from just 10 appearances. He deputised occasionally as a wicketkeeper and was a good short-leg fielder. His form declined somewhat in his last two years and he retired after 2009.

Back again (fingers crossed)

Cowley, Nigel Geoffrey (373) born Shaftesbury, Dorset, 1.3.1953. Off-spinning all-rounder Cowley played for the 2nd XI as Gilliat’s team won the Championship in 1973 but with the departure of O’Sullivan he came into the side in the following season, although he bowled very little for the first three years (17 wickets). For almost the whole of that first season it seemed he would start his first-class career as a County Champion, but when rain wrecked the last two matches at Bournemouth he was one Hampshire’s disappointed runners-up.

While Cowley became a useful Championship cricketer, it would be in limited-overs cricket that he would enjoy most success – and make most impact – beginning perhaps in the 1977 B&H semi-final when he arrived following a Procter hat-trick at 18-4. Cowley added 111 with David Turner and top-scored with 59, albeit not quite enough to take Hampshire to Lord’s. He hardly played when Hampshire won the Sunday League in 1975, but he contributed to the next two titles in 1978 (when he was capped) & 1986.

His highest first-class score of 109* came at Taunton in 1977, with a second first-class century v Leicestershire at Southampton in 1982, to which he added a career best 6-48. In 1978 he had taken 56 first-class wickets at around 30 apiece, and he matched that total in 1984, and in three other seasons passed 40 wickets. 1984 was also the season in which he passed 1,000 runs for the only time. In 1986 he was a member of the Hampshire side who won their third and last Sunday League and in 1988 he played in their first Lord’s final, making a significant contribution with 1-17 in his 11 overs, and executing the throw from deep, to run-out Derbyshire’s most threatening batsman, John Morris.

After just one first-class match in 1989, he left Hampshire and joined Glamorgan for one season, after which he became a first-class umpire, retiring in 2017. He scored 6, 773 runs and took 425 wickets for Hampshire in 257 first-class matches, to which he added almost 3,000 runs and 233 wickets in 288 limited-overs games. For fifteen years he was a valuable all-rounder in both forms, going about his work in a quiet, efficient and determined manner, alongside some of the biggest stars to play for the county.

Cox, Rupert Michael Fiennes (414) born Guildford 20.8.1967. Rupert Cox was a promising left-handed batsman who had followed Mark Nicholas from Bradfield School but found it difficult to break into the strong Hampshire batting line-up. This was not made easier because he made his first-class debut in 1990 – the same season as another left-hander, David Gower. When Gower and Robin Smith went to the Test Match v India, Cox made his first-class debut in July at Arundel, scoring 35* in the second innings, and two weeks later, with Gower and Robin Smith absent again, he scored 104* at Worcester, sharing an undefeated partnership of 161 with Tony Middleton. Gower and Smith then returned for a match at Taunton, and Cox was dropped. He played a few matches each year for five seasons, and as captain of the 2nd XI was seen as a possible successor to Nicholas, but it was not to be. He was one of a number of promising Hampshire youngsters of his generation whose careers never fulfilled their apparent promise.

Crane Mason Sydney (535) born Shoreham-by-Sea 18.2.1997. leg-break/googly bowler and right-hand batsman. Debut 2015 (as with other current players, to be completed near publication)

Crawley, Cosmo Stafford (220 – Amateur) born Chelsea 27.5.1904, died Westminster 10.2.1989. Right-handed batsman Crawley, came from a large cricketing family and played cricket at Harrow School, then first-class for Oxford University (no ‘Blue’), Free Foresters, Harlequins and Middlesex (1929). Six years previously, he played once for Hampshire v Oxford University just before his 19th birthday, scoring 14 & eight in a four-wicket defeat. At University he won ‘Blues’ for Royal Tennis and Rackets.

But I might be back.

I think I’ve discovered why it took that nice Mr Branson so long to fix my internet (assuming he has)

What exactly is a ‘Bookazine’? (WH Smith, Chichester)

Posting this while watching my hopes for the Test Match disintegrate. A good day for Mason Crane perhaps?