Hampshire Cricket History

Just catching up – seems there has been an interruption or two, and forfeits (?). Ends tomorrow.

Glamorgan 340-9 dec (Scriven 2-3, Sole 2-56, Searle 2-67, one wicket each for Stevenson, Holland, Hart) & 0-0

Hampshire 0-0 & 8-1 (Organ 0)

PS: 2.20pm Friday and the score hasn’t changed, so I guess it’s raining in Wales. As Tom Jones might observe, “It’s Not Unusual”.

Key 50 over games today: Kent and Gloucs look well-placed so far. In the Headingley game, I’m not sure Pakistan will last 50 overs …

PPS The only problem with my 2nd XI thought is that Glams match in Cardiff is going ahead – and Glams are handily placed which is good news for Hampshire. Also rain in Gloucs v Somerset – one point each would be a good result for us!

The Dorset Cricket Society have given a surprise 90th Birthday party to Alan Rayment today, down in Bournemouth. Cricket author Stephen Chalke and another of our ‘Bloggers’, Alan Edwards (HCS) were there, but the special guest was Mike Barnard – wheelchair bound these days, but still cheerful. It was lovely to see my fellow Old Portmuthian!

Mike watches Alan opening one of his presents – a signed copy of the official history of 1957 – and below, the cake.

We have every reason to be hopeful of qualification: we have nine points. No other side has more than six points right now, but Kent, Gloucs & Surrey have a game in hand.

We can hope that everyone else beats each other, but here’s a gloomy scenario from the remaining matches

We lose both matches (Glams & Somerset) and finish on nine

Somerset beat Gloucs and us, finish on 10

Kent lose to Gloucs, but beat Surrey & Essex, finish on 10

Sussex beat Glams & Essex, finish on 10

Gloucs lose to Somerset but beat Kent & Middx, finish on 10

Surrey lose to Kent but beat Middx & Glams, finish on 10

We end up in sixth place!

Sorry Mick & Keef but “It’s Not All Over Now”

(There are alternative scenarios that are just as gloomy!)

Almost 3pm and I’m just back from a very interesting day at the Ageas Bowl (of which more later), but with hardly any idea what’s been happening at Merchant Taylor’s.

Obviously a bit of weather/damp but I guess we’d settle for that target? Looking at the Vince/Taylor nine overs I’m assuming it’s a pitch for seamers not spinners – and we are chasing, as we’ve done in every 50 overs game so far.

The result & abandonment yesterday suited us, Essex dominating Glamorgan today doesn’t, so best we win.

Among the analyses of England’s dreadful display, is a piece by Simon Hughes on the BBC site where he reports that since 2014 England have given debuts to 14 batsmen who between them have averaged just 26.

The best of them (therefore boosting the average) is Hameed, who since his injury cannot score a run, next comes Ballance who apparently ruined his chances of a comeback by failing to be selected in the winter, then Buttler and Robson. There are four men below Vince in 10th place; Lyth, Westley, Duckett and Jennings who’s now returning.

I’d suggest those figures tell us much about the current quality, structure and scheduling of the county championship

My earlier report wasn’t very clear, so here’s the full story. As Paul says, another good win.

Glams 2nd XI 131 all out (Currie 4-15, Sole 2-17, Stevenson 2-23); Hampshire won by 5 wickets: F Organ 65*, Stevenson 13*, Dickinson 22, Middleton 14,  Ervine 0, Holland 9, Scriven 3.

Here’s wishing our ‘Senior Pro’ (and fellow blogger) Alan Rayment a VERY HAPPY 90th Birthday today

198 first-class matches for HCCC (plus one for the Combined Services) and a highest score of 126 v Gloucestershire at Bristol over the Coronation weekend in 1953. Here he is with Jimmy and grandson Merlin, on Sunday evening, after a day at the Ageas Bowl with some of his family.

I was commentating on Hospital Radio as we lost yesterday – and that is the way to put it, rather than Kent won. Nonetheless I agree with Jo that almost everything that Joe and Brad (bat & ball) did yesterday was marvellous, and I agree with James that in dissecting the defeat we need to ask about some of the other bowling (not Wood), some of the field placing and other batsmen with more experience who got in and got out. Brad fell to a terrible shot at the wrong time but no worse than Jimmy’s, whose dismissal created pressure.

On the other hand these young men are also professional cricketers whose primary purpose is to win matches and they didn’t. Brad is in his sixth season since making his debut and Joe in his third, so they’re not novices, and the challenge now is for them to learn from this quickly, cement a place in the side, with Dawson and Northeast returning soon and win matches. Hampshire have won nothing for five seasons while they have been no more than average, and there’s been no Championship title for 45 years. Simply saying they did well won’t change that, we need to be tougher.

I’ve seen Joe Root this morning asking England fans to “keep the faith” and I wonder, what faith? Does the England side and set-up deserve that? But I don’t wonder that about Hampshire – I guess it’s what keeps you going. And in the end yesterday was just another cricket match. I’ve seen Hampshire lose before (first time v Yorkshire at Portsmouth 1960) and I’m sure I’ll see them lose again. I was so busy yesterday, I didn’t catch up with the news until I got home when, speaking of my home city, I learned that two other kids went off to a music festival and never came home. All that happened to our kids was that they missed a couple of balls. On we go …

One of the things I like about history is that it connects with the present, while taking me somewhere else too.

So, another Sunday in May, back in 1977 at Bournemouth (Sunday League):

Nottinghamshire 119 all out in 31.4 of their 40 overs – Andy Murtagh 4-12, which at the time was his List A best bowling, although the following week he took 5-33 v Yorkshire. For Notts, Clive Rice scored 52, but only two other men reached double figures.

Hampshire, 120 to win, were 83-2 & 110-4, with Greenidge 44 & Gilliat 22 – then 110-5, 112-6, 116-7, 116-8, 116-9, 117 all out (36.3 overs) lost by two runs.

(Cathedral) … You’re bringing me down”.

(Well something is)

Hampshire players born Winchester (according to my A-Z, which might be right)

Way back: ES Crofts; HT Forster; H Gale; GP Greenfield; EE Light; WF Light; WH Lipscomb; EC Mariner; JC Moberly; Rev. CH Ridding.

1960s & 1970s: P Barrett; GL Keith;  RV Lewis.

1980s & 1990s: JS Laney; TC Middleton; JR Wood.

21st Century: JHK Adams; BJ Taylor; J Tomlinson; JJ Weatherley.

It’s probable therefore that Tony Middleton was the first Winchester-born Hampshire player to be capped (we’re not always certain about caps way back).