Hampshire Cricket History

I think someone mentioned previously that Hampshire’s start v Essex on 5 April is their earliest ever in the County Championship, beating by one day the home match v Worcs in 2014. Mind you this recent weather suggests we might soon start in February …

In 1966 Hampshire played a first-class match in April for the first time, on Saturday 30th. It was in the Parks and Richard Gilliat captained the University, top-scoring with 62 on that first day (he was best again with 38 in the second knock). Bryan Timms scored his only first-class century, Keith Wheatley took 7-86 in the match, and Hampshire won by 8 wickets.

Ten years later, on Wednesday 28 April 1976 Hampshire began a Championship match in April for the first time – v Somerset at Taunton. The match was drawn but not before Bob Stephenson scored 100* – wicketkeepers seem to like April.

Before this, there was one occasion, in 1926, when Hampshire started a game on 1 May,  v Surrey at the Oval. By contrast in 1911 they started just one Championship match in May (plus one v MCC), yet in 1907 they played seven Championship games in May.

In 1958, Hampshire played a three-day Championship match in Derbyshire. In the event, it only lasted two days as all 40 wickets fell while the two sides scored just 259 runs between them in 115.1 overs. It remains the lowest aggregate in a Hampshire match where all 40 wickets fell – and it will surely remain so.

By contrast, in the West Indies today the two sides scored over 800 runs in 98 overs, and all in one day.

Meanwhile what chance of Liam Dawson getting a late call-up for the World Cup? In the Caribbean to date, Moeen Ali’s figures have been 0-85 in 10 overs; 0-51 in seven overs and today 0-31 in two overs – that’s 0-167 in 19 overs, plus one innings when he scored 12.

Sri Lankan captain* Dimuth Karunaratne has signed for Hampshire for the first half of the 2019 season.

Mind you, his real first name is Frank and we haven’t had a Frank for a while (see first Comment). He’s never played for a county side before, but has played 60 Tests with over 4,000 runs at 36.05 and 17 ODIs (avge 15.83).

It’s no surprise that he opens the batting and I guess he’s a Championship signing; his first-class average is 46.65 (37 x 100s). He doesn’t really bowl.

He is 30 – he’ll be 31 on 28 April (Taurus).

*He has only been captain in the last two matches in South Africa, so he’s made a good start.

PS: He’s left-handed and apparently not in the SL World Cup squad.

When we signed Abbott and Rossouw as Kolpacks they turned their backs on international careers, but it wasn’t certain that either of them had an international future of real significance, and Kyle was in his thirties.

Nonetheless it’s not a development I’m hugely fond of in the county game. Then today comes the news (BBC) that “Yorkshire have signed South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier on a three-year Kolpak contract. Olivier … is one of the world’s most in-form pacemen, having taken 31 wickets in five Tests since being recalled by South Africa in December”.

That last bit seems bonkers. He’s 26 and bowling real well at Test level but he’d rather play for Yorkshire (who already have some decent pace bowlers).

PS (Friday) Thanks to Colin Price for sending the Chris Tremlett column in CityAM (London) about this issue:

Phil Tufnell and Chris Tremlett (plus Greig) were at the ground with the World Cup today. There was a presentation and display in the Robin Smith Suite, and then photos with the trophy on the pitch. This afternoon it was off to Eastleigh, and it’s being covered on both channels by local TV news programmes.

PS That’s Nigel in the distance, enjoying the warmest day ever in February in the UK. Meanwhile in the Caribbean …

Jo Kent (BBC South Today) interviews Mike Beardall (Broadhalfpenny Brigands)

I’m off to Broadhalfpenny Down now with Stephen Saunders, who is also one of our newly constituted Hampshire Cricket Heritage Ltd. We are putting together an exhibition about 18th century Hambledon, and World Cups, to accompany the display of the current World Cup on its 100-Day tour of the country. It’ll be there from 2-4pm, with other entertainments; then I’m repeating the World Cup show tomorrow morning when it arrives at the Ageas Bowl.

I think the whole 100-day trip started yesterday in Trafalgar Square – there’s a photo in today’s Observer showing a bloke called Harry Judd taking a ‘selfie’ of him Chris Hughes and Rebecca Adlington with the trophy. She, I’m sure you’ll know, swims a bit, Hughes is apparently a ‘star’ of TV’s Love Island, while Judd drums in McFly (you know, McFly!).

You can see why they’ve turned to Stephen and me can’t you? Anyway I’m taking my washboard and kazoo: “the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road, the Rock Island Line is the road to ride …”

Sri Lanka had a poor winter against England and Australia but having travelled to South Africa, they’ve won the series 2-0. South Africa have been bowled out four times in the two matches, with a highest total of just 259.

See also: https://billpavilionend.com/whos-crying-now/

Main headline in this week’s Cricket Paper: “ECB Chiefs locked in Oval Hundred Row”

Apparently Surrey were the only club that voted against the playing conditions. Colin Graves was “incensed” and there is a threat “to strip Surrey … of hosting rights”. Bristol and Chelmsford are being spoken of as alternatives. Meanwhile Tom Harrison insists there is “overwhelming support” for the new competition “from the stakeholders”, emphasising the enthusiasm of the broadcasters. He added, “it’s an exciting moment”.

BBC: “England have recalled Sam Billings and Dawid Malan for the three-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies starting on Tuesday, 5 March. Wicketkeeper Billings and batsman Malan return to the T20 squad for the first time since last year’s tour of Australia and New Zealand. All-rounder Ben Stokes and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will be rested, while opener Jason Roy will also miss the series to return home for the birth of his first child”. I’ve always understood the argument that James Vince hasn’t proved his case as a Test batsman but how he’s not even a reserve in T20 is very surprising.