Hampshire Cricket History

There is an article in today’s Cricket Paper suggesting there is a “faint whiff of optimism” that Hampshire will win the Championship this season after a wait of 46 years. The article is built around an interview with Members’ Chairman Neil Trestrail who suggests that “it’s the opening attack that makes you think we have a real chance”.

It got me thinking about a comparison between this team and our two Champions, both of which I saw, albeit the first one as an 11-year-old, although most of those players were still around a few years later. Here’s what I think – bearing in mind that in 1961 we used 16 men in 32 games, of which two (BRS Harrison, and BSV Timms) played in few games, while in 1973 (20 games) we used just 12 plus occasional reserve Andy Murtagh. In the first five games of this year we’ve already used 18 players.

1961; 1973; 2019

Best openers: 1. Richards & Greenidge; 2. Marshall & Gray*; 3. Weatherley & Soames

Best nos. Three & Four: 1. Vince & Northeast; 2= Turner & Gilliat/Horton & Livingstone

Best SLA/All-Rounder: 1= Sainsbury (1961 & 1973)/Dawson

Best No 5/6 Batsman: 1. Jesty*; 2= Rossouw/ I-Mackenzie/Barnard/Baldry

Best ‘Keeper’/Batsman: 1. Alsop*; 2. Stephenson; 3. Harrison

Best Seamer/All-Rounder: 1. Taylor; 2. Barker/Holland/Berg/Fuller; (1961: Gray*)

Best Opening Attack: 1. Shackleton & White; 2. Abbott & Edwards; 3. Herman & Mottram

Best Second Spinner: 1. O’Sullivan; 2. Burden/Wassell; 3. Crane

Best Captain: 1. Gilliat; 2. Ingleby-Mackenzie; 3. Vince/Northeast

*Alsop ahead as a batsman. Jesty and Gray also bowled seamers but counted already as batsmen. The list of four seam-bowling all-rounders in 2019, complicates comparisons and suggests changes in the structure and balance of the main side over the years.

First ball; first wicket

The first ball of the World Cup (Eng v SA at the Oval) bowled by Imran Tahir (one run to Roy). Second ball and off he goes, dismissing Bairstow to his first ball. Tahir is about to cross Vauxhall Bridge. Amla and Markram are both playing (Steyn is injured) but not Vince or Dawson.

A story to make things clear: I’ve had a lively week, so the first time I tuned in to Headingley ball-by-ball was yesterday afternoon to hear mainly chat about Northern Soul (thanks Colin), Trent Derby, Southern Rave and other poptastic suggestions for names of 16.4 teams.

I tweeted a sarcastic comment about the four syllables which Kevan read out and the chat went on – and on. So I tweeted again to ask whether, when the 16.4 finally starts, the commentators will talk mostly about the County Championship. That wasn’t read out.

My simple Blog point, made with this post, is that I will from time-to-time post something about the 16.4 but never to promote it. My opposition to it, put simply, is that it is already helping to dismantle the COUNTY game (50 over Final? Lord’s?) and I suspect you ain’t seen nothing yet. If you want a more thorough critique, cheque the link on a Comment from Jeremy on yesterday’s post. One bit I love is when Harrison parades the women’s World Cup as a particular success in reaching a new audience until it’s pointed out that it was ‘old’ format, 50 overs!

The 16.4 is not county cricket, it’s not Hampshire, it will get no sympathetic hearing from me. What you choose to post as a Comment on here is your business and I won’t censor other views.

PS: Another great suggestion from Colin (keep ’em coming). Instead of ‘Northern Soul’ they could call them Manchester United and get lots of support from Surrey

To our Senior Pro, media star and fellow blogger Alan ‘Punchy’ Rayment.

Nine more for the century ‘Punchy’!

And a few years earlier

And a bonus mark for James Fuller, enjoying his third good day in three for Hampshire. I’ve been out on a skiffle gig today so heard nothing, but note Jo is anxious about parrots. After my food-poisoning episode on Friday and Tom’s yesterday it was a bit odd that a chap wanted to interview me about music this afternoon but cancelled with food poisoning. Is it contagious?

Hampshire 2nd XI 476-6 dec with centuries for Taylor, Organ & McManus, and 70 for Scriven, who has just returned from injury. For Somerset a bloke called Trescothick made a half-century, but they were 138-6 with three wickets for Berg and two for W Harries (Does he come from Wiltshire/Shrewton?). Stevenson is listed but has neither batted nor bowled, while Somerset have recovered a bit to 183-6. McManus did take an early catch so probably still there.

Well played Hampshire, especially Fidel – and encouraging from James Fuller.

Tonight we’re top of the table.

Off we go again, in pursuit of our first title since 1973 (I can dream can’t I?). As I suggested Joe Weatherley is not fit, Rilee comes in for him but I guess he won’t open, so will that be Tom?

Otherwise it’s the same side that finished the match at Newclose plus Fuller – a reward for a fine day on Saturday – and Brad Wheal, something of a forgotten man and one who surely has to begin establishing himself pretty soon. He is in his fifth season with Hampshire and has played in 25 first-class matches – but his most appearances (9) came in 2016, while his wicket returns fell from 22 that season to 15 in 2017 and 11 in 2018.

PS Confusing team news initially but after 12.20 start, Weatherley IS playing (despite reports to the contrary) and Fuller makes his Championship debut as a change from the final IOW side, replacing the injured Abbott; the other change is Rossouw for Donald.

A couple of delightful photos from last week’s visit. The first given to me by Keith Mitchell a man who has been researching the island’s cricket history

This is from the original postcard and shows Hampshire v Northamptonshire at Newport in 1938, the first county game played overseas.

This was a particularly funny moment – Alan Rayment was talking to Kevan about the game in 1957 when he met our new manager Adrian Birrell. ‘Adie’ asked Alan how often he was injured and replied only once and that an accident – ‘Adie’ loved this and called over our Physio James Clegg to ‘make a point’ about the modern world!

Mostly as expected but a couple of odd ones

BATTING

Best average: Vince 72.7 – Markram 58.25 – Rossouw 48.5 – Dawson 45.7 – Northeast 40.0 – Alsop 39.0 – Fuller 27.0

Best strike-rate: Wood 131 – Fuller 121 – Rossouw 111 – Vince 111 – Dawson 103 – Markram 102

Centuries: Alsop 2 – Vince 1 – Northeast 1 – Markram 1 – Dawson 1

BOWLING

Best average: Dawson 20.33 – Markram 23.4 – Abbott 23.55 – Berg 31.0 – Crane 31.86 – Edwards 33.0 – Wheal 54.0

Best economy rate: Dawson 4.11 – Markram 4.5 – Berg 5.2 – Abbott 5.76 – Wood 5.96 – Crane 6.01 – Edwards 6.7 – Fuller 7.08

Berg 5-26 in the semi-final was the only bowler to take four + wickets in an innings

ODD FACTS

Alsop, the only man to score two centuries, also recorded three ‘ducks’ (the most)

Abbott, leading wicket-taker with 20, took 0-93 in the semi-final & final.

Crane took wickets in every match except the two defeats (v Essex & Somerset). His average & strike rate with the bat are not recorded as he scored 44 runs in five not-out innings.

KDJ talks live to Kyle Abbott and John Stephenson pre-match while Ollie Soames checks in with the physio, accompanied by Emily Windsor:

Play in progress; Somerset batting

Somerset’s Jack Brooks chats on-air to Kevan from the Radio Solent box:

Fidel gets a wicket but still avoids the team photo! (12th/13th men are Holland & McManus):