Hampshire Cricket History

The FA Cup draw and last night’s result in Dorset has stirred memories in my neck of the woods, of Pompey holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park in the fourth round of 1971. Arsenal won the replay 3-2 and a few months later clinched what was then an historic ‘double’ (they’re a bit too common these days).

The Pompey manager that day in January 1971 was the Surrey cricketer Ron Tindall, seen here with a terrible tie, alongside his cricketing team-mate Jim Laker and – to keep the balance – the Hampshire player, coach and Saints stalwart Arthur Holt:

I’ve written a new piece about an autograph book we have, and it’s appeared on the Hampshire Website

https://www.ageasbowl.com/cricket/news/from-the-archive-autograph-hunting/?dm_i=58IA,5DC9,22318V,JHRD,1

And while I’m here, well played England! I hope it’s the start of something big.

Would ever do this (thanks to Colin)

“A 51-year-old man from Bournemouth has been told he faces jail after making a fake MCC membership card to gain access to the Lord’s pavilion. James Lattimer was told by District Judge Angus Hamilton during a hearing at Hendon Magistrates’ Court on Friday that he could be handed a custodial sentence after fraudulently getting into the members’ area at the famous cricket venue.”

**It’s OK I’m not getting political, just thinking of the famous resignation comment by Groucho Marx ““I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”

Have looked so poor throughout this series (while England have generally bowled pretty well) that it occurs to me that Rilee might have won his first Test cap this winter had he been available. There’s a thought!

I think it’s a shame that the media are banging on about the ‘Stokes incident’ but I’ve just read that part of the insult was a comparison of Stokes with Ed Sheeran! Back in the 1990s I sang in an old-style acoustic folk-blues band that a released a few albums and one reviewer reckoned my vocal accent was matched for authenticity only by Dick Van Dyke’s cockney sweep in Mary Poppins! I thought it was hilarious – there again I hadn’t just been dismissed cheaply in a Test Match.

Thanks to Bloggy (again) for this

“Following the announcement that Durham Cricket will play Royal London Cup games at South North and Scarborough, as well as Emirates Riverside, the venue for the remaining fixture against Hampshire has now been confirmed. The game taking place on Tuesday 4 August will be played at Darlington Cricket Club”.

PS: Where’s South North? – Oxford maybe, or Birmingham?

Where X = Gone? The good performances recently by Pope, Sibley and Crawley make me wonder whether the England selectors will call time on the previous generation of county batsmen, many of whom have been tried and found wanting. They include Westley, Robson, Lyth, Ballance, Stoneman, Malan, Jennings and I’m sorry to add, James Vince.

Perhaps the one exception is Rory Burns, and maybe Joe Denly, although he has once again got an innings going today without going on. Before today, Denly and Vince had both played 13 Tests, Denly averaging 31 and Vince 25; neither reaching three figures. Northeast apparently still harbours international ambitions, but he’s from that same generation and all of them – unlike say Root – have played years of county cricket with occasional Test appearances. The first didn’t seem to help with the second, but maybe the newer players are making the transition?

From Bloggy (many thanks) who fears we might have missed this story about Mason Crane in the Belfast Telegraph:

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/mason-crane-puts-focus-on-white-ball-cricket-for-now-38882774.html

Meanwhile from the same ‘paper (Belfast???) Sam Northeast hopes to emulate his old mate Joe Denly:

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/hampshire-batsman-sam-northeast-still-pursuing-england-dream-38886543.html

England going well this morning and yesterday Root bowled really nicely, but he’s just conceded 24 in an over plus four byes, and in nine unchanged overs today has conceded 56 runs. I guess being captain he can keep bowling in search of his first five wicket haul but while Curran and Stokes haven’t bowled in the first 80 minutes, the last pair have now added 60 … The weather seems OK but let’s hope it doesn’t rain.

PS South Africa’s only century partnership for the 10th wicket v England was in 1929 at Leeds (103). This one (9.35am) is now 82 … (in 1929 England won by five wickets. Larwood was unfit to bowl in the second innings).

PPS Bit of a shame really. At last an England bowler aims at the stumps as Curran runs out Maharaj with the partnership on 99. Overall very well played England; last hour, less so.

The Test this morning was wonderful to watch – old-fashioned off-spin and interesting fields, batsmen struggling – then on the first bright, dry day in England since mid-September** it’s bloody well raining in South Africa.

**An exaggeration but …

PS The catching later was anything but wonderful!