Hampshire Cricket History

(Brief ones)

Aiden Kyle (‘Adi’) MARKRAM (557) born Pretoria, South Africa, 4 October 1994

‘Adi’ Markram is a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler who has represented South Africa in all three formats and in 2019 came to Hampshire at the start of the season as their overseas player in the Championship and List A – he then joined South Africa for the World Cup. In List A, he contributed to Hampshire reaching the last of the Lord’s Cup Finals but had returned home before the Final when Hampshire lost to Somerset. As well as domestic cricket in South Africa, he has played for Durham (2018), and Punjab Kings in the IPL.

His figures for Hampshire:

First-class: 2 matches, 115 runs at 38.33, HS 63 v Essex at the Ageas Bowl (2019)

List A: 8 matches, 466 runs at 58.25, HS 130 v Sussex at the Ageas Bowl, (2019). Five wickets at 23.40, BB 3-39 v Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl (2019).

Fletcha Scott MIDDLETON born Winchester, 21 January 2002

Right-hand batsman Fletcha Middleton is the son of the Hampshire cricketer and coach, Tony Middleton. He played for Hampshire under-14s in 2015 and thereafter for the age group sides and from 2017 for Hampshire Academy in the Southern League. He made his debut for Hampshire 2^nd XI in all three formats in 2018 and made his first team debut in the final List A match of the 2021 season.

His List A Figures for Hampshire:

One match, 16 runs v Durham at Chester-le-Street (2021)

On we go then:

Lewis David McMANUS (532) born Poole, Dorset 9.10.1994.

Through the 20th century, Hampshire had a succession of regular ‘keepers’, but in the past decade no one player has held the position for any length of time, although Lewis McManus is currently first-choice. In his 55 first-class matches he has dismissed 135 batters, 9.6% of them stumped, whereas 23% of his dismissals in limited-overs matches, and 36% in T20, have been dismissed that way, which is indicative of modern cricket (through the 1920s, 41% of Walter Livsey’s 648 first-class dismissals were stumpings). McManus played for England under-19s; for his native Dorset; for Hampshire’s Academy, and following one game in 2011, regularly for Hampshire 2^nd XI from 2013. He made his first-class debut at Headingley in 2015 and was second highest scorer as Hampshire fell to a heavy defeat, while in his next match v Durham at the Ageas Bowl he scored 53*, batting for almost three hours to save the game. Initially, he covered for Adam Wheater when the latter was injured, but from mid- season 2016 he established himself as the first-choice wicketkeeper and Wheater returned to Essex. Since then he and Tom Alsop have both had spells keeping wicket, although in 2020 &b2021 Alsop played as a specialist batsman alongside McManus. For a brief period in mid-2017, McManus opened the batting in the Championship but he is rather more a useful middle-order batsman who scored one century, 132* (and 35) v Surrey at the Ageas Bowl in 2016. In 2018, he was a member of the Hampshire team that beat Kent to win the Royal London Cup. At the end of the 2021 season he was one of seven players awarded his county cap. Squad number 18.

His figures for Hampshire:

First-class: 55 matches; 1876 runs at 27.18; HS: 132* v Surrey (Southampton) 2016. Dismissals: 122 ct/13 st.

List A: 37 matches; 563 runs at 23.45; HS 50 v Essex at the Ageas Bowl (2021).  Dismissals: 27 ct/8 st.

T20: 61 matches; 674 runs at 16.85; HS 60* v Somerset at the Ageas Bowl (2021). Dismissals: 27 ct./15 st.

As a former pupil of Portsmouth Grammar School (a couple of decades back) I was very pleased to see ‘Charlie’ Dean get two wickets in the ‘Ashes’ Test, described by BBC as “one of the most incredible finales cricket has seen”.

It’s very good news to have someone from Pompey reaching that level in cricket. The last one in the men’s game was Hampshire’s Lawrie Prittipaul who finished in 2005 – he went to St John’s College. Prior to that, post-war we had Mike Barnard, Richard McIlwaine, Jon Ayling and David Rock, all from Portsmouth Grammar School.

But given all the ‘conversations’ at the moment about access to cricket, especially for Black & Asian kids, it’s a salutary thought that the last Portsmouth-born professional county cricketer to pursue a full career after being educated outside the private/ Direct Grant sector was Neil McCorkell who started out 90 years ago. It’s not just a BAME problem, cricket fails to attract or hold kids from across the state sector, especially in the inner cities (Hampshire have no players from Southampton either, at present).

Dawson doesn’t

Vince in IT20s before today: 15 matches 374 runs at 24.93; HS 59 (only half century)

Vince in ODIs:

19 Matches; 480 runs; Average 30.00. One century, two half-centuries; SR 93.93; Caught 7; 1-38

Dominic Drakes is playing for West Indies – he is the son of Vasbert Drakes who played for West Indies (Tests and ODIs) and for four English counties. In 1993 he played in one 2nd XI Championship match for Hampshire.

(The Coasters – Great song!)

A couple of photos from yesterday of our display of some of our Shackleton purchases. I can’t say it was received with great excitement but we are planning a permanent showing in the Shackleton Bar (of course)

First: Some of Shack’s England gear

Second: The ball that took him to Hampshire’s record wickets total (passing Alec Kennedy) – it will never be broken – plus an unusual item: I don’t think I ever realised that there were Man-of-the Match awards in the first year of the Sunday League but obviously there were. We don’t know the match but perhaps his 8-2-24-3 v Northants at Northampton? Hampshire won by 6 wickets (Livingstone 45)

For this morning’s event. Incidentally you’ll have noticed I published the updated biography/stats for ‘Mo’ Abbas two days ago – I thought they were announcing his signing then, but in fact they did it this morning. Back he comes – the fearsome opening pair of Abbas and Abbott never actually bowled together in the Div One games last year so let’s hope that changes this year.

The main public event – apart from coffee, cakes and a free raffle was Robbie James interviewing new boys, Ben Brown and Ross Whiteley. Ben was perhaps ‘coy’ (?) about team selection, suggesting he and Lewis could play in the same side as long as they both score runs, but the new boys both spoke very well I thought.

As a free coffee?

I’m off to the Members’ Coffee morning later, planning to meet Richard Griffiths one of the Directors of Hampshire Cricket Heritage plc who should have with him what we bought from the Shackleton Auction. We plan to display it this morning.

I’ll also meet up with some of the office staff – including some new guys – to talk about items for the website and, especially, the Handbook.

I’ll post some news and photos later – hope to see some of you there.

Maybe I’ll get two cups?

PS Just been alerted by Don Starr (thanks) to a letter about state school kids and cricket in today’s Guardian (online) which apart from the focus on Yorkshire says exactly what I would say. Diversity isn’t just a matter of skin colour or gender! It’s excellent:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jan/27/fund-cricket-in-state-schools-to-tackle-elitism

Two for the price of one today – and a reminder that I’m not just updating current players but anyone who has played (or played more) since the publication of the second edition of Hampshire County Cricketers. I’ve also reverted to alphabetical order after a couple of ‘odd ones’.

Calvin Grant HARRISON born Durban, South Africa, 29.4.1998

Harrison is a leg-spin/googly bowler and right-hand lower-order batsman who played for Hampshire in the T20 competition in 2020, having played for Oxford’s MCC University side and Hampshire’s 2^nd XI in 2019. In 2021 he played for Nottinghamshire in the T20 and for Manchester Originals in the Hundred competition.

His figures for Hampshire:

T20: Two matches; 2 runs at 2.0; HS 2* v Sussex at the Ageas Bowl in 2020; one wicket at 64.00, BB 1-39 v Sussex at the Ageas Bowl in 2020.

Ian Gabriel HOLLAND (547) born Wisconsin, USA, 3.10.1990.

Ian Holland is a medium-pace bowling all-rounder who was born in the USA, but grew up in Australia and played in age group games and one first-class match for Victoria. In England, he played for Fleetwood in the Northern Premier League from 2013-early 2016, but also for Hampshire 2^nd XI from 2015. He joined the county staff in 2017, made his first-class debut and scored 234 runs in 13 matches at 26.00, including 58* v Surrey. He took 19 wickets, including 4-16 v Somerset, but missed the winter tournament in Barbados with an injury, and came back into Hampshire’s Championship side from the middle of the 2018 season.

In those early seasons he played rarely in ‘white ball’ cricket although appeared in five List A games on loan at Northamptonshire in 2019. From mid-season 2019 at Hampshire he opened the batting in the Championship scoring 478 runs at 31.86, including his highest score of 143 v Warwickshire at the Ageas Bowl, although he took just five wickets. He became ‘England qualified’ at the start of the 2020 season and in the Bob Willis Trophy moved back to the middle order with a best of 42, and 17 wickets in the five matches at 17.47, including 6-60 v Surrey at Arundel. For the first time he also played a full T20 season with a top score of 65 and three wickets at an economy rate of 7.30. In 2021 he reverted to opening the batting and made a fine start to the Championship season with two centuries in the first three games, although he was less successful in the second part (Division One) and he bowled less than in the previous year. To the end of 2021 he had played in eight limited-overs internationals for the USA with 244 runs at 30.50, a highest score of 75 v Nepal, and seven wickets at 29.85 with a best of 3-11 v UAE. He has also played in six IT20 matches. At the end of the 2021season he was one of seven players awarded his county cap. Squad number 22.

His figures for Hampshire:

First-class: 44 matches; 1,728 runs at 27.00; HS: 146* v Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl 2021. 62 wickets at 30.85; BB 6-60 v Surrey at Arundel 2020.

List A: 9 matches; 76 runs at 15.20, HS 30* v Kent at Canterbury in 2021. 11 wickets at 27.90; BB 4-12 v Kent at Canterbury in 2021.

T20: 17 matches; 191 runs at 27.28; HS 65 v Surrey (Southampton) 2020. Five wickets at 50.60; BB 1-14 v Sussex at Hove in 2021.

Is about Hampshire cricket HISTORY – and that includes documenting the present – which is history as soon as it ends.

Sadly, history is not always uplifting – not least for English cricket in this winter of apparently endless troubles.

There are reports in today’s Guardian and Daily Telegraph which are at the very least disconcerting – but since Hampshire’s Chairman Rod Bransgrove is cited, it’s part of our history. There might well be a different ‘take’ on the story elsewhere**.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2022/jan/25/tin-eared-county-chairmen-show-why-english-cricket-is-in-trouble

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2022/01/25/middlesex-chairman-facing-backlash-outdated-claim-black-people/

**I’ve yet to check other papers

PS The Times has only fairly brief coverage in its main News section and focuses only on the Middlesex Chairman. The Daily Mail however covers it in full (like The Guardian) on its three back (sports) pages with a large picture of Rod Bransgrove. He is also pictured in the (printed) Daily Telegraph which has devotes its first three pages of the Sports section to the issue, including a piece by Scyld Berry titled “Bumbling executives prove counties are still a block to progress”. It strikes me that when the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph are on your case for being reactionary obstacles to progress, you’re probably in trouble.

The season is looming, must keep going:

Mohammad ABBAS (565) born Sailkot, Pakistan, 10 March 1990

Mohammad Abbass is a right-arm fast-medium bowler and lower order right-hand batsmanwho joined Hampshire in the 2021 season and made an immediate impact, taking 6-11 including a hat-trick in his second match, v Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl. He ended the season with an average below 16.

He made his first-class debut for Sialkot in 2008/9 and has played subsequently for a number of other Pakistan sides. He made his Test Match debut in 2016/7 in the West Indies and played in the first two Tests in England in 2018, returning in 2020 to play in all three ‘lockdown’ Tests, including two at the Ageas Bowl. In 25 Test Matches he has taken 90 wickets at 23.02 with a best of 5-33 and he has also played in three ODIs. He played for Leicestershire in Championship cricket in 2018 & 2019, in T20 in 2018 and in limited-overs matches in 2019 and was capped in 2018. In all first-class cricket (to January 2022), he has 539 wickets at 20.79 with best figures of 8-46 (14-93 in the match) for KRL v Karachi Whites in Karachi in 2016/7. His highest score in first-class cricket is 40 in the same game. Squad number 38.

His figures for Hampshire:

First-class: 10 matches; 28 runs at 4.00; HS: 6 v Warwickshire at Edgbaston 2021. 41 wickets at 15.87; BB 6-11 v Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl 2021.