Hampshire Cricket History

So far in 2022 we have won seven and lost five, with two to play (plus we hope a quarter-final etc.)

The forecast is maybe not perfect but it seems to be OK.

Last time Hampshire got through a T20 season without a single No Result or Abandonment was in 2015 – although we won the Quarter-Final at Worcs on D/L because of bad light (no floodlights)!

There have been reports and letters in The Guardian wondering whether Jamie Overton’s dismissal of Devon Conway in the recent Test Match was a unique case of a bowler dismissing a batter with the name of the county of his birth.

A letter in today’s edition recounted the occasion when Graham Dilley (born Dartford) dismissed Martin Kent of Queensland in a tourists match in 1979. But there is at least one earlier case and it’s also at Headingley when, in 1963, Peter Sainsbury (born Southampton) bowled John Hampshire of Yorkshire in a County Championship match.

Have the 2nd XI worked out how?

Hampshire 483 (Middleton 124, Fairfax-Ross 58, Eckland 42, Kelly 40, Prest 39 – everybody double figures)

Essex 379-9 (Kelly 4-82, Burton 3-46)

Mason Crane is not playing.

Last week, in my role as Historian, I made a suggestion to a senior figure at the club about marking in 2023, the 50th anniversary of our Championship title in 1973. The immediate reaction was that this was no cause for celebration but rather one of regret.

He had a point. It’s a salutary thought that only Derbyshire (1936) of all the second division sides have waited longer to see their team win the title – many of them have won it this century. To be a Hampshire fan who can recall the triumph with any clarity you’d have to be over 60.

We have been close of course, in 1974 (we wuz robbed), 1975, 1985, 2005 and last year. This year it seemed that the return of the pace trio, plus Donald and the signing of Brown – and no international calls – we were a very good bet. Early season at the Oval suggested otherwise and now we must deal with the disappointment of Chelmsford (who would have thought it?).

I don’t like our immediate response to that, casting us as the victims of conspiracy and incompetence. We lost that game for a host of reasons, not least their lower order batting in the first innings which had a huge impact and was nothing to do with Harmer’s bowling. But I have already shared these two observations with other Hampshire fans and I’ll repeat them here: (1) The toughest job for umpires is when the ball is turning and bouncing and there is a cluster of close fielders. None of that is helped when the players of both sides appeal when they know it’s not out. If that comes back to haunt you, tough, stop cheating. (2) Remember our home game v Notts last year that took us to Liverpool with a shout? We batted first and despite totals of just 226 & 178 we won it by 122 runs. In the second innings Dawson took 5-45, Organ 3-22. Notts were furious about that pitch, so again if that comes back to haunt you, tough.

If the match referee intercedes and Essex are penalised that’s fine with me – it almost certainly contravened the ECB regulations. In the meantime, I’d like us to be quiet, sort ourselves out and win the remaining six games. Then we’ll deserve the title.

We are 61 years from the glorious summer of 1961 and in this very week in the Championship season we were playing Essex on the Isle of Wight in a match which had a significant bearing on the title. What’s more we struggled for much of it and going into the last afternoon, Essex were favourites to win.

On the first day they declared at 321-9 and during the innings our star opening bat, Roy Marshall, suffered a bad hand injury and batted instead at number seven when we conceded a lead of 90. Essex, confident that Marshall could not contribute significantly, set Hampshire 241 to win and reduced us to 35-4.

At this point our captain Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie began the highest score of his first-class career, supported initially by Danny Livingstone (121-5), then bowler Alan Wassell (171-6) before Marshall arrived, needing a further 70 to win with only the tail to follow – but Essex could not break the partnership, Marshall ending on 36*, the ‘skipper’ 132*, and we took the win points on our way to first place.

During that same three days Surrey were playing …

Kent! Who scored 400-8 declared and the match was drawn.

It’s clearly an Omen (or three)!

A reverse sweep throughout my school/college/club career – I suspect a step too far had I tried. It’s a remarkable skill when it works but boy does it look horrid when it fails – especially if the team is struggling. Still at least the fall of the seventh wicket brings in our last specialist batsman (and we’ve saved the follow-on!).

PS: Liam Dawson now has six wickets (nine down) for the first time in his Hampshire career (seven now!). He has one better analysis (7-51) but for Mountaineers (in Zimbabwe). It’s also the first time he has taken 10 wickets in any match.

Thanks to Tigger for reminding me that James Vince needs 11 runs to reach 10,000 in first-class cricket for Hampshire – he has it already in all f-c matches. He will be the third Hampshire batter in the 21st century to reach the target after Jimmy and ‘Carbs’ and while he’s not yet a quarter of the way towards Phil Mead’s all-time (and unbeatable) record of 48,892 runs, James also has 3,787 in List A and 4, 846 in T20s – overall he is not that far short of 20,000 runs. I’d like to think we’ll roll Essex over today and be in front (two down) when he gets them tonight but as I said, Maybe Tomorrow?

(Well it is Paul McCartney’s weekend)

Last two photos – the beautiful trees and the lovely crowd (including Colin & Wendy!)

Back to the real thing tomorrow but here’s the photo of the two teams before yesterday’s match. Most of the ex-Hampshire players are on the right half of the back row (l-r: Bruce, Griffiths, Bovill, Hamblin, Flint, Laney, Maru, Garaway) with Mark Nicholas and Giles White (next to Charlotte Taylor) seated – Mark is with Charlotte Edwards and Georgia Adams. Chris Tremlett is standing fourth from left; Neil Johnson is missing. The ‘England’ team are wearing green caps.

Despite a good innings from Charlotte Edwards Hampshire seemed to be winning comfortably until Chris Tremlett came in and created mayhem – he was especially harsh on an over from Neil Johnson. When David Griffiths started the final over, ‘England’ needed nine to win but the over went Two-Dot-Wicket-Wicket-Bye-Two and Hampshire won by three runs