Hampshire Cricket History

On the 2024 Handbook – mine is the first half, before all those scorecards and stats appear and among other bits I have been doing the usual ‘Anniversaries’ piece.

2021 and 2023 were easy of course. with county championships (and a Nat West Final) to celebrate, whereas years ending in 4 aren’t always such fun – notably of course 1974.

Now I can reassure you that I have no plans to produce a 1974 Booklet in the style of last year’s 1973 but I will ask you all whether you think I might nonetheless, through the winter, do a week-by-week account of what but for the rain, I still believe to have been the finest in our Championship history.

Let me know – it might take your minds off the World Cup!

One interesting statistic that emerged from the Anniversaries piece was about a crucial and very frustrating defeat down in Wales. Glamorgan having just averted the threat of the follow-on won the match late on the third and final day, at the end of 356 overs – allowing for changes of innings the equivalent of at least 120 overs per day. By comparison you might recall that in 2023’s four-day Championship Hampshire averaged 262 overs per match and 246 in their seven home matches. There were just two longish games in the season – 320 overs at Taunton and 345 on that flat pitch v Somerset at the Bowl.

England lost by eight wickets today in a match in which 40 overs went unused (I’m ignoring part overs) which is the shortest World Cup match in this competition so far.

(This is both updated and corrected – apologies for earlier mistakes,; I missed some earlier games although the point remains the same)

You know how exciting white ball cricket is?

Today saw the 24th match in this year’s World Cup.

12 have been won by a runs margin (i.e. batting first) – seven of them by a margin in three figures (plus one 99). The margins have been 309 (today), 229, 149 (twice), 137, 134, 102, 99, 81, 69, 62 & 38.

12 have been by wickets left (i.e, batting second). Those margins have been 9, 8 (three times), 7 (twice), 6 (twice), 5 (twice) & 4.

So, no results closer than 38 runs or 4 wickets.

In today’s match 29 of the scheduled 100 overs were not used. Overs left in the ten other shortest games have been 28, 27, 26, 20, 15 (twice), 14, nine (twice) and 13.

BBC today: “England need to play more domestic and international 50-over cricket to keep competing at World Cups, says Joe Root”.

Presumably he means England players since we still have a 50-overs Domestic Competition (did they notice?). It’s interesting to note that from the six teams that reached the quarter/semi and/or Final this year (Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire & Worcestershire) not one player who appeared in those rounds is playing in the World Cup. I wonder whether that’s ever happened before?

Is a wonder, once you get the hang of enabling people to tell us who they are when making a Comment (thank you all)

The guys in the office have just fielded an enquiry about whether any Hampshire bowler has ever taken at least one ‘five-for’ against all the other 17 counties and it was forwarded to me. Now as it happens we have now ‘appointed’ (like me, one of those Honorary jobs) Tigger as our official Statistician, so I have included him in the correspondence after doing some initial checks and I’m looking forward to see whether he finds more, although I suspect the answer is NO for one simple reason – all our major wicket-takers over the years pre-date Durham’s 1992 entry into the County Championship.

I thought the only possible was Malcolm Marshall who I reckon got 16 but he played only once v Durham and rain meant he never bowled. There are other interesting cases but I’ll wait for Tigger’s response except to mention the very remarkable Alec Kennedy, Hampshire’s second highest wicket-taker (2,549) who actually took more first-class wickets overall than our number one Derek Shackleton (2,874 to 2,857). Alec Kennedy not only took a ‘five-for’ against all the other 16 counties, he actually took (at least) a ‘seven-for’ and I’m pretty sure for Hampshire’s that’s unique.

What a surprise:

“Players have expressed concern at proposals to expand The Hundred in a meeting with the England and Wales Cricket Board”. (BBC)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/67174704

We are suddenly getting Comments from ‘Anonymous’. I thought we had a shrinking violet but it appears that might be appearing automatically on more than one person’s Comments, where they have previously been identified by name. If so, I don’t know why.

It was always the case that the first time you Commented from a specific name/email address I had to approve it (i.e. You) after which you were free to post Comments as and when you wished.

I’m still not sure that’s happening with everyone.

In the system:

“Comment author must fill out name and e-mail” is currently turned OFF – I’m assuming no one wants to do that every time

“Users must be registered and logged in to comment” is also OFF – I’m not clear how cumbersome it would be to activate that(?)

“Comment author must have a previously approved comment” is ON which should make things easier – but maybe not?

My apologies. If necessary I’ll get back to them.

(on Monday)

The toy battleship (below) sits on the window of the Changing Room. Apparently someone with a bizarre sense of ‘humour’ (?) sends them in regularly and they are ALL models of ships that have sunk. The players keep one on display as motivation. Do you think it’s an Essex fan?

And talking of Essex, our long-time member of staff Ian Tulk (whose dad Derek played for HCCC) gave us a talk on the pitches on the main and nursery ground, including the new Hybrid. Someone asked him about the Essex match when we were fined three points and he was very keen to stress that it was not ordered by anyone, nor created deliberately. He did comment on the Arctic Monkeys gig not helping preparation.

Well done John Turner who has been selected for an England Lions (Red Ball) training camp – I hope he’s keeping up with his studies!

Yesterday I accompanied the first of this winter’s Members’ tours – very enjoyable (I plan to do them all). In the Dressing Rooms we came across this locker, left by one of other young stars during his October break – who do you think it might be (answer in first Comment)?

(Incidentally did you know Ben Brown was capped this year? I missed that)

In the first 13 years of the life of this Blog I only once deleted a Comment on the grounds that it was very abusive. It was some time ago and it’s a part of the way I view the world that I have always wanted it to be open for an exchange of ideas, information and opinions, whether they coincide with mine or not.

It’s the best way for things to be democratic but it requires people to engage with it in good faith even when they wish to make a critical point. Sadly, it’s no longer working on here even though the vast majority of ‘Bloggers’ get the point, enjoy it and contribute positively.

So, what to do? I did consider walking away – it’s been a long time after all – but I’ve had messages, privately and publicly, asking me to keep going so I shall – BUT

This Blog will now be a somewhat different creature:

Firstly in my posts I will endeavour to focus only on matters Hampshire History or in the case of (for example) ECB decisions (etc) matters that affect Hampshire. That’s all.

Secondly from this point I will reserve the right to delete any Comments which seem to me to be deliberately provocative, off the topic or personally abusive. I’ll just do it, without explanation. In some cases I might do what I did with the Yorkshire post of a few days ago and delete the whole thing. I did that because (a) I was getting very pissed off with it and (b) because after I declared “this correspondence is now closed” another Comment appeared.

I am therefore shifting from being a Democrat to a Despot. To be honest I doubt whether 99% of you will find much difference beyond my focus in the Posts but I will put an end to the indulgence of prejudice and anyone who doesn’t like it might be better advised finding another outlet. There will NEVER be any sexism, racism etc. etc.

I hope that most of you will understand the need for this decision and keep supporting the Blog.