If you wish to support Hampshire Cricket Heritage Ltd. in its work by becoming a Supporter, please complete the electronic Google form below. Alternatively, you will be able to obtain a paper copy of the Application Form from the Club Shop, from the middle of March onwards, which includes details of how to apply and indicates which details we just need from you. In order for all our records to be up to date and correct, we would ask that existing HCH Supporters who already joined us before 2020 also complete this form below.

We don't charge an annual fee to join, but we do hope that you can make a donation of £20 (or more - once or annually) in the knowledge that you will be making a contribution that will go towards the project undertaken by HCH Ltd. On the Supporters Page on this website, you will also be able to read about, during the season, some of the new acquisitions which have either been bought by your donations or which have been donated directly to the HCH Collection by our Supporters. Over the past twelve months, we have for example bought some limited copies of rare John Arlott books and ephemera relating to the 1961 Championship winning side.

For our Supporters we aim to send out a Supporters Newsletter in the form of an e-Magazine at least once a year. You will also be able to collect your HCH Supporters Pin Badge at any of the Book Sales held in the Club Shop during the season. In 2023 we were given rare scorecards, numerous books, valuable Hampshire Handbooks, prints, clothing and a very interesting cricket ball (used in a game where Phil Mead made yet another ton!) which have all gone into the Archive Collection. We are, of course, constantly looking for donations of any Hampshire Cricket articles of interest to add to our unique collection in the Archive Room in the Shane Warne Stand. 

Some of you will have enjoyed the chance to see some of the progress being made in that room during this winter's Members Tours with Dave Allen. We are holding our first Open Day in the Archive Room for all HCH supporters on Monday July 1st 2024.The plan is to continue to create more opportunities in 2025 - once the room  has been properly reorganised - for our HCH Supporters to visit the Archive Room. 

In order to join therefore, either please just complete the application form below by signing into Google and clicking on the word Form.  Please note you will not be able complete this electronic form without using Google. 

Google Application Form 

or complete the paper copy from the Club Shop and return it to us:

• either by posting it to Hampshire Cricket Heritage, with your donation as a bank transfer 

(HCH Account: 67818860 Sort Code 30-98-97), or as a cheque (made out to Hampshire Cricket Heritage Ltd.), addressed to the Archive Room, The Utilita Bowl, Botley Road, Southampton, S030 3HX

• or by dropping it off at the Club Shop - where you can pay your donation by card - in a sealed envelope addressed to Glen Williams, Hampshire Cricket Heritage Ltd. 

All of our HCH Publications will also be available throughout the year in the Club Shop to purchase. 

The tabs across the top of the Home Page on this website spell HAMPSHIRE and contain the following sections;

H     - HCH Events, How to join HCH, Website Guide, FAQ Sheet, Publications

A - Archive Room Updates and Collections

M - Memories and Matches from every season in first- class cricket

P - Photos and Players

S - Supporters page including all the e-Magazines

H - History of the Club, Hampshire’s Historians, Hampshire’s Grounds

I - International cricket played in Hampshire

R  - Records  and Statistics

E - Extras and miscellaneous articles on cricket played in Hampshire

We will be looking over the next few years to share images and information on much of the collection in the Archive Room on this website. It will also contain numerous essays about all aspects of Hampshire's rich cricket history, grouped under the headings above. 

Every cloud….

Before discussing the summer of 2027 silver lining for Hampshire in next year’s County Championship, let’s focus initially on the cloud. Nobody who loves the club can deny it is a black one this winter. Relegation seemed inevitable as early as mid-May in 2026. There have only been a handful of occasions since Hampshire’s debut season in the County Championship - way back in 1895 - that we can’t win the title from the outset on day one of a new season. That will, of course, be the case again in April 2027. The creation of two tiers dates back to the turn of the century; Hampshire have spent far more seasons than most other counties since then in the top flight. Promotion would be special next September, but only a springboard to have the chance to climb Everest again. Having never seen Hampshire emulate the 1961 or 1973 County Championship winning teams, it feels like the top of the Himalayas is a very long way away currently. Spare a thought for Somerset supporters, mind you, who must feel it is more elusive than Eldorado, despite their team being in the top flight far longer than any other county now. 

It could be a period of division two cricket for a while, though, for Hampshire. Lancashire are languishing in tier two, with little promise of building a competitive red ball team currently. Disgruntlement, mis-management and disappointment are the watchwords for both the cricket and football club in M16 these days. No county has the divine right to dominate in the championship - as even Surrey found out in 2026. When the fixtures come out at the end of the month, Somerset, Surrey, Kent, Warwickshire, Notts, Durham, Yorkshire, Glamorgan or Sussex will contest the top flight - without Hampshire - in 2027. Instead, in what promises to be an exciting Ashes summer, The Utilita Bowl will host the likes of Northants, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire. The silver lining will, though, have many strands for the eternal cricket optimist amongst Hampshire supporters. Firstly, there are potential four-day trips to Chesterfield, Cheltenham, Lord’s, Old Trafford and Worcester. It makes a pleasant change to play the likes of Derbyshire, Northants and Leicestershire, whom most seasons we never see. There is surely no better sight than Wayne Madsen in the middle going well, now that James Vince has retired from the County Championship. For this writer a championship visit to Lord’s and Cheltenham in mid-summer are on my pre-Christmas fixture wish list. Admittedly, Derby in April and Northampton in late September somehow both feel much less appealing. So many devoted county cricket-watching supporters wait with great interest to see what the "ECB fixture computer" generates at the end of the month for next summer. The T20 wild card game, new for 2026, offers the outside chance to see us play Leicestershire in the Vitality Blast for the first time ever. It is incredible - and vaguely ridiculous - that two of the most successful clubs, in terms of silverware in T20 cricket, have never taken the field together in this format in this country over the best part of 25 years. Meanwhile, the 50-over format in late July and August will hopefully take us to pastures new and outgrounds like Repton, Rugby School, Sookholme, Guildford, Kibworth or York. Recent trips and notable victories, with so many exciting and promising youngsters in the side, to both Neath and Scarborough in 2025 remain true season highlights from the run to the final that year. You just feel so much closer to the action, despite the facilities being more akin to club rather than Test cricket. It is the chance for a throwback, for more senior supporters now, to watch Hampshire again at grounds that evoke memories of Basingstoke, Bournemouth and Portsmouth. 

An even more important potentially attractive silver lining is the prospect of posting competitive totals at home and competing again for batting bonus points in red ball cricket. It will not happen automatically. There surely needs to be more intent shown to keep the board moving, at the same time as forties being turned into big hundreds. Former academy graduates and new recruits will hopefully really find their feet and come of age, to nail down regular batting spots in the order, thus challenging the very fine Lehmann to head the batting averages. The fans need to see progress, with promising individuals noticeably growing in confidence. If we are to go up in the next year or two, let's all hope that Tom Prest, Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley and Ben Mayes are all as effective and consistent in red ball cricket as they are in the shorter format. Genuine competition for places and strength in depth are key to any long term success. On the bowling front, Abbott’s enduring class and England’s keen eye on Baker and Jack are both things to savour. Conversely, they are also potential major challenges for the long term future. Replacing Abbott, Abbas and Barker has been a dominant theme for three seasons. Kyle's influence, both with the ball and as a leader of the attack supporting the next generation, mark him out as a true great of Hampshire cricket. Every Hampshire supporter will want him to continue to be able to give his all for his adopted county, before then being able to call time on his glittering career on his own terms. A Broad-like exit, rather than an Anderson one, is the very least he deserves at the Utilita Bowl.  Additionally, finding and then bedding in a quality spinner in the county championship to try and replace Liam is yet another huge challenge for the coaches. Andrew Neal has shown so much promise with the bat that he certainly deserves every chance to develop his bowling in the longer format. Felix Organ is another home-grown player with still so much potential in all formats. 

Watching a side in transition demands patience. No member of the golden generation of 2008/9 now features for the club in the championship. That unbelievable group of special cricketers all benefited from having the chance to score second division runs and take second division wickets before promotion in 2014. Hope springs eternal that next Spring we are far more than competitive right from the first fixture. Instead of individuals trying to keep the ship afloat, it needs to be all hands on deck, with a happy crew providing real entertainment. Careers are on the line, while new owners need to accomplish effective change on and off the field to start a new era. Please be kind with those forthcoming fixtures and give us some great away days before the prospect of a thrilling Ashes series, culminating in the urn being secured during the fourth Test in West End. Lord's in late September for a Division Two promotion shoot out or celebration party would be the true icing on the cake. Just under a month to go untill the Hampshire fixtures come out, enabling proper planning to begin for watching Hampshire home and way again in 2027.

John Winter November 3rd 2026

Dennis Baldry (centre) at the Hampshire Former Players Reunion at the Utilita Bowl in 2025

On Thursday 29th October 2026, Dennis Baldry passed away peacefully in his sleep, aged 94. Dennis was always someone who retained very close clinks with his beloved Hampshire; he was a regular attendee at the annual Former Players Reunion even into his nineties. His contribution to the recently published "My Favourite Game Book" was something he was only too willing to share. His chosen game featured his debut at Portsmouth which immediately put him in the record books. Club Historian, Dave Allen, wrote the following about his friend Dennis in his "Hampshire Cricketers" book published in 2018.

Dennis Oliver Baldry was born Middlesex 26.12.1931. It is possible to name  a complete XI of former Middlesex players who joined Hampshire, and from  1959 Dennis Baldry, an entertaining right-hand batsman and useful occasional  bowler was one of those. He played 2nd XI cricket for his native county from  1950; in 1953, he played a solitary first-class match for the county and then  appeared more regularly between 1955-1958. In 49 matches he passed 1,000  runs with five half-centuries ((HS 61) and took 11 wickets. On 6 May 1959, he  made his Hampshire debut v Glamorgan at Portsmouth and scored 151, becoming the second Hampshire player to pass three figures on first-class debut for  the county, and the first in a Championship match (see Abercrombie). There  have now been six such players but all played first-class cricket elsewhere previ ously. Dennis Baldry enjoyed probably the most prolific start of any Hampshire  cricketer. After a quiet match v Gloucestershire he returned to Lord’s and scored  123 v MCC, in his fourth match v Kent at Southampton he scored 62, took two  wickets and was awarded his county cap, next at Old Trafford, coming on second  change, he recorded his best bowling figures: 28-7-76-7, followed by 3-28 at  Edgbaston (and 75 runs in the match). 

It seemed that Hampshire had found  a new number four, and Baldry finished that season with 1,605 runs at 29.72,  including three centuries and 30 wickets (31.13). He would enjoy further successes over the next three seasons, but less consist ently, while newcomer Danny Livingstone seized fourth place for the decade.  Baldry’s 24 matches in the damp 1960 season brought 678 runs with an average  nearer 20 and a best of 93; there would be no more centuries, in 1961 that  average dropped again to 19.31, and as that season ran its course to the title,  he lost his place to Mike Barnard. Nonetheless his best of that season, 84*, was  a key innings in late May at Headingley, when Hampshire, going well, met the  reigning Champions Yorkshire, who had won their first three Championship  matches. The home side posted 279, Trueman took three quick wickets and  Baldry arrived with Hampshire 45-5. He and Sainsbury added 109 and despite  another collapse, he remained firm and took Hampshire to a position where  they were able to draw the match quite easily. After a run of fairly low scores  he played another important innings, described in the Hampshire Handbook as  “brilliant”, v Nottinghamshire at Southampton, when his 61* enabled Ingleby Mackenzie to declare, after which Hampshire won by 15 runs with just three  minutes to spare – the last wicket, a direct throw run out by Baldry. There was a third half-century at Hove and 4-41 at Leyton although both matches were  lost, and travelling from Essex to Derby, Mike Barnard returned for a successful  late season run. Dennis Baldry had however contributed at key moments to  the eventual great triumph of 1 September 1961. 

In 1962, he had to wait until early July for his first Championship match, playing  in 11 first-class games, although his batting average rose to 25.92 and he took  23 wickets. In the last innings of the year, he arrived with Hampshire 80-5, facing  defeat v Surrey, until another century partnership with Sainsbury secured the  draw. Baldry was dismissed just ten runs short of 100 and although he would not  know it then, also ten runs short of having opened and closed his county career  with a century. He took work locally during the winter but as he was preparing  to return for pre-season training, he was offered a permanent post, and at 31  he retired from first-class cricket. There would be one further match however,  Hampshire’s first-ever in the knock-out cup when, with Derek Shackleton injured  he was called up to play v Derbyshire and is always delighted to point out that  as an amateur for the day, his expenses exceeded his daily wages of the previous  season. Hampshire lost that match narrowly but he took 4-70 in his 15 permitted  overs. He played club cricket in the Southampton area for many years. 

All of us at Hampshire Cricket Heritage are still in shock six months on from the news that our very own Dave Allen continues to face a very uncertain future health-wise. Following a neck operation, complications have left Dave with very limited movement in his arms and no movement below the waist. He remains in hospital in Salisbury currently. He knows that the whole Hampshire cricket community are thinking of him and he remains incredibly stoical about his plight. He has been missed every day since the end of May at the Utilita Bowl by so many people. It will be so special to see him back at one of his spiritual homes next summer. All are thoughts are with Dave and his devoted wife, Lou. 

Dean Park Bournemouth in August 1992 - on the last day after tea against Middlesex for the last game Hampshire ever played on the ground.

AFC Bournemouth Historian (and author of a number of books about his beloved football team), Neil Vacher, is also very much a lifelong devoted Hampshire supporter. He has joined our team at HCH this year, producing our next HCH Booklet (Number 12 in the series). It will all be about Hampshire cricket at Dean Park, Bournemouth. Once we have more news on a launch date, we will publish more details on this homepage. It promises to be a great addition to our increasingly popular white booklet series - see below on this homepage.

Robin Smith and those Centuries against Australia

As a Hampshire supporter during the 20th Century, one of the most attractive fixtures of the season was always the visit of the Tourists. Whether that was Bradman’s Invincibles, Clive Lloyd’s all-conquering side of the seventies and eighties or Warne and his Australians, the memories of seeing Hampshire take on the best was a season’s highlight. Sometimes these games weren’t very even contests; at all times, they were very competitive cricket. Unless, as a child, you could be taken to London, it was your only chance to watch England’s Test opponents live. Indeed, it was always a great privilege (and showpiece event) for all the counties to play against the visiting international sides before, during and after the Tests series in an English summer. Runs or wickets in that game for honest county pros - or South Africans in Test exile - were always richly prized. Hampshire’s David Turner in 1972 and Barry Richards in 1975 both took on the Australians and played innings of true international class at Southampton. Trevor Jesty’s 164* against Kapil Dev’s Indians was the highest of his eight centuries in 1982, while Kevan James set a world record, with four wickets in four balls and a hundred in 1996 against the same opponents.

However, there is one player in the relatively modern era for whom the game against the Tourists provided extra special memories for all Hampshire supporters. Having to wait four long years from 1981 onwards to qualify to play as a non-overseas player in England meant Robin Smith made his much-awaited debut for the Club against Pakistan in 1982. Two years later and still unavailable in the County Championship, he made 132 and 97 against Sri Lanka at Northlands Road. Reflecting on his life tragically cut short at 63, it is, though, his two innings against Australia – which came eight years apart in 1993 and 2001 – that perfectly illustrate his true and enduring greatness as a player. They were two very fine “Test class” hundreds for Hampshire, played on different grounds, in very different circumstances and at very different stages in Robin’s career. One I would love to have seen live (but had to follow on the radio), while the other was truly special to witness on the ground.

Both centuries were made against very strong Australian attacks desperate to get him out. The first was at the height of his powers in 1993, when the ‘Judge’ smashed 191, including 106 in that pre-lunch session on Day Two. The previous time Australia had visited these shores, he had already made two brilliant Test centuries against them in 1989. Typically, England were very much in trouble on both occasions, with wickets falling in the opening over or two, before Robin strode confidently and purposefully out to the wicket. Robin’s second Hampshire hundred against Australia was at the Rose Ball in its first summer. It came on a testing wicket, long after England had unfairly and prematurely jettisoned him. By now he was captain and his 113 was key to Hampshire’s amazing and thrilling two-wicket victory. Poignantly, the world’s greatest ever leg-spinner was part of the attack he faced in that game. 

Mention of Shane Warne unites, of course, both tours of 1993 and 2001. His “ball of the century” on his Ashes debut at Old Trafford to remove Mike Gatting was followed up, an over later, with another huge leg-spinner to remove Robin in that memorable game. Two Tests later, Robin made 86 and 50 at Trent Bridge against Warne, Merv Hughes, the Waugh brothers and Tim May. Before the series had started, Robin had warmed up for the Ashes at Edgbaston on May 21st, 1993, with 167* from just 205 balls in the second Texaco Trophy 55-over game in that three-match competition. Despite making 277 for 5 in the allotted 55 overs, it was not enough to beat Australia who won by 6 wickets. Robin’s innings, though, was to remain England’s highest ever individual score in one-day cricket for well over 20 years. He pillaged 70 himself from the last seven overs that day. Only Viv Richards, Kapil Dev and Glen Turner were above him, at the time, in the list of highest scores in one-day internationals. No England or Hampshire fan was surprised to see him take that Australian attack apart. Four years earlier, having not been selected for the First Test, he had enjoyed a fine first home Ashes series against Australia, scoring two Test centuries at Manchester and Nottingham, as well as 95 and 60 in the other two Tests.

Robin Smith and Shane Warne were to remain box office adversaries or teammates on the field and great friends off it. For the first ever Ashes Test at the Utilita Bowl in 2027, all of us will so keenly feel the poignancy of their absence. They undoubtedly defined the modern Hampshire cricket era on the field for those transition years either side of the turn of century. While lighting up the Test arena, they were also giving their absolute all to make Hampshire successful. Robin, of course, gave Hampshire unstinting and yeoman service for more than twenty years. Shane’s seasons with Hampshire were far fewer and his impact, as a result, understandably perhaps not so great. But both are, without question, true legends of Hampshire cricket.

Robin’s name is also etched in the memory of Hampshire supporters for ever for so many of his one-day exploits, with repeated Man of the Match performances in Benson and Hedges and Nat West quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals from the mid 1980’s onwards. His eye-catching cameo against Derbyshire in Hampshire’s first-ever Lord’s success in 1988 propelled him into the Test arena. His 78 against Waqar and Surrey in the 1991 Final was matched a year later with 90 against Kent to make it a hat-trick of Hampshire Finals’ wins in just 4 years. Shane Warne’s only Hampshire final, sadly in contrast, saw a first defeat against Durham in 2007. Robin Smith was the best Hampshire player I can ever recall chasing runs in high pressure situations. There was a confidence and tempo to his batting that meant that the scoreboard was never an issue all the time Robin was in the middle anchoring the chase. He was so hard to tie down. His body language exuded command and belief. In absolutely one of the most uneven of contests, I bowled at him once in a club game in 1981 and regretted for twelve months trying to field a straight drive that still went for four by the sightscreen before long on moved!

The fact Robin’s final century against Australia for Hampshire in 2001 was also against the greatest spinner of all time, Shane Warne, meant so much to him and all his many fans. His ‘perceived inadequacies’ against spin at the highest level in the late nineties, must have been so hard for him to read about, particularly when his Test average against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan simply tell a very different story. It is universally accepted that Robin was shown the door by England far too soon. He was clearly a player who needed to be understood, loved and valued for his attacking intent. This 21st century Robin Smith Hampshire hundred v Australia was one late, final reminder that he could still be the equal of the greatest in the ultimate contest.

Back, though, in late June 1993, when the Australians toured England, they met Hampshire at the long-established 106-year-old County Ground in Southampton. The tourists won the toss, but it was Hampshire’s first innings that would be defined by one commanding performance. As was so often the case with England again that summer, Robin Smith strode to the crease early and duly smashed his way to a magnificent 191. The “Judge’s” belligerent knock lifted Hampshire to 374 for 5 declared — a total that meant they had virtually matched the first innings total of that formidable Australian side. When Robin holed out eventually to Tim May, at long on, within reach of his highest first-class score of 209 at the time, he had smashed 32 fours and four sixes. In doing so, he became only the tenth Englishman to score a first-class hundred before lunch against the Australians. You had to go back very nearly thirty years for the previous occasion, when Bob Barber did likewise at Edgbaston in 1964. Interestingly, you had to go back to our very own Phil Mead’s hundred for England at the Oval in 1921 for the last occasion that a resumed innings was improved at such a rate against Australia in England. At the close of play on Day One of that game with England 129 for 4, Mead was 19*. He finished up with 189* in England’s 403-8 declared. Mead reached his 100 in 201 balls, making 102 in that second morning session.

Robin’s approach to batting could not have been more different than Phil Mead’s. His 191 stood out as a personal masterclass: a display of concentration, wonderful timing, and fearless aggressive batting. At the end of the first day, Hampshire were 73-2, in reply to Australia’s 393 for 7 declared. Robin went past 15,000 first-class runs when he got off the mark. He began Day Two on 32*. His century came up off just 113 balls, forty minutes before lunch. He scored most of the runs in a productive 233-run 2nd wicket partnership with Middleton (53). They batted together for 44 overs. At that time, Smith was, of course, regarded as one of England’s most elegant and bravest batsmen — especially skilled at handling pace bowling, with that trademark square-cut that brought him so many admirers.  Contemporary newspaper reports had noted that this innings “vindicated his England selection” and showed that even when his England place was even being questioned by a few, he remained a real force to be reckoned with. The match ended in a draw, but Smith’s century felt like a continuation of his international form: he was at that time one of England’s most reliable run-scorers against high-quality opposition, and his performance against Australia’s touring attack reflected his status as a frontline Test batsman very much in his prime. In the next Test at Nottingham ten days later, Robin made 86 from 113 balls in the first innings and 50 from 71 balls in the second.

Fast forward to 28–30 July 2001, and it was not just the scenery that had changed. This match took place at the recently opened Rose Bowl — a sign of evolving county cricket infrastructure and a new era for Hampshire. By 2001, Smith was long retired from international cricket. His England career had ended in 1996. Nevertheless, for Hampshire, he was still very much a senior figure: in fact, he had, by then, been club captain for three seasons. In that 2001 game, Hampshire won the toss and chose to field. The Australians, remarkably, were skittled out in just 30.4 overs for 97. Alan Mullally returned figures of 11.4 overs, 3 maidens and 5 for 18. Back in 1985, Hampshire had bowled Australia out for 76 - with Kevan James starring again with 6-22 – but they still could not force a win that year. Hampshire’s only previous victory over Australia had been way back in 1912. This was thanks in the main to Mead’s 160 and Alec Kennedy’s 11 wickets, in a famous match which saw Hampshire triumph by 8 wickets.

In Hampshire’s reply on 28th July 2001, both Giles White and Will Kendall were out for 0. From 14-2, Robin scored a gritty and authoritative 113 from 277 balls, helping his side to 354, thus setting up a first-innings lead of 257. He added 112 for the 3rd wicket with Derek Kenway (70) and then 182 for the 4th wicket with Neil Johnson (88). The second of those partnerships lasted 51 overs and was the longest for any side batting against Australia all summer. The capacity crowd of 6,000 at the new ground witnessed Australia experiencing real discomfort for the first time on that tour. Having seen Robin make three one-day hundreds live against Lancashire, Staffordshire, and Sussex all away, I finally was there in person, cheering a long-awaited Smith RA first-class ton - made in a winning cause on a home ground in Hampshire. If you watch any team regularly over the decades, you treasure those truly special matches: favourite players excelling against the best;  those ‘I was there’ days that can’t be beaten!

The Tourists, in their second innings, recovered strongly — in part thanks to 142 by former Hampshire man Matthew Hayden — and declared at 389 for 9, setting Hampshire a target of 133 in about 26 overs. What followed was tense and compelling: Hampshire lost wickets steadily in their chase, and by the end the situation was fraught — two wickets left, four runs required, just nine balls remaining. By the end of the game, Hampshire were trying to score on a very uneven surface that was turning square. Amid mounting drama, a boundary by young wicket-keeper Iain Brunnschweiler sealed a two-wicket win for Hampshire. An over earlier, Colin Miller had dropped a regulation catch off Brunnschweiler. For Robin Smith, this century was a contribution to a rare and special win — a testament that five years after his England days had ended, he remained a match-winner at county level.

While the ‘Judge’ on the field was always so confident, upbeat and bullish, the retired Robin Smith off the field lacked confidence and any contentment. It was always harrowing to read of his tortuous life after his Hampshire career was over. For us, as supporters, we just have the wonderful memories of a player Mark Nicholas describes as simply the greatest in Hampshire’s rich history. At the same time as acknowledging that Marshall, Richards, Greenidge and Warne   all achieved more around the world in their careers as true greats of the game, Mark feels that nobody played for Hampshire with more distinction, courage, heart, skill and sheer effort – both week in and week out as well as on the big occasion -  than Robin,

His two centuries in those Australia matches therefore bookend not just two Hampshire–Australia fixtures, but two distinct chapters of a remarkable cricketing life. That 2001 victory was sadly the last ever tourist game between Hampshire and Australia, because schedules and playing formats have changed. I just feel privileged to have been there for two of those three days to see that Hampshire win. With my younger son, who was seven at the time, we travelled down from Cheshire to have his Chase bat signed by Warne and Smith. It remains a prize possession, along with the treasured memories of watching Robin cut, pull and on drive on his way to three figures. A final almost valedictory century, 25 years ago this summer, made against the late, great Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie and co, all proudly wearing their baggy caps at our new home. The ground has improved so much in the intervening quarter of a century, with the Robin Smith Suite the perfect place to look out on the cricket and the stage which he graced for a couple of seasons with such distinction. Safe to say, Robin Arnold Smith will be so sorely missed and so fondly remembered for so many years to come. How England could do with someone as good as him again, coming in at the fall of the first wicket in the Utilita Bowl Ashes Test in 2027!

John Winter

This article appears in the 2026 Hampshire Handbook

Back l-r) Rupert Cox, Bobby Parks, Martin Harrison*, Ian Watson, Martin Wigger*, Mike Hill, Kevin Emery, Martin Jean-Jacques, Norman Cowans, Adi Aymes, Tim Tremlett, John Barnard*

(Seated l-r) Nigel Cowley, Bob Herman, Mike Taylor, Bob Stephenson, Peter Haslop, Keith Wheatley, Richard Lewis, Raj Maru

*2nd XI: Martin, son of Leo, John son of Mike

Assuming Liam plays v Essex in April it will be the start of his 20th continuous season in Hampshire's first team - the only man to do so with the current formats including T20 and Hundred. As far as I can figure, he's the eleventh to make that figure overall, albeit with the caveat that some 'continuous' players were broken by one of the two World Wars and for Jack Newman* that meant also 1919 because he wasn't demobbed in time. In addition the amateur AJL Hill missed two seasons, so was not continuous. Newman, Hill and Sainsbury are the three Hampshire born. The eleven are:

28: CP Mead (WW1) 1905-1936

26: AS Kennedy (WW1) 1907-1936 

24: DR Turner 1966-1989

23: PJ Sainsbury 1954-1976 (plus coach)

22: G Brown 1908-1933

22: D Shackleton 1948-1969

22: RA Smith (1982-2003)

20: J Newman (1906-1930)*

21: AJL Hill 1895-1921 BUT not 1896 or 1914 so not continuous

20: RE Marshall 1953-1972

20: LA Dawson 1907-

Incidentally Liam also played for Essex during those 20 years.

Marking twenty-five years since the opening of the Rose Bowl and the first game played on the new ground in May 2001, the Club have issued a special edition of the Hampshire Handbook. HCH have helped again with a number of articles in this year's edition.

Each sheet has a good deal of information about previous Hampshire matches with the opposition for that four-day game. We hope you will enjoy reading it at each Championship game. The money from sales will be split between the Hampshire Cricket Foundation and HCH.

In his latest book, Hampshire Cricket Heritage's Dave Allen celebrates all forms of cricket played in the first year that his beloved Portsmouth enjoyed city status - exactly 100 years ago.

The Archive Room is run by The Archive Room Committee of Hampshire Cricket Heritage which was established in November 2023.  The current members of that committee are Richard Griffiths, Ray Stubbington, Glen Williams and John Winter. Our aim is to re-organise this room over the next 36 months, cataloguing all its contents, with a view to making it more accessible to our HCH supporters in 2026. If you have anything that relates to Hampshire Cricket that you could donate to our growing Archive Room Collection, please just email us at hantscccheritage@gmail.com

Could anyone help us complete our 

John Arlott Monographs Collection?

Our Archive  Room Curator, Glen Williams, has completely re-organised and re-catalogued our growing HCH Book Collection over the past two years. He is also conducting research on all that John Arlott ever wrote about cricket (and beyond), in order to compile a detailed bibliography over the next couple of years on JA for HCH. This is Glen's update on our John Arlott Book Collection,

"As of August 2025, thanks to supporter donations, HCH purchases and some generous in house HCH donations (you know who you are!) we now have over 60 John Arlott books and 6 limited edition monographs on Hampshire cricketers.

The current list of our monographs is:

Neville Rogers  1956

Derek Shackleton  1958

Leo Harrison  1958

Vic Cannings  1958 (published 1959)

Ingleby-Mackenzie  1962

Peter Sainsbury  1965

With the proceeds from the July Book Sale, we have now been able purchase this month the three below:

Jimmy Gray   1960

Arthur Holt     1963

Henry Horton  1964

Our Chair, Richard Griffiths, recently donated to HCH his own copy of "Derek Shackleton - An Appreciation" by John Arlott. It is signed by both the player and author. This is clearly a series we are very keen to complete for our Archive Room collection because only 50 of each were issued. This fine book (pictures above) was published in 1958 by the Boscombe Printing company in its original slightly faded green sand grained cloth cover with the title in gilt letters. The money raised from the sales in 1958 went to Derek Shackleton's Benefit Fund. The contents of John's piece were reproduced in the 1958 Hampshire Handbook.

Therefore, we now have 9 of the Hampshire monographs and, to complete the collection for Hampshire Cricket Heritage, we are asking if anyone could help us fill in the remaining gaps from their own libraries/collections.

As of September 2025, we still need to acquire the following:

Desmond Eagar: A Memoir On His Retirement From First Class Cricket   1958

Roy Marshall: A Biographical Note     1961

Mervyn Burden: A Memoir    1964

David White     1969

We would particularly appreciate donations of these fine books so much to complete this special part of our John Arlott Collection. Alternatively, if any of our supporters would like to make cash donations to fund the purchase of these four remaining monographs, please contact us via email at hantscccheritage@gmail.com "

Glen Williams HCH

The summer of 1969 with Richard Gilliat 

Richard in conversation  with John Winter in September 2025 (with additional notes in italics)

Richard, we are here to talk about your favourite season playing for and captaining Hampshire - and there must be quite a few to choose from. If I can start by asking you, how did you begin playing for Hampshire? 

RG - Yes, so I was at Oxford University and had played a few games on the Surrey Ground staff in 1964. I've got to say that I don't think it was my particular dream to play cricket professionally at that stage. If anything, tennis was my favourite game at school and as a student. I was lucky enough to captain Oxford University at both football and cricket and got blues for both, but tennis was always my preferred option, really. So I think the Hampshire cricket connection came about through Desmond Eagar who knew my uncle Ivor. I was playing for Oxford University at Iffley Road and in the Parks where he saw me play. He then got in touch and invited me to come down to Southampton to play a few trial games for the 2nd eleven in 1965 and 1966.

Richard won his four cricket blues at Oxford between 1963 and 1967. He played twice against Hampshire, making 49 in 1965 and 62 in 1966 before playing for the Club. During his time at Oxford, Richard made his Hampshire 2nd XI debut at Basingstoke on 19th August 1965. He made 23* in his only innings against Kent. Having been picked for the MCC President's XI to play the West Indies at Lord's in July 1966, Richard made his Hampshire first-class debut on a very special sporting day in England. Saturday 30th July 1966 was the day England beat Germany 4-2 at Wembley in the World Cup Final and, while "some people were on the pitch at Wembley", Richard was in the field for Hampshire at Northlands Road against Derbyshire. In a drawn game, he made 8 and took 2 catches on his first-class debut. He then played both games in Portsmouth Cricket week against Yorkshire and Lancashire. In fact, he played every Championship game until the end of that 1966 summer. For the last two, he was joined by David Turner, who made his first-class debut in the penultimate game against Kent at Bournemouth. David was immediately followed by Trevor Jesty who made his first team debut at Portsmouth in the very next game - the last of the Championship season against Essex. Richard's only 2nd XI game in 1966 was at Laverstoke Park, where he was run out for 22 against Somerset. This was because Mike Barnard and Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie had stepped back in to play in Hampshire's first ever Gillette Cup Semi-Final at Worcester on August 10th.

What was the next summer like in 1967?

RG - Well in 1967 I was finishing at Oxford and only available for Hampshire in the second half of the season. It was the year we won the 2nd XI Competition under Leo Harrison's captaincy. I don't think I played a single game for the 2nd XI that summer, where Keith Wheatley and Richard Lewis were among the leading run-scorers. I batted at three in the first team instead and found it hard to make runs. I think I must have replaced Henry Horton at three who had been such a wonderful servant of the club. I do remember batting for a very long time to make my first hundred against Kent at Southampton. Underwood was just so hard to get away, and he mopped up the tail. It was the first time I remember batting with David (Turner) who made his first fifty for the club in the same innings. We were in trouble when we came together and the scoring was very slow.

The record books show that Richard made 122 against Kent in only his second game back after University on July 16th 1967. It took him 6 hours and 10 minutes. He hit 2 sixes and eight fours, sharing a fifth wicket partnership of 112 with David Turner who made his maiden half-century with 52. In total, Richard played in 13 first-class matches in the second half of the 1967 summer, finishing third in the averages, with 546 runs at exactly 26.0. Having finished 11th in 1966, Hampshire dropped one place in 1967 to 12th in the County Championship table.

In 1968, there was the arrival of the overseas players and Barry Richards joining Hampshire. How much do you remember about the summer?

RG - Well, let's talk first of all about how he signed for Hampshire. It was very last minute, I think it was 99% certain that Clive Lloyd was joining us, when he opted for Lancashire instead. It left us, virtually at the last minute, without an overseas player. The deal that we had offered Clive was never going to be enough, because his club side in Lancashire contacted Lancashire and said that they would double anything that we were prepared to pay. They just did not want to lose him. He was a talisman for the Lancashire leagues and somebody Lancashire particularly wanted. So yeah, it was a very much a last minute thing. I had spent some time in South Africa with Martin Harrison, son of Leo. Martin had spent a lot of time in South Africa, and he knew Barry and recommended him very highly. In fact, I'd actually played against Barry when he came over in 1963. He captained a South African Nuffield Schools side against Charterhouse. He scored a fantastic hundred and I remember former South African opening batsman, Jackie McGlew, was coaching that side. He told us that day that Barry was the best young player he'd ever seen. I didn't doubt that at all. Everything we saw that day, just bore that out. In all my time, when I went on to play the game professionally, I never saw a better player. 

So what was it that marked Barry out from anybody else, and what elevates him quite rightly into the all time greats? 

RG - He saw the ball really early. He could play every shot. I mean, I've been watching Shubman Gill this summer and some of the current Indians play beautiful cover drives, but nobody ever played the cover drive more gracefully, more effortlessly, or with better placement than Barry. Any form of spin, left arm over, right arm swing and seam, pace, the short ball, he could play everything. He only had one weakness and that was boredom! He loved the battle. He loved playing against the best; it brought the best out of him. The more difficult the conditions, the better he played; the more the challenge, the greater the number of runs that he made. I think Gordon also spurred him on after 1971. Gordon was great for him. It was a tremendous partnership. It encouraged Barry to go to even greater heights. There would be times when Barry would come back and say, "God, I wish I could hit the ball as hard as Gordon does." But Barry was all timing. Gordon was all muscle and, as an opening pair, they were absolutely ferocious. They were so good to captain: they were both really keen students of the game and they did give advice, but overall, what they did to set the tone was just amazing. Both were truly special players. Sorry, I digress, but no time talking about how good those two were is ever wasted!

What about your own season in 1968?

RG - It was a much harder season for me. I know that I didn't make a hundred in that third season. Barry just ended it up making it look so much easier than everyone else, including Roy Marshall who was, himself, a very destructive batsman.

Injuries ravaged the side in 1969 and you had to retire hurt at Ilford in mid-June after you were struck on the head by Keith Boyce?

RG - I got hit on the head and retired hurt. Thankfully, I was able to join Peter (Sainsbury) back at the wicket the next day and things just went my way. It was the start of a great run of form for me actually.

Richard's modesty prohibits him from elaborating on that knock of 109 at Ilford which was the fastest Championship hundred of the season that year. It was the first of Richard's six centuries that summer; his second came in the next game at home to Glamorgan (112) at Bournemouth. 

Is it true that before 1969, you never really felt as if you were going to make it as a professional for Hampshire? 

That is absolutely right. I was just lucky enough to score 6 centuries that season, but it was the game against Warwickshire at home when I got 223 not out that really sticks in the memory. It was the only double century that I scored for Hampshire. And my other memory from that summer, and this game in particular, was about the bonus points. Bonus points were awarded for each 25 runs after 150 in the first 85 overs; we managed to get maximum bonus points that day. 

Did it help having the John Player League for the first time that summer in 1969?

RG - Maybe that freed me up a bit. I remember making a hundred against Glamorgan on the Saturday at Bournemouth and then making a fifty on the Sunday at Southampton in "Butch" White's Benefit game. We finished second to Lancashire in that first season of the JPL, but became a far better Sunday side in 1975. Just going back to that double hundred, I remember partnerships both with Roy Marshall and Danny Livingstone. Roy made the game look so easy. I was batting three and he was four. He was ridiculously talented, unpredictable. He could hit the ball to all parts; you weren't quite sure what you were going to get. I remember batting sometimes at number three when he was opening, and you'd be on the edge of your seat, because the first ball could fly down to third man as easily as be hit straight back over the bowler's head. But make no mistake, Roy was a fantastic player. 

Richard, what are your memories of the attack that you faced that day?  

RG - I do remember that there were some good bowlers in that Warwickshire line-up. Ibadulla was playing and he came on after Blenkiron and McVicker. But it was Tom Cartwright who was the pick. He bowled such great lines, wicket to wicket. He also moved it around enough both ways. He was always difficult to face, but I managed to work him a few times to leg. He went for a few runs that day and I remember him just saying, "you know, why do I have to bowl to this chap?" I don't think he was particularly impressed with the way that I scored my runs, but it was a day when everything went right. And actually, my other memory of that day, of course, is that, as I was walking back to the pavilion at tea, I was capped. It was a Monday at the end of June. There wasn't a big crowd, but it was such a special moment for me. I felt that I'd really finally arrived in the side by then. Barry Richards would have been one of the stars, of course, but he didn't play in the game where I got 223 because he'd been knocked unconscious by Mike Proctor about a week or two early. So he was unavailable. Unlike me, he could hit the ball to all parts of the ground. Obviously, he was just a genius, the best player I ever played with, simply the best player I have ever seen play the game. As I said before, he just had everything. All these years later, the memories remain so vivid. I can't remember many of my own innings thankfully. Barry was such a wonderful timer of a cricket ball and just a joy to watch from the other end when you batted with him. He actually missed a few games that second season through injury, but still made nearly 1500 runs in the Championship. I think he made 5 hundreds that summer.

You were also vice-captain in 1969. How did it come about that you ended up that season taking on the captaincy at Hampshire? 

RG - Yes, so it was the end of the 1969 season that Roy was injured. I'd struggled a little bit with injuries myself, but then towards the end of the season, I was given the chance to captain the side in the absence of Roy. It was for the last two Championship games that season and for the last two Sundays in the JPL. Roy was a wonderful player, but maybe not the most adventurous or attacking captain. We had a very good bowling attack that summer with Bob Cottam and "Butch" White, Alan Castell, Peter Sainsbury and Trevor Jesty. Bob and "Butch" took 200 Championship wickets between them opening the bowling. Later, as the full-time captain, I wanted to change the tone a little bit. I had great support from Desmond (Eagar) behind the scenes. I just wanted us to play a more attacking form of cricket. Roy immediately returned a captain in 1970 when he was fit again. In those two games as captain in 1969, I dropped down the order to four - with David (Turner) slotting in at three, where he was so well suited. We also said a final good-bye to "Shack" at the end of that special summer of 1969.

In terms of your mantras later as a full-time captain, what were the big things that you always believed in?

RG - I was very much in favour of attacking cricket with the bat: I always wanted us to score our runs quickly, put pressure on the opposition, have a positive mindset because bonus points were so important. In the field, it was all about having a fast over rate, moving quickly between overs, because you wanted to give yourself the best chance to take 20 wickets in the game. Obviously catches win matches, so the fielding was the thing, probably, during my time as captain, that consistently stood out and put us right towards the top always. The opening partnership was totally fearless and put us on the front foot when we were were batting. But the fielding with David Turner in the covers, the brilliant slip cordon and Bob (Stephenson) behind the stumps made us a top side and stand out. We were also a happy side, a very positive dressing room. It was an easy team to captain in many ways because I think we all wanted to play the game the same way. 'Keep the game moving forwards and give ourselves every chance to win'. 

Finally, as captain, what do you think was the secret of Hampshire's success in the seventies? 

We were lucky that we had no England test stars. There was continuity of selection, a lot of experience - mixed with a lot of ambition and desire. But you do make your own luck in the game. We didn't prepare any wickets, particularly. We had such such a good balance to the side - with three genuine all-rounders. The bowlers were very skilful against many of the world's best batsmen playing in county cricket back then. There was a real depth to the squad as well. We enjoyed going to play on any ground. We also enjoyed tremendous home support. Each of the Hampshire grounds we went to - especially for Bournemouth Cricket Week and Portsmouth Cricket Week - meant we were tremendously well supported. Hampshire crowds are always very partisan, very knowledgable, but overall incredibly supportive of the team. Looking back now, it was such a privilege for me to captain Hampshire, with so many great professionals in that era. 

THE HAMPSHIRE CRICKETERS’ GUIDE

Introduction

Nearly every County Cricket Club currently issues an annual publication covering the previous and current year with a variety of titles. For Hampshire, it is currently called the Hampshire Handbook. The first county to issue such a publication was Kent in 1878 with the Kent County Cricket Club (commonly called the Blue Book). The second being Surrey in 1882 with the Surrey County Cricket Club.

                                  The third county was Hampshire issuing The Hampshire Cricketer’s Guide in 1885.

1885   

This first edition was published by Geo. Buxey, “Observer Office”, 21, Bridge Street, Southampton.  

It was approximately 4 x 5 inches with a dark brown cloth cover and cost six pence. 

The Guide is edited and compiled by George Bagshaw, Hon. Sec. The Ordnance Survey Cricket

Club. The purpose of the Guide was to document the history and memories associated with cricket played in and for Hampshire.

The Guide is “Respectfully Dedicated to W. W. B. Beach, Esq., M.P.,

        President of the Hampshire County Cricket Club from 1868 to 1884, By Permission.”

        The Hon. Sec. J. Fellowes, Major, R.E. opens his Preface:

        “Following the example of other Counties, I am issuing “THE

         HAMPSHIRE CRICKETER’S GUIDE” in the hope that it may be of some use in making Cricket more popular in the County, and thus,

         perhaps, bringing the County to its old position”

         The latter comment refers to the fact that Hampshire lost their first-class status, which was not reinstated till 1895. They also relocated

         from the Antelope Ground to the new County Ground. 

         The President was The Earl of Northesk with eleven Vice-Presidents.

         The area committees were listed followed by the Match Committee, Captain – Mr A. H. Wood, Hon. Treasurer – Mr R. Bencraft and

         Hon. Secretary – Major J. Fellowes R.E.  

         There follows a one-page summary HAMPSHIRE – 1885 and the Results of Matches (played 8, won 2, lost 6) and the Batting and

         Bowling averages for 1884. Two performances stand out. F.E. Lacey scored 211 against Kent, the highest score in County Matches. He went on to

score 92 not out in the second innings and had an average for the year of 75.4. 

The other was a team total of 645 against Somersetshire, the second highest on record.

         The fixtures for 1885 are listed followed by the scorecards for each match in 1884. The last being Gentlemen of Philadelphia v. Gentleman

          of Hampshire (won by the Gentlemen of Hampshire).  There is a List of Clubs situate within the County showing their

          Officers and details. Of note: Portsmouth (Borough) Captain, Dr. A.C. Doyle.

         Notable Batting and Bowling Performances of Hampshire Cricketers.  (H.N. Dumbleton scores 325 for Royal Engineers against Royal     

          Marines).  Then a page on 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment Season. 1884 (played 9 won 4, lost 2 drawn 3).

    The Cricket Diary 1885 follows taking up many pages. Then The Laws of Cricket, Laws of County Cricket. There are four of these latter laws

         established in June 1873 at a meeting in the Surrey County Pavilion.

        Cricket Diary for 1885 for completion. Lastly a few pages for Memoranda and Addresses.

          At the back of the Guide are 34 pages of advertisements.

1886   

Second year. Dark brown cloth cover and price of sixpence, but this year printed by the Southampton Times Steam Printing Works, 

Note: The apostrophe has moved from Cricketer’s to Cricketers’. A brief table of Contents is also included.

         The Preface by Lt.-Col. Fellowes opens “At the request of a large number of Secretaries of Cricket Clubs, and others, I am again

         issuing the HAMPSHIRE CRICKETERS’ GUIDE”. He thanks Mr. J. Burgess Brown (the Editor of the Kentish Cricketers’ Guide)

         “for his kindness in allowing me to take his Guide as my model”.

         The President was The Earl of Northesk with thirteen Vice-Presidents.

         The area committees were listed followed by the Match Committee,

          Captain – Mr A. H. Wood, Hon. Treasurer – Dr. R. Bencraft and Hon. Secretary – Lieut.-Col. J. Fellowes R.E.  

          A two-and-a-half-page summary again headed HAMPSHIRE-1885.

          “It cannot be denied that the first step for the real resuscitation of County Cricket has been taken in the acquisition of a permanent

          headquarters at Southampton.”. It goes on to say that the site was nine acres with a handsome pavilion and replete with all the necessary

          accommodation for members and cricketers. “On the occasion of the opening of the Ground, on May 8th and 9th, a Grand Bazaar was held,

          opened by the Countess of Northesk” and the substantial sum of £177.15s. 9d. was realised.”

There follows a review of the season and matches. After which comes a list of fifteen Hampshire Umpires headed by H. Holmes of Totton, Hants with an asterisk saying “Holmes Benefit, July 2 and 3 Hampshire v. Hertfordshire, at the County Ground”.

Hampshire Results of Matches. County: played 10, won 2, lost 8. Club: played 7, won 2, lost 2, drawn 3.

         Batting and Bowling Averages in 1885

         Last Year’s Matches

         Fixtures 1886

         List of Clubs

         Notable Bowling Performances of Hampshire Cricketers, 1885

         Notable Batting Performances of Hampshire Cricketers (one double century A. Banbury 216 for South Hampshire Rovers)

         Cricket Diary 1886

         The Laws of Cricket.  As amended by the MCC 1884

         Laws of County Cricket

         Cricket Diary for 1886 (for completion)

1887

Third year. Light brown cloth cover and price of sixpence, printed by A.J. Dyer “Hampshire Independent” Office, Southampton.

         Contains a full list of Contents for the first time, however the Contents are not in the same sequence as the Guide:

          The first List of Advertisers. There are fifteen advertisements at the front of the Guide and thirty-five at the end and one on the

back cover. Plus four interspersed totalling fifty-five.

         The Preface starts with “I am glad to say that there was a larger demand for the Guide last year, but still, financially, it has not

         been a success”.  It ends with “Before this Edition will be out of the hands of the Press I shall have retired from the post of Hon.   

         Sec. to the H.C.C. Club, owing to circumstances over which  Ihave no control”. (The circumstances being his military appointment).

         The first sentence under HAMPSHIRE-1886 is “There was nothing in the season’s cricket to call for any special comment.”

         A new wing has been added to the pavilion and a concrete pitch has been laid down to practice on a fast wicket.

         Results of Matches. County Matches: played 10, won 3, lost 6, drawn 1. Other Matches: played 10, won 4, lost 1, drawn 5.

         Three centuries recorded in the averages: F.E. Lacey 185, Dible 114, E.O. Powell 111.

         President Mr. A.H. Wood, Treasurer and Secretary unchanged. No note of Club Captain.

         List of Fixtures has, in addition, the fixtures for Northlands Rovers Cricket Club, of which Lt.-Col. Fellowes is Secretary

         (pro. tem.) and the ground is the County Ground.

          A new competition entitled the County Challenge Cup Competition was adopted in April 1887 and is added to the

          Preface as a P.S. The Cup was generously offered by the President  Mr A.H. Wood.

          The fixtures for the First Round of the Competition (in May) are printed followed by the Rules.

          The Laws of Cricket as amended by MCC 1884 and the Laws of County Cricket are included. 

1888       

Fourth year. Change of Secretary. Change of colour. Same size. Light red colour. Price sixpence.

Printed by A.J. Dyer, “Hampshire Independent “Office, Southampton

         The new Secretary, Russell Bencraft, opens the Preface with “At the request of a large number of Secretaries and others, I

         have decided to continue the publication of the Hampshire Cricketers’ Guide. Then the first line under HAMPSHIRE 1887 is

         “The Season, 1887, can hardly be said to be a brilliant one so far as Hampshitre is concerned.” It ends “There’s an old saying that “it’s

         a long lane that has no turning,” It’s been a long lane for Hampshire, but it is to be hoped we are near the end of it.”

         Results of County Matches: played 10, won 1, lost 8, drawn 1.

         Other Matches: played 7, won 2, lost 1, drawn 4.

         F.E. Lacey finished with an average of 66 helped by a highest score of 323* against Norfolk. E.G. Wynyard scored 237 in an

         innings for his regiment and 233 for Incogniti.

         President Mr. F. Ricardo, Treasurer Dr. Russell Bencraft, Secretary Dr. R. Bencraft and Mr. Hugh K. Grierson, Captain Mr. F.E. Lacey.

         For the first time an Executive Committee appears with twelve Members and a Ground Sub.-Committee of five.

For the first time the Guide contains Receipts and Expenditure and this extends back to 1868:

        Results of each round of the Challenge Cup Competition, 1887. 5th Round (Final) Ordnance Survey beat Basingstoke and won the Cup.  Fixtures for first round 1888 by June 9th.

1889           

Fifth year. Dark red cloth cover. Printed at the Southampton Times Steam Printing Works, 11, Above Bar. Price sixpence.

Similar content to previous year. Preface states the Guide “has now reached its fifth year, and without doubt it has proved to be of great value to Cricketers throughout the County.” The first sentence in the review of the season is “The Season 1888 has been no exception to the ill luck

attending the efforts of the County Club in the field – a solitary win over Norfolk being all that can be claimed.” It also states that the cost of the new ground has been paid off.At the bottom of the page it states:

CAB FARES.

From the Docks to the County Ground, 1s. 6d.

6d. extra for each person over two.

This is the first guide to contain page numbers, though not mentioned in the Contents. The page numbers reach 76 before the advertisements and diary at the end.

         President Mr. F. Ricardo, Treasurer Dr. Griffin, Secretaries: Dr. R. Bencraft & Mr. H.K. Grierson, Captain Mr. F.E. Lacey 

Results of County Matches: played 9, won 1, lost 5, drawn 3.

         Three centuries scored: Dible 188, H.W. Foster 125, C.R. Seymour 120.

        Challenge Cup Competition won by Winchester beating Portsmouth.

1890          

Sixth year. Dark red cloth cover. Printed at the “Southampton Observer” Office, 21, Bridge Street. Price sixpence.

Similar content to previous year.

  Preface by Russell Bencraft. Review of the year opens “It cannot be said that the tide of misfortune that has followed our County

         Eleven in the field of late years has yet turned, but there was evidently some improvement on the previous year.”

        Want of funds has greatly handicapped the County of late.

  Cab fares again mentioned, but page numbers have disappeared.

         President A.F. Jeffreys, Esq., M.P., Secretaries H.W.R. Bencraft and H.K. Grierson, Treasurer J. Griffin, Esq., M.D. Captain H.W. Forster, Esq.

         For the first time Auditors are mentioned Messrs. F.J. Blundell and C. Goldstone.

         Results of County Matches: played 10, won 1, drawn 3, lost 6.

         F.E Lacey tops the batting averages with 44 including 100*

         Followed by Dr. R. Bencraft with and innings of 195.

         Sergeant-Major Jeffkins scored 205 for Ringwood against Southsea Rovers

        No details of the 1889 matches in the Challenge Cup Competition. Just the first-round fixtures and winners since the competition commenced. 1889 Hartley Row.

         Two pages on The Southampton Public Parks Cricket Association. The Association was formed by an amalgamation of the ten Park

         Clubs, which participate in the ballot for the Grounds. Mr. G. Bagshaw, who first made the suggestion acted as Hon. Sec.

         The Parks was opened by a Grand Opening Match with a London Team, Waltham Green, and Mr. Tankerville Chamberlayne presented the Association with a magnificent silver-mounted Challenge Bowl, which was competed for by the Clubs affiliated to the Association. 

It was eventually won by Adelaide.

This was the first series of The Hampshire Cricketers’ Guide.  

 1891        No publication

The second series began in 1892.

DOCUMENTING CHANGE: HAMPSHIRE’S CRICKET HISTORY

I am grateful for this opportunity to write about the historical work being undertaken at Hampshire Cricket as our contribution to a series on each of the counties in this journal.

At the end of the 2024 season, approaching my 75th birthday, I retired as the Historian, the public face of Hampshire Cricket, although as I shall reveal, that is not quite the end of my endeavours.

You will note that I name Hampshire Cricket. When I first became formally involved in preserving and presenting our history 30 years ago it was as a co-opted member of the Museum Sub-Committee of Hampshire County Cricket Club(HCCC), an organisation which ceased to exist shortly after our move to the then Rose Bowl, which held its inaugural first-class match in 2001. Since then Hampshire has been a limited company with members in name only and resembling rather more football season-ticket holders. The move from Northlands Road to the Bowl which now has its third full name (Utilita) in a quarter-of-a-century and the transfer of power from an elected committee to a Board makes our situation unique but our tale of heritage and history over that period might become more broadly applicable as we move into the days of 49%, Franchise take-overs and the like at other counties. 

I am no economist or business expert so I will leave that tale to others but I can relate something of how at Hampshire we have approached the representation of our history in a context different both in terms of environment and management from that of any other members’ county club, with a 19th century ground.

I was a Hampshire member from my ‘junior’ days in 1961 but only became involved in the formal work on our history in the mid-1990s, after I offered the club the loan of a small but interesting collection of Hampshire cricket memorabilia. This led to an invitation to become a seconded member of the Museum Sub-Committee from the Archivist Neil Jenkinson which was approved by the full committee to whom we were responsible. Other ‘Museum’ members back then were mostly also on our full committee, including our former amateur bowler and cricket chairman Charlie Knott, cricket historian Andrew Renshaw, Major Doulas Nation who once played a pre-war first-class match while serving in India and gentleman farmer Andrew Murdoch. 

The 30+ years since then have been an ‘interesting’ experience as I have gone from being the ‘bright young(ish) thing’ of the 1990s to the occasionally grumpy senior Historian in recent years. Given all the changes that have occurred along the way our experience over those thirty years is surely unique among county clubs not least in terms of the most pressing project which has been to find ways of sharing our history with members, supporters and at the ground at least, visitors. 

In my experience, the majority of cricket lovers love tales of the past but perhaps for most of them it is their past; the players, grounds, matches, seasons or series that have had most impact on their cricket-loving lives that provide the material of their memories. Cricket is a very rich source of such memories since it is accompanied by a plethora of facts and the process, entirely understandable, often affords great pleasure - especially when shared, since more than say football, watching cricket, in particular the longer forms, allows plenty of time for conversations.

The challenge for a county Historian is to acknowledge this particular form of engagement with the past, allowing the ground and publications to become a canvas on which to paint this picture. But should it be more than that? If the engagement I have described so far is to be seen as a kind of (often well-informed) nostalgia how is that different from ‘History’ and what are the implications of such a distinction for what is made public? What forms should be used to make the past public and hopefully relevant today?

When we arrived at the Rose Bowl on D Day 2000 for a 2nd XI game on the Nursery Ground the main pavilion and ground were still building sites and for financial reasons the pavilion remained incomplete for some time – with two more stands and the hotel added some years later. While there was very little money to create displays there was at least a blank canvas on which to work.

When the 2nd XI played that first match we were still Hampshire County Cricket Club with the historians reporting to the full Committee. It is perhaps interesting to reflect on the people who were then running affairs, for they all lived in the county and in many cases were, like Neil Jenkinson and me, Hampshire born-and-bred. The Chairman Brian Ford from Bournemouth was a third generation Hampshire Committee man, Bill Hughes, a main driving force on the new ground was a former Hampshire Colt and member of Hampshire Hogs CC, Chris Ayling the club’s GP was from Portsmouth, the Chief Exec, Tony Baker was a well-known Southampton cricketer who had played for the 2nd XI, while recent Cricket Chairmen Charlie Knott and Jimmy Gray were successful Southampton-born Hampshire cricketers. There were others with similar local backgrounds,

Does that matter? I am not sure but I think it is worth asking the question at the moment when we hear that Hampshire might well be bought by an Indian Franchise and it is a question that has exercised me in a different respect in recent years. The main historical project at Hampshire can be traced at least back to the mid-18th century with the inaugural first-class matches often involving Hampshire/Hambledon and a century later came the formation of the County Cricket Club (1863) and its successor Hampshire Cricket plc. But our new ground has in recent years also hosted two other professional organisations not called Hampshire: The Southern Brave in the Men’s Hundred competition and the Southern Vipers women’s sides. 

Their performances are these days recorded in the Hampshire Handbook with which I have been involved for many years although that part is dealt with by other people. Around the ground there are displays about the Vipers which they curate themselves and I have never had a conversation with anyone about whether they think the role of Hampshire’s Archivist/Historian should embrace these new formats and different team names. Should I continue to follow in detail the performances of Vince, Dawson and others in the Hundred, even when Dawson is playing for a team called London Spirit? If so to what extent? What is my role or that of the recently re-formed Hampshire Cricket Heritage (all men) in preserving and sharing the histories of regional women’s cricket, disabled sides, junior teams or the Academy, who this year won the Southern League for the first time? 

I have generally avoided engaging with these implicit questions, perhaps because there is always something else to deal with but maybe betraying my own areas of expertise and bias against the Hundred and non-county names for sides – none of that a secret! In retirement I can choose my projects but those questions remain for my successors and others elsewhere. I wonder for example, what view my colleagues at Sussex take of the notion that their county is part of this thing called ‘Southern Brave’? Do they maintain the records for Mills, Archer and perhaps the side? What is the role of a County Cricket Historian in the second quarter of the 21stCentury? As an historian must I always take the disinterested position even in a project in which I have a life-long emotional investment?

I think it is well-known that our early years at the Rose Bowl were to say the least precarious financially and while there was very little money to create displays there was at least that blank canvas on which to work and that was often an interesting project.

In the winter of 2000/1 we brought everything across from Northlands Road which had been rapidly reduced to a demolition site and much of our memorabilia was stored in a Portacabin where the car park now stands. Initially an outside company was brought in to frame lots of photographs and hang them around the ground but they knew nothing of our history and did this simply on aesthetic grounds. With others I have spent most of the last 20 years moving them, firstly to create some historical coherence but secondly to pursue an alternative more contemporary aesthetic, in line with the Bowl’s 21st century architecture. To be specific, wherever possible we took a thematic approach to wall displays removing old wooden frames and producing large Perspex displays about trophy successes, leading Test cricketers, notable other teams and individuals. With little money we held book sales from members’ donations and pursued sponsorship from supporters’ groups or more modest amounts from individual supporters. I particularly enjoyed succeeding in renaming the Atrium in honour of John Arlott, using the exposed white iron girders to display his quotes about the players he knew and loved, from Lord Tennyson through to the 1970s trophy winners. Each quote on its own girder was sponsored by a supporter.

Away from the ground we created one or two exhibitions for other sites, notably marking the 150th anniversary of the formation of the club in 2013 at the Hampshire County Archives in Winchester and this year the anniversary of the first known match in Portsmouth at the city’s Central Library. These displays were designed like the Perspex boards but less expensively on foamboard and for some years the 150th boards were displayed in the Atrium – a history of 150 years of men’s county cricket. They were removed a couple of years ago which means that these days it is not so easy to find much acknowledgement around the ground of the great achievements of Wynyard & Poore, Mead & Brown, Kennedy & Newman and others beyond living memory. 

In the past two or three years a new group of volunteers has arrived to succeed Stephen Saunders, Terry Crump and me in the re-formed Hampshire Cricket Heritage. Under Chair Richard Griffiths, John Winter, Glen Williams and Ray Stubbington have done a very fine job of properly organising the Archive which houses a Library, started post-war by Desmond Eagar, as well as many bats, balls, caps, stumps, trophies, photographs and scorecards. Both the latter have also been ‘digitised’ for easier use, not least on the brand new website at 

https://www.hampshirecountycricketheritage.co.uk/

One of our main projects for the winter, led by Ray, is to update the players’ A-Z which I published in two editions a few years ago and add that to the website for all to see. Ray is particularly adept at searching out information about births, deaths and other details online where there are of course so may remarkable resources. For myself, I give thanks constantly for the wonder that is Cricket Archive but at Hampshire we have another volunteer, Tigger Miles, whose statistical site is equally valuable to us:

https://hampshirecricket.net/

One of our key challenges has always been displaying the fascinating artefacts that we hold such as Wynyard’s record-breaking bat from 1897, ‘Butch’ White’s hat-trick ball of 1961, Barry Richard’s Champions cap of 1973 or the last (white) ball ever used at Northlands Road, signed and dated by Shane Warne. As Kit Harris noted in the 2024 edition of Wisden we have no museum or room of any kind in which to display such artefacts, so the Heritage website and a succession of shorter booklets - £5 each and numbering seven so far with more planned – have an important role. But how we would love to display more of our possessions – even if a formal museum has too many economic and organisational implications right now. For the time being, solid objects tend to appear at specific events including public talks.

So, what might come next? My first serious encounter with Hampshire cricket history at least 65 years ago was the ‘official’ history of the county club (1957) which stretched from Hambledon through about 200 years to the late 1950s and was written by three notable Hampshire historians, Harry Altham, Desmond Eagar and John Arlott, assisted in the statistics by Roy Webber. It was concerned almost entirely with men’s first-class cricket including the ‘great’ games at Hambledon but If we assume that the sharing of county histories is now broadening considerably beyond that focus, there are I think four key questions to be borne in mind as county historians or history groups plan future projects:

What is the anticipated or intended audience?

Who is communicating?

In what media and formats? 

Who & what is being represented?

Addressing those questions can help us maintain and develop inclusive strategies for sharing the most wonderful histories with growing numbers of cricket enthusiasts and to finish I would like to give particular consideration to one particular group of ‘enthusiasts’ who seem to get quite a bit of media attention these days but are not obviously engaged in preserving and producing the histories of our game.

I am fairly typical of the breed of current cricket historians in age, background and disposition as part of that shrinking group that can recall watching county cricket when it consisted only of first-class matches – indeed I watched for ten years before there was more than the occasional limited-overs Gillette Cup match. The influence of those formative years is strong in my endeavours and that is one reason why it is time to move on and hand over.

But in the longer term, I am thinking of the so-called  ‘new’ audience of families and particularly young people who we are told have been attracted to cricket in recent years. There might be among them and across two or three generations, cricket enthusiasts who could be encouraged to enjoy the past – however recent – alongside the present and ensure that the future for the historical project is secure, whatever its subject matter, whatever its forms and audience. I wonder how we might ensure that the future of cricket’s many histories is in safe hands in our digital, AI and multi-format future?

Dave Allen

September 2024

Take the ‘metro’ to an outground and don’t just keep the ticket!

Today is Friday August 2nd 2024; tomorrow it will be exactly 50 years ago to the day that I made one of the best decisions in my 61-year old life: I went to watch my first ever day of professional cricket at Portsmouth. By way of a kind of celebration, I am off to watch Warwickshire in a 50 over white-ball game at Rugby School in the Metro Bank Trophy. As an outground, it is simply a stunning venue. It also helps that there is a packed crowd of over 3,000, sitting out on white plastic chairs, enjoying the beautiful and hot, late-summer sunshine. There is, though, also a hint of autumn or two, with a few leaves on the outfield; the rugby posts are already up in place on the adjacent outfield, ready for the start of the new school year early next month. 

It is a school like no other in the country with its own novel and unique contribution to British sporting life. The rugby memorial on the edge of the 1st Team outfield, adjacent to one of the largest and most beautiful trees at any cricket ground in the world, is a must to visit for any visitor here. Thomas Hughes’s “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” famous 1857 novel feels now very much a book of its time and, as a result, perhaps less necessary to visit on a winter’s evening. Every outground on the county circuit retains its appeal, particularly for the first time visitor. This is now my 53rd different ground watching at least one of the eighteen first-class counties during these past fifty years. From Basingstoke to Blackpool, Beckenham to Bournemouth, Canterbury to Colwyn Bay, Cardiff to Colchester, Chesterfield to Cheltenham, the journey continues to be a complete joy. The Hundred has definitely helped me in that regard, as this 50 over competition strives to find more temporary - if sometimes more upmarket and atmospheric - homes. Never mind being persuaded to get on The Hundred band-wagon or runaway train leaving from Platform 9 and three-quarters, just jump on the ‘metro’ for Sedbergh, Scarborough, Neath, Kibworth, Gosforth, Guildford, Northwood and Nettleworth for not just this, but, hopefully, the next few summers!

Warwickshire were also one of the two teams playing back then for my first game in August 1974 in a three-day Championship game. They were a team packed full of international class cricketers. The home team also happened to have three world class legends in their line-up that day with Richards, Greenidge and Roberts. Hampshire were reigning County Champions that season, with a rich mix of outstanding county professionals and a brilliant captain, Richard Gilliat. Today’s opponents for “The Bears” of Warwickshire are Surrey. There are two former international players on show in Foakes and Sibley, but otherwise it is a question of diving into my Playfair regularly to learn more about a host of promising youngsters - fresh from their own schooldays - on both teams. The venues are also linked, fifty years apart, in that my first ever ground at Burnaby Road in Old Portsmouth remains to this day the home of United Services Rugby. For the last 25 years, Hampshire have ceased to play there. For the twenty-five before that it was home from home for me  -  along with Northlands Road, May’s Bounty and Dean Court.

Today I made my way to the ground from the station with a best friend; we have both travelled into Rugby on separate trains. They run on time, thankfully, because I can’t relax until I complete the most important task of any day at the cricket. News overnight comes in that Hampshire are due to be bought by GMR - which has wholly or joint-owned Delhi Capitals since the creation of the IPL in 2008 - and my mind is racing about what changes that means for the future. The only thing that trumps those thoughts, however, is whether there will be a scorecard available to buy and then fill out neatly for today’s game. Before you stop reading this article immediately and condemn me for a level of disproportion, nerdiness and obsession that is mildly disturbing, please let me offer my solid and robust forward defence with my wide Ben Warsop - or better still - Jumbo bat. My truly heartfelt joy is that there are proper scorecards available - free of charge today - in the temporary Rugby School Club Shop (and catering van). It means I can now relax properly and acquaint myself with all these recent alumni from schools around the country who are just about to step onto this lush green outfield. I also have my special keepsake to archive away in a private collection, whose value only fellow avid collectors would fully appreciate. 

Picture postcards, personal diaries, football programmes, love-letters, sepia family photos and cricket scorecards are all the stuff of wonderful nostalgia, where intrinsic value trumps monetary value every time. When asked by slightly nonplussed friends and family what the attraction is for collecting Test and County Cricket scorecards, it is so hard for me to express that in only a short text like this, let alone a few sentences. In the course of this article, the appeal of purchasing a scorecard as the first thing I do every time I go through a turnstile or entrance gate to watch a game of County or International cricket will be explained. It is sadly not a given, though, as a continuing pleasure going forwards. Scorecards are threatened with being consigned as much to the past as the exploits they record for posterity - especially when filled out accurately with accompanying key notes recording quirks, landmarks and boundary counts. 

Just over a year ago the First Ashes Test, in this very county at Edgbaston, was capturing the imagination of the whole cricket watching public across the world. Crawley’s imperious cover drive to the first ball of the day, Brook’s freakish dismissal, Root’s majestic hundred, Stokes’ incredibly audacious declaration were just a few of the many highlights on Day One when I still felt slightly deflated watching in the Wyatt Stand. The fact Warwickshire and the ECB had decided not to issue a scorecard for that game left me with an irrational emptiness that left me feeling like football programme collectors now attending a game at the likes of Blackburn, Millwall or Reading (where they have ceased to be printed). Thankfully, someone in the know has also obviously changed that back now a year later at Edgbaston, in order that the devoted County Members are once again able to buy them at Warwickshire home games. 

Even more than match tickets - which have also been collected by this writer for the past fifty years - they are a fantastic reminder of all those past games that you have been privileged enough to attend in person. Somehow they contribute to that enduring visceral feeling of knowing you were there to witness history being made. They are the tangible evidence which help archive and then revive memories of just being there at the game. Watching sport on TV is also one of my favourite past times; actually being at the game and ground in person, however, has always been a matter of taking that fun and enjoyment to a completely different level. It is like comparing a rich Italian meal on the Amalfi Coast, sitting outside a local family restaurant while bathing in beautiful sunshine under an azure sky, with fuelling in a hurry on a warmed up ciabatta in the microwave at home. In a nutshell, I was really there and have recorded that I was there. 

Cricket scorecards - unlike football programmes which contain so much more information ahead of the game - have always meant so much more to me when they have been neatly completed and then filed away in the right place, long after the action on the field has finished. If duly completed with all relevant details, they serve to chronicle the factual details and personal landmarks achieved by the twenty two players in that particular game, preserved for posterity in the scribe’s memory bank. Consequently, collecting scorecards from games that I haven’t attended has never quite had the same appeal. Unsurprisingly, they also show how my handwriting has first matured and then definitely declined in terms of legibility through time! 

Back in August 1974 I did something you will probably hardly see anywhere at a County Cricket match anywhere in the country this summer. I was only doing what generations of lads did before me, mind you. Aged 11, I walked twenty minutes to the local train station, caught the train to Portsmouth and Southsea station, spent 8 hours at the cricket watching Hampshire for the very first time and then caught the train home, arriving back after supper. It would almost be a Child Protection issue now, if a child of that age did likewise in 2024. Embracing that freedom, whilst sitting amongst adults and concentrating for the three two hour sessions of play, it did wonders for your powers of concentration and understanding of all the special facets of the game. Admittedly, with Barry Richards at one end and Gordon Greenidge at the other for some of that time, there could be no excuse.  That 5p blue first scorecard, for a top of the table Championship game against Warwickshire at the start of Portsmouth Cricket Week, began my collection. The 121 partnership between BAR and CGG in Hampshire’s only innings on the way to an easy victory makes it a unique keepsake. 

What it did mean as youngster, at that time, was you had three choices: (1) you sat and scored every ball in your own scorebook (which I preferred to do bizarrely for the JPL games on tv); (2) you completed the fall of wickets (and score at the end of each over in the limited over games) on your scorecard purchased before the start of play; (3) you did neither and nipped to play at the back of the stand when the action was less compelling. Since the scoreboard on all the grounds only gave the scores of the two batsmen at the crease, way before any mobile phone had been invented - let alone purchased - your scorecard acted as record of all that previously happened that day. When there were the full 120 overs in the day at Gillette Cup Games that was a huge amount to record and recall. In other words, for most on the ground, scorecards were an aide-mémoire. For me, they were a prized possession, just like my growing football programme and pre-decimalised coin collections. It was the age of Green Shield Stamps, Esso Cup Coins and Brooke Bond Cards after all. 

Ever since the enforced Covid break, the printing of cricket scorecards to buy at our county cricket grounds has become a bigger lottery: should the  time-honoured tradition be respected for loyal match going supporters, or will anybody notice if we save a few hundred quid on our very tight balance sheets? Scorecards have carried adverts on the reverse in all the time I have been collecting them, but maybe that revenue stream is harder to tap into in modern times. The fact that an electronic version - as an alternative to the printed card copy - gives you the same information, but without any of the same sense of uniqueness or permanence, spells “real danger”. 

We are constantly challenged in our daily lives with what we keep and what we throw away. If we do keep it, why are we keeping it and how do we store it? The pace of technological change constantly asks questions of how we adapt and embrace opportunities to save what really matters in a more accessible form for others. Do we need to retain the physical article, when there is already an electronic copy? I would argue, like the best First Day Cover or specialist mini library, they are enhanced as a collection or series by every latest similar addition or edition. They have, as previously mentioned, no monetary value worth speaking of, even with a precious few signed by the leading protagonist, but in terms of personal importance, they remain a prize collection. 

As the latest Ashes series last season demonstrably showed, it is getting increasingly harder to buy a scorecard at a professional cricket match in England. Were Warwickshire for the opening Test in July 2023 at Edgbaston, making the large contingent of Australian fans feel even more at home? Could they not have seen that such a great finish deserved a fine scorecard? There is of course no tradition down under for ever issuing scorecards at Ashes games. Why would we now suddenly start - 140 years later -  following suit? Either through tough economics in the county game, changing spectator habits or the need to move towards an electronic version of previously printed material, they have now become an “endangered species” over here. The Lord’s One Day Finals had previously had match programmes (as well as scorecards), even before the introduction of the John Player Programmes in the mid- 1970’s, but they just don’t quite hold the same appeal. 

Last summer, my Headingley Ashes Test Scorecard for the Third Test - with England now 2-0 down in the series - took on particularly special significance. It very nearly also doesn’t exist. A couple of weeks ahead of the game, I took a phone call from a cricket watching friend. He is first and foremost an avid collector of scorecards, but he also engages in a huge amount of voluntary work at both his beloved Hampshire and at Headingley, near where he lives. While the rest of the cricketing world were debating the ifs, buts and maybes around the Carey/Bairstow incident, we had bigger fish to fry in the north. Never mind a few of the more entitled Lord’s members stepping beyond any acceptable line, our big discussion on the phone revolved around the layout and format of a homemade Ashes Scorecard for the 3rd Ashes Test to go on sale only in the Yorkshire Museum. All profits from its sales would go to the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation supporting charitable work in the wider Yorkshire area. For five times the price there would, of course, be a less than glossy, expensive match programme on sale, with over half the contents exactly the same as the match programmes on sale at all the other four Ashes Tests.

The discussion initially centered around likely line-ups for both teams, with injuries and form making it a difficult call. In the end, CR Woakes and  MA Wood came into the England side with devastating effect. Australia were to make three changes with MR Marsh lighting up Day One with 118 off 118 balls. Limited by certain parameters of what could be printed, we decided against putting the counties and states next to the players' names, as they do at Lord’s with their scorecards. What we did though was add the heading THE ASHES, having been spared the need to splash the sponsor’s name for this series across the top. Each player had his full initials before the surname and his national team number after it. That of course was not always the case on either count. The distinction of amateurs and professionals was denoted at different grounds, either by the inclusion of initials or the position of those initials either before or after the surname. 

Imagine my joy then a year on for my Hampshire Scorecard Collection: Warwickshire had started issuing proper scorecards again for Championship matches, and not just pieces of paper. In a far less rarefied atmosphere than an Ashes Test - at the end of Day Three of the Warwickshire v Hampshire County Division One clash at Edgbaston in June 2024 - my completed scorecard for the game now records that Ashes Headingley star, CR Woakes, had a tough day back in the office. Hampshire declared on 453-6 from 117 overs in which he remained wicketless. He did though bowl 19 very tidy overs on his return after a break from the game. Of far greater statistical significance is a record stand of 255 for the sixth wicket by two greats of the modern Hampshire era, JM Vince and LA Dawson. My written notes at the bottom of the scorecard document that Vince  scored an unbeaten 166 off 197 balls, which was his 29th first-class century, while Dawson’s 120  from 157 balls, was his 15th. The previous record for the sixth wicket for Hampshire against Warwickshire in the County Championship had stood for 96 years. Two more Hampshire greats of the early 20th Century, Phil Mead and Jack Newman, had added 251 together at Bournemouth in a game Hampshire won by 8 wickets. 

The reason why this is so significant is I have waited 50 years since I saw my only other Hampshire first class record partnership against Warwickshire. Bob Stephenson and Mike Taylor added 124 crucial runs in the first innings for the eight wicket back then at Burnaby Road in that top of the table clash. It is a record which still stands today. The record for the ninth wicket for Hampshire against Warwickshire is far older, far larger and in some ways far more famous: 101 years ago, CP Mead (222) and WR de la C Shirley (64) added 197 in Hampshire’s 511. Hampshire won the game by an innings, exactly a year after winning at Edgbaston in that legendary comeback game where they had been bowled out for just 15 in the first innings. Oh to have been lucky enough to have been there on the ground  in Birmingham June 1922 and bought that scorecard! 

Today’s game is a minor modern classic of its own for my scorecard collection. Surrey managed to take the game to the last ball of the day, needing four to win. That seemed highly improbable even at the start of the last over, with the traditional rabbit followed by the ferret (numbers 10 and 11 both new to the game and to the crease) still needing 20. Chasing down Warwickshire’s 311-9 in their fifty overs, Surrey amazingly only lost by 3 runs in the end. Dom Sibley’s 149 was eventually in a losing cause, but was a knock appreciated and applauded by both sets of supporters, who have seen him take far fewer risks for both their respective teams in the past.

No scorecard can, of course, reveal all the minutiae of every game, nor indeed any of the back story, intrigues or full context of any particular game in any particular competition in any particular era. However, they can serve as a wonderful reminder of that innings, catch, run-out, partnership, dismissal or spell which you can only say with absolute certainty that you were there to see when the completed evidence is always neatly filed and ready at hand. My scorecard collection of only the games I have been there to see is a treasure trove of memories that include last ball finishes in a Lord’s final between Hampshire and Warwickshire, too many Hampshire last ball semi-final cup defeats to mention, Botham’s ballistics, Gower’s grace, Greenidge’s greatness, Anderson’s accuracy and Hampshire heroes who have given me so much pleasure for half a century. It also includes that final day at Headingley in 2019 when Leach made 1 and his mate at the other end smashed Australia to all parts of Leeds. Being in the Western Terrace that day with my cricket-loving family was priceless; my match ticket and neatly-completed scorecard are both truly great keepsakes. 

What Surrey would have given for the last ball of the game to be smashed on the up through extra cover for four to win the game today! Somehow certain names and initials, certain numbers and scenarios, certain records and near misses often come to mind, either when I complete the scorecard after the game at home, or when I browse through my collection on a winter’s evening. Electronic devices may be the way forward when paying for one, but I still need my scorecard to remain a physical object to acquire wherever first-class cricket is played in this country. T20 Finals Day has been a lost cause for a number of years in this regard, but maybe someone at Edgbaston or the ECB will read this article and see the light! As a Hampshire fan, desperately willing every season to see your team win their first County Championship Title since you began watching them, you have to remain the eternal optimist! 50 years ago this week, after my first two games, they were 31 points clear as reigning Champions with five games to go. Unlike today’s beautiful weather in Rugby, the rain fell and fell and the rest is history.

The final point to add is that my scorecard collection will eventually be donated to Hampshire Cricket Heritage, which is housed in the Archive Room of the Shane Warne Stand at the Utilita Bowl. 

The Website for All Hampshire Cricket Heritage Supporters

Welcome to our new website for Hampshire Cricket Heritage Supporters. We relaunched this site ahead of the 2024 season because we want to provide you with a treasure trove of material on the history of cricket played by and in Hampshire over the past 300 years. We hope to add new content each month over the next few years. We have set most of the title pages up, at this stage, showing what we want to populate  - under the tab headings across the Home Page which spell HAMPSHIRE. The first few articles, already posted under various headings, should give you an idea of what we ultimately want to create for you. 

Hampshire Cricket Heritage is based in the Archive Room in the Shane Warne Stand at the ground. We are currently six months into a three year project to reorganise completely the amazing collection in that room. Those HCC members who have attended the Club's inaugural official Members' Stadium Tours this winter will already have visited us for the first time, under Dave Allen's guidance, as part of that tour. 

It is certainly our intention to engage far more closely, from now on, with our own HCH  Supporters who paid to join HCH before Covid-19. Whether you have always loved following Hampshire Cricket and signed up in the first year in 2019 as HCH Supporters, or are just new to following the county side for the first time last season, we hope you find plenty of interest on this site. If, as hopefully will be the case, you do want to find out more, meet us and join or rejoin Hampshire Heritage as a current HCH Supporter, you will  be able to read details on how to do this by clicking on the How to Join HCH Tab under the Home section on this site.

While viewing the growing sections over the next twelve months on this site - under the ARCHIVE ROOM Tab - about the various parts of the HCH collection, we hope you can all appreciate why we want to encourage future donations. Our collective aim is for this collection of Hampshire Cricket Memorabilia and Ephemera to continue to grow to be the finest of its kind in existence anywhere in the world. We also want to share it far more with others who really appreciate connecting with any aspect of Hampshire Cricket Heritage.

Writing on behalf of the dedicated and newly formed very active team of HCH Volunteers, Dave Allen, Richard Griffiths, David Ackland, Glen Williams, Ray Stubbington and myself, we all hope very much you enjoy this new resource on Hampshire Cricket. We also look forward very much to meeting many of you each year at one of our Book Sales in the Club Shop at a Championship game in May and August.  

Enjoy, in the meantime, beginning to engage with our new website content over the next few months and if you have any feedback or questions for us please get in touch at hantscccheritage@gmail.com.

John Winter

HCH Website Editor and HCH Archivist