Historic Feats

Highest Score made on First-Class debut by a Hampshire Player

In a late season game in September 1994, at Grace Road Leicester, Paul Whitaker was dismissed by Phil Simmons  for 94 on his first-class debut for Hampshire; it came in the second innings total of 243. It was not enough to save Hampshire from defeat against Leicestershire by seven wickets. Earlier in the first innings, he had been bowled by Millns for 2. Robin Smith made 123 out of Hampshire's 225 all out in that first innings. Paul's second innings knock, as recorded on this scorecard sheet in the Archive Collection, meant he failed by just 6 runs to become the first ever Hampshire player to score a century on his first-class debut. 30 years later nobody has bettered his 94 for our club in their opening game in first-class cricket. Warwickshire were champions in 1994, Leicestershire finished second, while Hampshire, under Mark Nicholas, finished 14th. In 1995, Paul did make it to three figures, though, with his only first-class century for Hampshire (119), coming in the Championship game at Northlands Road against Worcestershire. In total, he appeared in 37 first-class matches for Hampshire across five seasons.