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1990’s

Match Number Forty

1990 Hampshire v Derbyshire at Portsmouth

Result: Hampshire won by 48 runs

Malcolm Marshall

Written by Neil Marshall

When John asked me if I would contribute a chapter to this series, we were mid-reminisce with club historian Dave Allen about Portsmouth Week 1974 – my first experience of seeing Hampshire live and the moment I well and truly fell down the cricketing rabbit-hole. It was a no-brainer which match to choose.  “It’ll be the game against Derbyshire, Pompey Week, 1990?” I said hesitantly looking at Dave for some sort of confirmation I’d got the year right. “Ah, Malcolm Marshall’s match”, our august historian murmured. It was indeed ‘Malcolm Marshall’s match’ although it could be more accurately described as ‘Malcolm Marshall’s Week’.

So why did I pick the events of Tuesday 24th July 1990?  Quite simply, it’s the only time in the fifty-one seasons I’ve followed Hampshire that I felt I was watching a performance so complete that the player was on a different plane to everyone else. It’s also probably the only time I’ve made a cricketing prediction at that’s actually come true! I’d not seen anything like before or since, although James Vince’s 190 against Gloucestershire, Kyle Abbott’s 17 wickets against Somerset and a 60-ball 110 by Danni Wyatt in a Southern Vipers T20 game (all in 2019!) have run it pretty close.

Hampshire arrived at the United Services Ground 4th in the table a distant 33 points behind eventual champions Middlesex. It proved to be an eventful seven days in what was s slightly bonkers season. The opening game of Pompey week saw Nottinghamshire - who had been forced to follow on after collapsing to 110 all out in their first innings - soundly beaten by eight wickets early on the last afternoon with Marshall picking up match figures of 9 – 94 (including his 700th wicket for the club) and Paul Johnson achieving the dubious honour of being dismissed twice by the same bowler – Raj Maru – in the same session.

Kim Barnett’s side had surprised many by making the early running in the Championship thanks to three wins in their opening four games.  By mid-July one win in eight games saw them clinging on to 2nd place and the visit to Burnaby Road had been preceded by second innings batting collapse and a nine-wicket defeat to 3rd place Essex at Colchester. Having won the toss and decided to bat, Hampshire made a flying start with David Gower playing a typical David Gower innings – racing to 48 from 46 balls before running himself out attempting a suicidal run to the bowler’s end just as a masterpiece beckoned. At 208 – 8, Derbyshire were having the better of the opening day until the unlikely combination of Raj Maru, Cardigan Connor and PJ Bakker added 99 to take the home side to 307. 

Cardie’s then career-best 46 included two towering sixes on to the roof of the Lord Mayor’s hospitality marquee as he plundered 23 from an Ole Mortensen over. The Sunday saw the teams meet for a televised Refuge Assurance League match. Replying to a challenging 250 – 5 from the hosts, the eventual champions’ batting frailties were in full view as they collapsed to 61 all out inside 20 overs with Connor picking up 4 - 11 and Marshall’s four overs costing just four runs.

When the championship match resumed on the Monday there was little hint of the drama to follow.  John Morris’s 157 not out allowed the visitors to declare at 300 – 6 and Hampshire closed the day at 173 – 5 thanks in part to 60 from Marshall batting at No. 5 as Mark Nicholas was still recovering from the bout of malaria, he’d contracted on a MCC tour the previous winter.

The Tuesday morning saw the hosts lose their last five wickets for 28 to leave Derbyshire a target of 235 from a minimum of 79 overs.  When Kim Barnett and Peter Bowler raced to 50 in the remaining seven overs before lunch it was very much ‘game on’. Barnett was caught behind off John Ayling soon after the re-start but at 100 – 1 my friend Ian had all but given up on a Hampshire win.  “This one’s gone, Neil. They were at least 30 runs light”. “Nah, we’ll win this. They’ve got no batting once you get past Bowler and Morris”, I replied. It proved to be a remarkably prescient comment.

Marshall returned to the attack at 120 – 1. His first three overs carried little threat as Bowler and Morris reduced the target to 95.  Then the fun began.  In his fourth and fifth overs he struck two decisive blows, clean bowling Bowler and inducing Morris to edge a return catch via his pads. The collapse was well and truly on when Andy Brown was bowled middle stump offering no shot to Cardigan Connor and, in the final over before tea, Marshall had Chris Adams caught behind and Karl Krikken beaten for pace to trap him LBW.  From 140 – 1, the visitors were contemplating the cucumber sandwiches at 151 – 6, with Marshall taking four for three from 14 balls.

When play resumed, Marshall had Bruce Roberts and Alan Warner caught behind in the same over and, after six overs of increasingly precarious existence, Devon Malcolm was yorked. Had Mark Nicholas held a sharp chance at silly mid-off from Mortensen’s first ball the West Indian would have eclipsed his previous best of 8 – 71.  Sadly, that let off proved too much for Ian Bishop. After providing some late order resistance with a rapid 31, The paceman decided to chance his arm and was bowled as he heaved across a straight one from Connor.

I’ve never forgiven Cardie for that.  Surely, he could have bowl six wide ones or six down leg side to allow Marshall to have another crack at a tailender who averaged 8.67. The bare stats show Marshall took seven for 17 from 59 deliveries, match figures of 10 -107 and 19 – 201 across the two games. But that doesn’t do justice to the burst of sustained pace and controlled swing on that July afternoon. As Simon Wilde wrote in The Times “Malcolm Marshall has done many fine things in his career, but the way he snatched this game from under the noses of Derbyshire’s swaying batsmen must rank high among them”.

Neil Marshall drives past the United Services Ground every week, chauffeuring Mrs Marshall to work, and though Hampshire are long gone, he still believes that if he squints just a little the ghosts and memories of a complete performance from a complete bowler come flooding back.

HAMPSHIRE v DERBYSHIRE

County Championship

Chosen by Neil Marshall

21, 23, 24 July 1990 at United Services Ground, Portsmouth                         Hampshire won by 48 runs

Toss Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

TC Middleton             c Barnett b Malcolm                6               c Krikken b Warner        59

CL Smith                   b Malcolm                               57               c Krikken b Mortensen 2

DI Gower                   run out                                    48               b Bishop                    3

RA Smith                   c Morris b Mortensen               2               c Brown b Bishop          37

MD Marshall              c Adams b Bishop                      32               c Barnett b Mortensen    60

*MCJ Nicholas           c Krikken b Warner                  7   (7)    c Krikken b Warner        15

JR Ayling                   c Krikken b Mortensen               31   (8)    c Morris b Malcolm         5

RJ Maru                    c Krikken b Bishop                    44   (6)    c Krikken b Mortensen 0

+RJ Parks                  run out                                  0               not out                       8

CA Connor                 b Bishop                                  46               c Barnett b Malcolm    6

PJ Bakker                  not out                                     16               c Krikken b Warner        10

Extras                       b 4, lb 11, w 2, nb 1                   18               b 6, lb 9, w 2, nb 5         22

Total                         78.2 overs                              307               73.4 overs                  227

FOW: 1st inns  1-11, 2-85, 3-93, 4-150, 5-159, 6-167, 7-207, 8-208, 9-267, 10-307.

         2nd inns  1-2, 2-15, 3-78, 4-172, 5-172, 6-196, 7-199, 8-201, 9-212, 10-227

Derbyshire bowling: (First innings) Bishop 23.2-6-72-3, Malcolm 19-1-90-2, Mortensen 18-6-64-2, Warner

16-2-63-1, Roberts 2-0-3-0. (Second innings) Bishop 15-4-32-2, Mortensen 17-3-47-3, Malcolm 15-2-39-2, Warner 22.4-4-75-3, Barnett 4-0-19-0.

DERBYSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

PD Bowler                 c Parks b Ayling                        58   (2)    B Marshall                   56

AM Brown                 lbw b Connor                            24   (3)    b Connor                     15

JE Morris                   not out                                   157   (4)    c&b Marshall                10

B Roberts                   c Parks b Marshall                   7   (5)    c Parks b Marshall           0

CJ Adams                  c Parks b Marshall                   4   (6)    c Parks b Marshall           1

+KM Krikken             c Nicholas b Bakker                 0   (7)    lbw b Marshall            0

*KJ Barnett                b Marshall                                13   (1)    c Parks b Ayling            63

IR Bishop                  not out                                     27               b Connor                     31

AE Warner                                                                                         c Parks b Marshall       0

DE Malcolm                                                                                       b Marshall                  0

OH Mortensen                                                                                    not out                       0

Extras                       b 6, nb 4                                  10               lb 10                           10

Total                         6 wickets dec, 83.2 overs          300               48.1 overs                  186

FOW: 1st inns  1-46, 2-153, 3-179, 4-195, 5-200, 6-230.

         2nd inns  1-91, 2-140, 3-150, 4-150, 5-151, 6-151, 7-156, 8-160, 9-186, 10-186.

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Bakker 13-1-45-1, Marshall 21-7-60-3, Connor 15-7-58-1, Maru 22-5-70-0, Ayling 12.2-1-61-1. (Second innings) Bakker 3-0-24-0, Marshall 15-4-47-7, Maru 12-2-33-0, Connor

12.1-2-49-2, Ayling 6-1-23-1.

Umpires:        JC Balderstone and DJ Constant

COP: (1)    Hampshire 307, Derbyshire 83-1

         (2)    Hampshire 307 and 173-5, Derbyshire 300-6 dec.

Match Number Forty-One

1990 Worcestershire v Hampshire at Worcester

Result: Hampshire won by 48 runs

I just remember that we were in a bit of trouble

An interview with Rupert Cox

How did you come to join Hampshire, Rupert?

I came through the school route and played for Berkshire. I then moved across to Hampshire, where I played in the under 16 and  the under 19 sides, alongside the likes of Jon Ayling, Shaun Udal and Ian Turner. Mike Taylor was in charge of the U19 side. The village I grew up in was just outside Basingstoke. Jon Ayling was a very talented cricketer who sadly had his career wrecked by injury. I made my debut at Arundel in 1990. Clearly, trying to get into that side was unbelievably difficult. My chance only came about because Robin Smith and David Gower were away with England. 

Your second game must be a top contender for your favourite game? 

Yes, definitely and it was on that beautiful ground at Worcester. It was both a wonderful experience and equally still quite tough to learn that in top level sport  there is no room for sentiment. Having scored a hundred, I got into my car to learn that I wasn’t playing for the first team at Warwickshire in the next game. Instead, I had to drive to Bournemouth to play the following morning against an MCC Promising Young Cricketers XI. I fully understood and accepted the reasons. How could I not? The fact is though, the timing of trying to be a middle order player at Hampshire with the Smiths, Paul Terry, Mark Nicholas and David Gower as your competition was not ideal. I never believed I could genuinely reach their levels and maybe that contributed to my lack of unwavering drive and complete focus. A number of us in the second team had great fun and really enjoyed ourselves, knowing deep down first team opportunities would be scarce.

The club was incredibly successful during that period under Mark’s leadership, with some truly top international players. In hindsight, I maybe should have left to seek better first team opportunities at another club. Having said that, I grew up in Hampshire and all I ever wanted to do was play for Hampshire. The saddest thing looking back is that I was probably a worse player at 26 than I had been at 22 - not helped by some eyesight issues which for a batsman is clearly not helpful. They were great memories still from a special time in my life.

What are your memories of your partnership with Tony Middleton in that Worcester game? As a Hampshire fan myself being there that day, it really sticks in my mind watching two young and former academy graduates make hundreds together - that must have been particularly memorable to both go to three figures against a more than decent attack?

I just remember that we were in a bit of trouble. I had played a lot with Tony in the 2nd XI; he was a very calming influence and great to bat with anytime. 1990 was a summer when batsmen all around the country were scoring big runs. My form was really good from the second team games, and it felt pre-ordained, in a way, that I could continue that into the first team that day. Quite a bit immediately came out of the middle of the bat; it often wasn’t like that in the years that followed. They kept it very tight and challenging early in that partnership, but as we established ourselves, they changed tack later on and felt a declaration might be their best option. Just to add as well, I had been hit on the head the day before in the Sunday League game. I was batting and attempting a second run. The throw from Graeme Hick to the keeper’s end hit me right on the back of the head -  with no helmet on. The joke a few days later in the dressing room was that was probably what made the difference to my batting the next day for that hundred! Given they had a big score on the board and coming in at 141-4, it was an innings that meant a lot looking back now. I was very much trying to make my way in the game at the time. The celebration in the evening for both of us was great as well. My girlfriend at the time (and who is now my wife) was there, so that was obviously special. 

Had you been a Hampshire fan as a boy?

Yes, of course. Growing up in the north of the county, Basingstoke was the nearest ground to watch some of the true greats. I was just old enough to see Barry and Gordon bat together. You can imagine how overawed I was then when I first signed for the club and was on twelfth man duties at Bournemouth, in the same dressing room as Gordon. I have had the privilege of getting to know Barry, since he finished playing, and even played against him a couple of times out in South Africa. It came about later when Hampshire Hogs toured South Africa for some social games. He was in his fifties by then. It was just extraordinary to watch him still look head and shoulders above anyone else you had ever seen play.

Of my contemporaries, Mark Ramprakash used to score a shed load of runs every time we played against him, but Barry and Gordon were just on a different level altogether. It was so hard listening to Barry about his final years with Hampshire. It must have been unbelievably tough for him to watch others in the Test arena, while he was denied that chance. Nobody doubts his class and genius with a bat in his hand. The international game was all the poorer for him not being part of it, for sure. Just an incredible player - as well as Gordon who was exceptional in his own right. Those two to watch as a young Hampshire fan were ridiculous! 

What was the chance like to bat with Robin Smith and David Gower?

Yes, towards the end of 1993, I played a few games with both of them. Obviously, a fantastic experience and something you just don’t forget. Robin was obviously just the nicest guy you ever knew. In contrast to Chris, his brother, who had mapped out life after cricket, Robin didn’t really have a clue what came next. He just gave his heart and soul to Hampshire cricket. That was all he wanted to do and all he knew. David was always so good humoured. His arrival spelt the end for me in some ways, but I always liked both of them very much. An hour at Swansea in the middle with him in 1993 really sticks in the memory. I was playing and missing at one end; he was just smashing everything effortlessly, at the other, to the boundary. Malcolm Marshall was also truly unforgettable to play in the same side with Hampshire. His skill with the ball was ridiculous. Another guy at the club during that period with incredible talent was Julian Wood. He would have been a far better player in the T20 era. He was made for this modern format. I also loved batting with Jon Ayling in my early years. Like Julian, he  was another guy who would have been an absolutely fantastic T20 cricketer.

As far as playing the quicks off the back foot, Jason Laney was also capable of playing some fine knocks. Jason was a good bit younger than a few of us in the 2nd XI who weren’t maybe perfect role models. I guess knowing that you were competing against so many internationals for a place in the first team meant you had to make playing in the seconds all the more enjoyable on and off the field. Do I have any regrets? Yes, in that I never truly established myself as a regular, but no, in that it was just a fabulous experience that has helped me in my working life after cricket. The friendships I made at Hampshire were - and still are - special. Thankfully, a number of us still stay in touch; it is a laugh sometimes when someone in the group posts something about our time playing together. The outpouring of sadness at Robin’s recent passing has been immense. There was nobody more popular at the club in my time there as a player or person than Robin. Reflecting on those days back then playing professionally, it feels a long time ago now. But it was very special that I played for my boyhood club, with some wonderful cricketers and so many great guys. 

Rupert Cox regularly attends the Former Player Reunion every year at the Utlita Bowl.

WORCESTERSHIRE v HAMPSHIRE

County Championship

Chosen by Rupert Cox

11, 13, 14 August 1990 at County Ground New Road, Worcester                                          match drawn

Toss Worcestershire

WORCESTERSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

*TS Curtis                 c Scott b Joseph                        71               no tout                         38

GJ Lord                     c Middleton b Udal                  190               c Joseph b Maru            19

GA Hick                    c Parks b Joseph                        72               not out                         50

DB D’Oliveira            lbw b Tremlett                          30

DA Leatherdale           c Maru b Tremlett                      13

CM Tolley                  c Parks b Tremlett                    2

+SH Rhodes               not out                                     33

RK Illingworth            not out                                   9

PJ Newport

SR Lampitt

SM McEwan

Extras                       b 7, lb 15, w 1, nb 6                   29               b 2, lb 5, nb 4                11

Total                         6 wickets dec, 117 overs           449               1 wicket dec, 25.4 overs 118

FOW: 1st inns  1-167, 2-331, 3-375, 4-388, 5-403, 6-404

         2nd inns  1-40

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Joseph 30-4-128-2, Scott 7-0-38-0, Tremlett 23-4-61-3, Maru 29-5-92-0, Udal 24-4-95-1, Nichlas 4-0-13-0. (Second innings) Joseph 8-2-19-0, Scott 1.4-0-8-0, Tremlett 6-2-22-0, Maru 3-0-13-1, Nicholas 5-0-27-0, Smith 2-20.

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

RJ Scott                     c Rhodes b Newport                   17               c D’Oliveira b McEwan   15

CL Smith                   c Rhodes b Newport                 5               c Leatherdale b McEwan     12

TC Middleton             not out                                   117               c D’Oliveira b McEwan 2

VP Terry                    c Rhodes b Illingworth               40               c D’Oliveira b Illingworth   40

*MCJ Nicholas           lbw b Lampitt                         6               c&b Lampitt                 35

RMF Cox                   not out                                   104               run out                        15

LA Joseph                                                                                          not out                         43

RJ Maru                                                                                            c Tolley b Illingworth   7

+RJ Parks                                                                                          c Hick b Illingworth     0

SD Udal                                                                                            not out                       0

TM Tremlett

Extras                       lb 6, w 1, nb 6                           13               lb 3, w 2, nb 4             9

Total                         4 wickets dec, 100 overs           302               8 wickets, 60.5 overs    180

FOW: 1st inns  1-9, 2-26, 3-120, 4-141

         2nd inns  1-20, 2-27, 3-34, 4-101, 5-120, 6-130, 7-167, 8-179.

Worcestershire bowling: (First innings) Newport 16-6-23-2, McEwan 12-1-40-0, Lampitt 18-2-39-1, Illingworth 32-6-99-1, Tolley 4-0-15-0, Hick 17-1-74-0, D’Oliveira 1-0-6-0. (Second innings) Newport 18-2-61-0, McEwan 11-1-38-3, Lampitt 9-0-29-1, Illingworth 21-8-44-3, Hick 1.5-0-5-0.

Umpires:        B Duddleston & KE Palmer

COP  (1)    Worcestershire 413-6

         (2)    Worcestershire 449-6 dec, Hampshire 302-4.

Match Number Forty-Two

1991 Hampshire v Surrey at Lord’s

Result: Hampshire won by 48 runs

NatWest Final 1991

Written by David Gower

For any county side a Lord’s final is an extra special day. For me Lord’s was familiar territory, largely through my appearances there in test matches, the usual smattering of county championship matches and a couple of finals with my previous club, Leicestershire.

In my second season at Hampshire, I was well aware that the club had its own fine history of both appearing in and winning Lord’s finals, so some of those players were not unfamiliar with the task ahead whereas, as always, some would be experiencing the buzz of a full house at Lord’s for the first time. Either way the butterflies are always there as you make your way into the “Home of Cricket” early on a September day.

For me that day there was an extra jeopardy. Mark Nicholas, as club captain, was injured. Only a couple of days before in the championship match against the same opposition, Surrey, at The Oval, Waqar Younis had rearranged one of the captain’s digits. MCJ (a man easily identifiable by his initials alone) was going to have to be a spectator at Lord’s.

So, we needed a captain. I was surreptitiously approached to see if I would do it. I was slightly uneasy about the prospect. I had captained England and Leicestershire but had rather enjoyed just being a player for the last couple of seasons at Northlands Road, available for an opinion or two now and again but confident in MCJ’s leadership for the rest of the time. Of course, one says yes. Apart from anything else I knew that the team practically ran itself and that the senior players would all be there alongside in support with any ideas of their own.

Winning the toss in September with the early start always provides a conundrum. The pitch looked lovely, but would there be a chance to nip a few out early before things settled down? I informed Ian Greig that Surrey would bat first and bat they did, more than well enough by the standards of the day. The mainstays of Surrey’s 240-5 were two England players, Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe, 61 and 93 respectively. (Runs, not age).

We were without Chris Smith, who had played so consistently well to get us to the final but had left to take up his new post at the WACA. No problem. Opening in his place alongside Paul Terry was Tony Middleton. The scorecard shows Terry 32, Middleton 78, an opening stand of 90 and decent start.

Who else to keep Hampshire on track but The Judge, Robin Smith? When he was run out on 78 from 94 balls, he had added all the pep into the chasse we needed for us to be in touching distance of victory. My contribution at this stage? A mere 9 off 10 with just one boundary over extra cover to savour. This was not my day to star.

By now it was truly dark, the downside of batting second in a 60 over match in autumn.

Robin was to be Man of the Match (in the days when you were allowed to have a man of the match in a match played by men, whereas now one has to bow to the sensitivities of those not playing in the match and designate a player of the match) but the man who stepped up in those crucial final overs was Jon Ayling.

Jon was one of the quiet men in the dressing room, unassuming and delightful, happy to be a part of the Hampshire machine but knowing that he was seldom destined to be the star. He had bowled a full quota of overs, picking up Darren Bicknell and Alec Stewart to finish with very respectable figures of 2 for 39. Now he had to locate the ball in the murk. A boundary carved over cover was met with rapturous applause both in the dressing room and from all the Hampshire supporters in the crowd.

Another boundary finished it, with just 2 balls to spare. As captain for the day, it was a proud moment, with gratitude to all who made the win happen and to see Jon Ayling have his moment in the spotlight like that was as special as anything.

All that was left was the presentation of the NatWest Trophy, my honour to hold it for milliseconds before I sensed movement to my right and MCJ, deservedly I might say, was there to get his hands on the silverware too.

1991 Hampshire v Surrey at Lord’s

Result: Hampshire won by 48 runs

My career Highlight - NatWest Final 1991

An interview with Tony Middleton

How much do you remember about your debut, Tony?

It was at Bournemouth towards the end of the 1984 season on a wet one against Kent. I came in because three players were injured and opened with Chris Smith. They opened with Terry Alderman and Derek Underwood. Derek bowled unchanged throughout the innings. He was a nightmare to face after coming out of 2nd XI cricket. He took four wickets in the first innings and then eight in the second. I guess in a funny kind of way now looking back, being out first time in County Cricket caught Knott bowled Underwood is not a big shock or disgrace. I was caught off the glove. I faced him a few times after that on drier wickets and he was still such a challenge. On a wet one like that first game at Bournemouth, he was just unplayable. We only just got to a hundred on a very difficult wicket. We ended up needing 240 odd to win in the fourth innings and finished only just over 40 runs short. Derek took 8-87 from his 42 overs, again bowling unchanged. Graham Johnson bowled a lot of overs as well in both innings. It was a really tough baptism which makes you doubt initially whether you are good enough to play at this level.

How many years had you been at the Club by then?

I signed my first contract when I left college at 18. My debut actually came quite early, but I wasn’t ready really. They actually said I should open, in order to protect me from facing Derek Underwood and he still ended up bowling the second over. A great experience now looking , but it certainly was a tough start. I had to wait nearly two years for my next game which was at Taunton in 1986. By then, I had begun to score far more consistently in the 2nd XI and managed to make 68 not out against Joel Garner. That really helped confidence wise.

Who were your contemporaries starting out with Hampshire back then?

Others who started around the same time as me were Adi Aymes and Robin Smith. Adi was very keen on his football still at that stage, while I had the privilege of playing quite a bit of club cricket with Robin at Trojans. We all knew he was international class. He used to destroy the best club bowlers in Hampshire at 17 and 18. We opened for a few years together at Trojans, while he was still qualifying. That was fun, as you can imagine. I actually remember starting the very first day at the club with Stephen Andrew. He was a bit younger than me. Richard Scott and Jonathan Hardy were also starting at around that time as well. I started in 1983, made my debut in 1984, played a few games in 1986, 1987 and 1988, but it was not until 1989 I began to feel established in the side. Robin was in the England team by that stage, of course. Looking back now the hardest thing was not knowing each September whether I was going to be retained. We were only on one-year contracts. There was always the nagging question: Am I going to make a career out of this or not? Finally establishing myself in the first team meant a lot after those uncertain first five or six years.

Having been so patient, how did it feel to become a regular in such a fine batting line-up?

Initially I played a lot of games because the international players like Robin and David Gower were missing for most of the summer. I scored five hundreds in the summer of 1990, including two against Kent, but when everyone was available, I was still not an automatic choice. Even though I wasn’t guaranteed a spot in the top five, at least now, though, I knew I was good enough to play for Hampshire at this level. That was a huge mental breakthrough. Scoring over 1200 runs at an average of 47 gave me a lot of confidence. I was also scoring centuries that were helping the side win games. I started the season really well in 1990 and that helped so much. In the first game down at Canterbury, Paul Terry and I both made hundreds in a dramatic game we ended up winning by just 6 runs late on the last day. That was my maiden hundred and I know batted for over 300 balls. It was a great moment scoring that first hundred. Kevan James, batting three, was in with me for quite a while after Paul got out for 107. We still needed 3 wickets in the last six overs to win that game and Cardigan Connor did the business. Later that summer at Worcester, I enjoyed a partnership with Rupert Cox where we both made hundreds. That was his maiden ton. You have to remember we were trying to compete with Terry, Smith, Smith, Turner, Gower and Nicholas just to get in the side.

Which games come into the mix for your favourite games?

That first hundred in the win at Kent in 1990 was obviously good , but it would have to be the Lord’s Finals really - and particularly the 1991 Surrey Final. That was such a big event for me in my career. I did, of course, love batting with the likes of Gordon Greenidge though.

That was very early in my career. Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge were my childhood heroes, so to bat occasionally with Gordon was truly special. There was one particular game against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in 1986 I really remember. It was a very lively wicket and they had Syd Lawrence and Walsh bowling quick. It was probably only my fourth or fifth Championship game when I began to get a run in the side for the first time. Gordon opened with Paul Terry, and I came in three. Chris Smith was at four and Robin Smith at five. They batted first and made just over 200. Our attack was Marshall, Connor, Tremlett and James on a wicket giving the bowlers plenty of assistance. Paul then went early, and I was in with Gordon. There was a very good festival crowd in to watch the battle between Courtney and Gordon. We put on fifty together; my distinct memory is looking at the scoreboard showing 55-1; Gordon raised his bat for his half-century, while I was on 3. Chris made 72 not out in the first innings but was injured and couldn’t really bat second time round. I think we ended up losing by 17 runs, only needing just over 100 to win. Syd and Courtney took all ten on a very tricky college wicket. Gordon just looked a class apart. In the second innings, Gordon made me feel so good when he came down at the end of one over to tell me how well I was doing. Coming from him that meant so much. Just an amazing experience to have that chance to bat with him a few times before he finished a year later in 1987.

Another great Gloucestershire came at the end of the 1990 season, when we chased down 446 at Southampton in the last innings on the last day of the season. It was again an attack that included Curran, Walsh, Lawrence and Graveney. Robin and I put on just over 150 for the third wicket on that fourth day. We still had so much to do at about 360-7 when Raj Maru joined Mark Nicholas in the late September gloom. They added over 80 to see us home. It meant we finished 3rd that summer behind Middlesex and Essex. It was the second highest chase by any side in a Championship game in England. Kevin Curran had a fine match with bat and ball; he was very unlucky to finish on the losing side. Wins like that you just don’t forget.

Your favourite game was not one you were guaranteed to play in from memory?

In many way, I was always pigeonholed as a longer format player which is why that 1991 Final is so special. Strangely, my one-day record is actually better than my first-class record. Having to score at a rate without taking excessive risk suited me well. Four an over was a decent run rate in a 55 or 60 over game back then and I always felt that was manageable. If it got to six an over in that era,  then that was beyond me. That NatWest Final was actually my debut in the competition. It was always a case of the returning international players being available for the showpiece knock-out cup games. A vivid memory is going out with wives and girlfriends for a meal on the Friday night on the eve of the game. That helped settle some nerves, although it was clearly such a special occasion to play in. Chris Smith had accepted a job at the WACA in Australia and had to leave which opened the door for me to get my chance. I still look back on it now as a brilliant day: it was the biggest crowd I had ever played in front of; that hum at Lord’s is just different than anywhere else; the noise when wickets fell was like nothing I had experienced out in the middle before. Fielding for 60 overs and then batting for 45 overs was demanding physically and mentally particularly when there is so much adrenalin in your body. Robin and I both made 78 in that chase. The spell by Waqar when he reversed it late on to Robin was unbelievably challenging. The ‘Judge’ smacking an in swinging yorker through cover off Waqar that evening is an indelible memory of how great he was on the big occasion.

Paul and I set the platform by running well and keeping up with the rate in the first 25 overs. Robin then took it to another level against an attack which had skittled us on a shocking wicket in the Championship game earlier that same week. Mark Nicholas missed the Final with a serious finger injury sustained on that awful wicket.

Your other memories of that great day for the Club?

The sense of the occasion helped me both when I was fielding and batting. You were so aware of the noisy and passionate support. I also spotted my family in the crowd. David Gower had just said in the team talk “enjoy the occasion”. That genuinely helped me so much. The presentation on the balcony afterwards was unforgettable. All the Hampshire fans were singing on the outfield in front of the Hampshire balcony. I couldn’t help thinking this was my boyhood club winning silverware on the biggest domestic stage. I was genuinely proud to have come through the academy and taken my chance in a Cup Final to win the Nat-West Trophy for Hampshire. Graham Thorpe and Alec Stewart were their big stars, and both got runs when they finished on 240 for 5. Chasing four an over with Paul was always on, once we began rotating the strike against Waqar and Darren Bicknell. I think I relished the pressure and enjoyed the occasion. We got to tea 83-0 after those first 25 overs of our reply. Despite losing middle order wickets, Robin was in total control. He found great support from Jon Ayling, as the sun went down, and batting conditions became even tougher. Jon was another Hampshire-born former academy lad who  bowled and batted superbly.  He was such a great prospect until injury robbed him of a great career with Hampshire. We were a very happy winning team in that wonderful September Surrey Final.

Your best year then followed a year later after that Surrey victory?

Yes, my sort of bumper year was 1992 when things seemed to go really well for me. The hundred early on again against Sussex set me up that summer. Paul and Robin also made centuries in that first home game at Southampton when we declared on 468-2. I then managed to make a career-best 221 against Surrey. It was a game we won by 10 wickets. Paul and I put on just over 250 for the first wicket.  I actually got picked for an England Lions Tour off the back of scoring 1700 runs. We went to Australia for a very tough tour. They put out some very strong state sides and conditions were often challenging for batsmen. I certainly didn’t adapt as well as I would have liked to have done. Following such a good summer in England, it was tough not being successful out there that winter. I came back and was never quite the same player really. I started wearing contact lenses because I had some problems with eyes after that as well. I carried on playing for a couple of seasons but never reached those heights of 1992 again.

Was Paul Terry the person you enjoyed batting with most?

Paul Terry was the player who helped me most to take my game to the next level. We developed a brilliant understanding batting together, rotating the strike, finding the gaps and instinctively running well to keep the board moving. The majority of the time I was opening the batting with Paul. He gave me great support and I owe him a great deal for teaching me how to run so smartly in both one-day and three or four-day cricket. He was also the best fielder I ever played with in any position. Fantastic in the slips and could field anywhere in the ring or even on the fence. Otherwise, Robin was so brilliant to bat with because he took all the pressure off you. I could just do my own thing, knocking the ball for ones and twos, while he put the pressure back on all bowlers. He was always scoring quickly. All these years later reflecting on partnering the likes of Gordon Greenidge, Robin Smith, David Gower, Mark Nicholas, Chris Smith and Paul Terry brings back very special memories.

Tony Middleton scored 5,665 runs for Hampshire at 34.75, which is one of the highest averages by any Hampshire born batsmen.

HAMPSHIRE v SURREY

National Westminster Bank Trophy 1991 Final

Chosen by Tony Middleton

7 September 1991 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood  Hampshire won by 4 wickets

Toss Hampshire

SURREY

                     DJ Bicknell                            b Ayling                                   13

                     JD Robinson                           not out                                   3

+AJ Stewart                           b Ayling                                   61

GP Thorpe                             c James b Connor                      93

DM Ward                               c Maru b Connor                       43

MA Lynch                              c Ayling b Connor                      10

*IA Greig                               not out                                   7

MP Bicknell

J Boiling

Waqar Younis

AJ Murphy

Extras                                   b 2, lb 4, w 3, nb 1                     10

Total                                     5 wickets, 60 overs                  240

FOW: 1-25, 2-139, 3-203, 4-222, 5-233

Hampshire bowling; Aaqib Javed 12-2-54-0, Connor 12-4-39-3, Ayling 12-0-39-2,

James 9-3-33-0, Maru 6-0-23-0 Udal 9-0-46-0.

HAMPSHIRE

                     VP Terry                                run out                                    32

                     TC Middleton                         b Murphy                                 78

                     RA Smith                               run out                                    78

*DI Gower                             lbw Waqar Younis                    9

KD James                              c Stewart b MP Bicknell           0

JR Ayling                               not out                                     18

+AN Aymes                            run out                                  2

RJ Maru                                not out                                   1

SD Udal

CA Connor

Aaqib Javed

Extras                                   lb 17, w 5, nb 3                         25

Total                                     6 wickets 59.4 overs                 243

FOW: 1-90, 2-160, 3-192, 4-193, 5-231, 6-238

Surrey bowling: Waqar Younis 12-0-43-1, MP Bicknell 11.4-1-32-1, Murphy 12-0-56-1,

Robinson 12-0-43-0, Boiling 12-1-52-0

Umpires:        MJ Kitchen and KE Palmer

Player of the match  RA Smith

Match Number Forty-Three

1992 Lancashire v Hampshire at Old Trafford

Result: Hampshire won by 172 runs

I was running out of steam by the end

An interview with Kevin Shine

How did you come to join Hampshire, Kevin?

I grew up in Berkshire and played at Reading. I played for Berkshire U19 back in 1985, and then went to trial at Derby when I was 16, Quite soon after that I won a Lord’s Taverners Award event, up in London, which involved bowling at Mark Nicholas just before he went away on an England A Tour. The invite then followed for me to trial with Hampshire. I had to go to Basingstoke on a Sunday morning for a session taken by Peter Sainsbury. I only bowled for 10 minutes before he said that’s great and that he had seen enough. He was a fantastic man and a truly  great coach. By this time, Worcestershire and Surrey were also interested. The next stage with Hampshire was a first trip down to Southampton on a June evening to bowl at Robin Smith. I have not forgotten the step up in level. Mark Nicholas was there and talked about a summer contract. When my Dad explained about Micky Stewart’s interest from the Oval, Mark immediately changed that to a 2-year contract. I was truly elated, as you can imagine.

What are your first memories of joining the club?

Great memories because there were a number of guys of my age also making their way in the game. Adi Aymes was my ‘roomie’ and there was Kevan James, Chris Goldie, Jon Ayling, Tony Middleton Ian Chivers, Richard Scott, PJ Bakker  and Mark O’Connor. We used to all get changed in the ‘dungeon’ at Northlands Road, because there was no space in that first team dressing room at the quaint old ground in Southampton. Shaun Udal joined us younger lads a year later. Peter Sainsbury looked after us and what a great influence he was on all of us. It was different back then with coaching methods of course. He was tough on all of us, at times, but he definitely prepared you for the ups and downs of the county circuit. His record spoke for itself. He just loved Hampshire cricket and wanted the best for all of us at the club. My debut then came at Lord’s in 1989. “Butch” White was a mentor for me at the time and I learned so much from him, particularly in my early days.

What was it like to share the new ball with Malcolm Marshall?

Absolutely amazing – just amazing; it is so hard to find the right words! There were so many good bowlers in that attack. Cardigan Connor was another Berkshire lad like me, this time he was from Slough Cricket Club. He definitely took me under his wing and was another hugely influential figure in my development. Tim Tremlett never left the top of off stump, Kevan James gave us great variety and PJ Bakker was a fine bowler. Malcolm was our leader and talisman. He was the one we all looked up to and just marvelled at his skills. There was nobody to rival him when it came to working batsmen over and then out. We all knew it was a privilege to watch him, play with him and learn from him.

Who were the batsmen on the county circuit you found most difficult to bowl at in the early nineties? 

The Glamorgan pair Hugh Morrris and Matthew Maynard. Neither gave you anything and were really tough to bowl at whenever we played Glamorgan. Off the overseas stars, then I would have to say Jimmy Cook while he was at Somerset. I was fortunate to have the chance to bowl at Viv Richards. Second ball he gave a really tough chance to Tony Middleton which went down. He then smacked me for a few boundaries leading up to lunch. As we were walking off, this big arm came round my shoulder. Viv said to me, “Never lose your aggression, I love it!” You can imagine that made me feel ten foot tall, coming from him!  It was always special playing against the touring sides and facing some of the all-time greats like Viv.

They were often big games with expectant crowds. I never did get Viv out. Instead, I used to get Ian Botham out, when we played that very fine Somerset side. He was my hero and one of my victims in my first five-fer at Portsmouth. I couldn’t believe it when he edged my second ball to Chris Smith. I also got him out in the second innings, and he signed the ball for me afterwards. Those are the games you certainly don’t forget. 

How bad were the injuries you sustained trying to bowl quick? 

In some regards, I was a calamity. If I was going to have injuries, they were always pretty serious ones. I often missed quite a significant number of games each season through resting injuries. They were often injuries which required operations and lengthy rehabilitation. During my time with Hampshire, I would characterise my whole time as either very good or very poor – and very little in between. It was never a lack of effort: I gave it everything whenever the captain tossed me the ball. 

What are your memories of your favourite Hampshire game, when you were definitely very good?

I can pretty much remember everything about the game, John. We won the toss, batted, made about 350 from 100 overs and declared. Kevan James, Tony Middleton and David Gower all made runs. I had Michael Atherton out caught by Raj Maru before the close and finished with 5-58. My career best was 5-43 at the time. They only lost 6 wickets before they declared, about 20 or 30 runs short on first innings. It was one of those wickets that really suited me. Danny Morrison, the New Zealander, was playing for them, but didn’t get anything out of the wicket. Some wickets just really seemed to suit me and that was one of them. Tony Middleton made a really fine 135 not out to take us past 300 again. It allowed Mark (Nicholas) to set them 340 on the last day. They put on well over a hundred in the second innings for the first wicket, but the game was definitely petering out for a draw. In the 5-over spell I bowled before tea, I had figures of about 0-30. Nothing was happening for me now either.

What happened at tea on that last day?

At tea, Mark just said, “Stay on ‘Shinie’ and bowl as fast as you can!” I did just that and finished with 8-47, including a hat-trick. Both openers and, in fact, four of the eight wickets were bowled. Lloyd, Hegg and Austin was the hat-trick. The first two were caught and the hat-trick saw me hit the stumps. It was 4 in 5 balls, when I had Peter Merton caught behind; it actually finished up as 8 wickets  in 38 balls after tea. Another really distinct memory is of the first ball to Ronnie Irani which only just missed by inches.

I was running out of steam at the end to be fair. Malcolm was desperate for me to clean up. It took him one balm to clean Ronnie up first ball, again caught behind. He could not have been happier for me though. It was a sensational win at a place and against a team who have a great record against Hampshire. I think it was more than thirty years after that win that Hampshire recorded another victory at Old Trafford in the County Championship. That shows how rare wins against Lancashire away are for Hampshire. That day was so special. Every ball I ran in for during that spell felt like another great chance to take another wicket. 

You have obviously gone on to enjoy a great coaching career, after hanging up your bowling boots. Did that interest in coaching start at Hampshire? 

Yes, definitely that was the case. Peter Sainsbury was the coach I took the most from in my career. His methods would have needed to be modified today, but they were so important for me. He was tough on all of us, but he improved players for the better. He commanded great respect. Hampshire also paid for our coaching courses and always encouraged us as players to deepen our understanding of the game. I have so much to be grateful for to the club that gave me my break in the game. I shared a dressing room with so many great players and characters. It has been a real pleasure conducting this interview because it has brought back so many great memories playing for happy Hampshire. The camaraderie under Mark Nicholas in that team was something I will never forget.

Kevin Shine has enjoyed a very successful coaching career since he finished playing.

LANCASHIRE v HAMPSHIRE

County Championship

Chosen by Kevin Shine

23, 24, 25 May 1992 at Old Trafford, Manchester                                  Hampshire won by 172 runs

Toss Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

KD James                  c Hegg b Martin                        98   (2)    c Lloyd b Watkinson      24

TC Middleton             c Speak b Watkinson                  73   (1)    not out                       138

DI Gower                   c Speak b Austin                       74               c Lloyd b Atherton         71

RA Smith                   c Atherton b Martin                    34

JR Wood                    b Barnett                                  14   (6)    not out                         13

*MCJ Nicholas           not out                                     26   (4)    b Barnett                      45

MD Marshall              not out                                     13

+AN Aymes                                                                            (5)    c Lloyd b Barnett         6

SD Udal

CA Connor

KJ Shine

Extras                       b 4, lb 6, nb 7                            17               b 11, lb 7, nb 1              19

Total                         5 wickets dec, 101 overs           349               4 wickets dec, 82 overs 316

FOW: 1st inns  1-164, 2-215, 3-296, 4-296, 5-325.

         2nd inns  1-60, 2-174, 3-264, 4-294

Lancashire bowling: (First innings) Morrison 17-2-63-0, Martin 23-6-40-2, Irani 6-0-21-0, Barnett 25-2-108-1, Watkinson 19-3-66-1. Austin 11-3-41-1. (Second innings) Morrison 7-1-30-0, Martin 8-5-8-0, Barnett

26-4-96-2, Watkinson 24-1-90-1, Atherton 17-0-74-1.

LANCASHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

*MA Atherton             c sub b Shine                            13               b Shine                        52

SP Titchard                c Aymes b Shine                        47               b Shine                        73

PJ Martin                   b Shine                                  4   (9)    c Aymes b Shine          2

NJ Speak                   c Wood b Shine                         58   (3)    c Gower b Connor         11

GD Lloyd                  not out                                   102   (4)    c Middleton b Shine       13

M Watkinson              c Aymes b Shine                      0   (5)    c Gower b Shine          0

+WK Hegg                 lbw b Udal                               80   (6)    b Shine                      1

ID Austin                   not out                                   2   (7)    c Aymes b Shine          1

RC Irani                                                                                (8)    c Ayme b Marshall       8

DK Morrison                                                                                      b Shine                      1

AA Barnett                                                                                         not out                       0

Extras                       b 5, lb 2, nb 9                            16               lb 3, nb 6                   9

Total                         6 wickets dec, 73.5 overs          322               56.1 overs                  171

FOW: 1st inns  1-4, 2-111, 3-118, 4-135, 5-135, 6-304.

               2nd inns 1-132, 2-135, 3-156, 4-158, 5-159, 6-159, 7-160, 8-162, 9-164, 10-171.

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Shine 16-3-58-5, Connor 15-1-91-0, Udal 18-5-61-1, Marshall 10-1-48-0, James 13-2-42-0, Smith 1.5-0-15-0. (Second innings) Marshall 5.1-2-8-1, Connor 11-0-44-1, Shine 16-3-47-8, Udal 17-5-41-0, James 7-0-28-0.

Umpires:        AA Jones and G Sharp.

COP  (1)    Hampshire 349-5dec, Lancashire 39-1

         (2)`   Hampshire 349-5dec and 156-1, Lancashire 322-6 dec.

Kevin Shine hat-trick,(Lloyd, Hegg, Austin), 4 wickets in 5 balls and 8 in 38 balls in Lancashire second innings.

Match Number Forty-Four

1993 Hampshire v Australia at Southampton

Result: Match Drawn

Robin Smith’s battle with Merv Hughes

Written by Pete Spain

Although the games against the tourists were arguably meaningless and seen as an opportunity by some counties to rest key players, they offered supporters the exciting prospect of seeing their local team (albeit probably containing a couple of international stars) pitted against the very best from abroad.  Even as an adult, I viewed them as - my county Hampshire playing against a whole nation.  And, in those days, Australian touring teams contained few players who had played county cricket in England, and therefore they seemed somehow exotic and glamorous.

The Hampshire v Australians match had been in our diaries for a while, and my good friend Andrew had arranged to fly over from Germany for the occasion.  It was a three-day game, and so we had planned to watch the first two days on Saturday and Sunday, hoping for good weather.  Although there had been some severe thunderstorms earlier in the month, the forecast looked positive.  The prospect of Hampshire causing an upset against the Australians did not look so good.  Australia had comprehensively beaten England in the first two Tests, by 179 runs at Old Trafford, and by an innings and 62 runs at Lord’s.  And Robin Smith, Hampshire’s England star, arrived at Southampton for the match, having scored only 49 runs in 4 innings during those two Tests.

Saturday was upon us and we woke up to a beautiful sunny morning.  We caught the train to Southampton laden with sandwiches and pork pies, and then walked to Northlands Road and joined the many others queuing to get into the ground.  It was a full house and, with Allan Border winning the toss and choosing to bat first, we waited to see how the Hampshire bowling attack would fare against an opening partnership of Mark Taylor and Matthew Hayden (who was to join Hampshire for a very successful season four years later).  Shaun Udal dismissed Taylor for 49, but that brought in the short stocky David Boon, fresh from scoring 164 not out at Lord’s.  Like another character that we will encounter in our story, David Boon sported a thick walrus-style moustache and became something of an Australian cult figure for his tough rugged exterior and alleged beer consumption.  Boon had made 146 including 22 fours and 2 sixes when he was caught by wicketkeeper Adrian Aymes off the left-arm spin bowling of Raj Maru.  Allan Border declared at 393-7, and Hampshire lost Paul Terry and David Gower cheaply, and finished on 73-2 with Tony Middleton and Robin Smith not out on 16 and 32 respectively.

Andrew and I returned home, somewhat sunburnt but having had a very enjoyable day filled with runs (plus pork pies, sandwiches and beer!) - and wondering how Hampshire would fare on Sunday on a good batting wicket against what was broadly Australia’s Test match bowling attack.

We awoke to another beautiful sunny morning, and repeated our journey to Northlands Road laden with grub, which was destined to be eaten within the first hour of play.  Going off at a complete tangent, I need to tell you about how I associate sandwiches with cricket and how my Dad and I used to have a rather different opinion about when sandwiches should be consumed at a match.  In my view, the packed lunch could be started any time from the first ball onwards and would almost certainly be finished by the time the players had their lunch interval.  I used to love going to watch cricket with my Dad (going with him to my first game, a John Player League match against Sussex in 1973 is one of my most treasured memories) but I did feel somewhat constrained by his, not unreasonable, policy that lunch should be eaten during the lunch interval.  He wouldn’t have minded if I had started early, but I didn’t when he was with me as I felt I ought to respect his more traditional approach.

For completeness, I should say that Dad could easily win a cricketing bragging rights competition, having seen Phil Mead in his prime and, notwithstanding any differences on the sandwich timing front, we were in total agreement on one thing - our admiration of Mike Taylor.  He was Dad’s favourite player and, looking back now through my Hampshire Handbooks, I can see that there were countless times in the games we saw when Mike saved the day, either through his batting and bowling.  And the fact that he looked more like one of Dad’s Civil Service colleagues than a professional athlete just increased the appeal.

Going off at a further tangent, my Mum only came to watch cricket with us on a couple of occasions, but it was very clear that she had not mastered the technique of looking up at the right time to see each ball being delivered.  Practiced cricket watchers can generally talk, eat, drink, adjust their headwear, apply sun cream etc but always manage to somehow be looking in the right direction when wickets are being taken and boundaries being hit.  To be fair, I think she had taken some knitting to do, but she managed to miss a whole innings’ worth of wickets when we took her to a game at the Rose Bowl.

Anyway, back to Sunday 27 June 1993!  That morning turned out to be one of the best cricket sessions I have ever witnessed.  The devouring of our sandwiches that morning had been accompanied by 136 runs by Robin Smith - a century before lunch in those days being regarded as a prestigious achievement and an indication of a batsman’s dominance over the opposition.  The Australian bowlers were the same as those who played in the Trent Bridge Test which started a few days later on Thursday - with the exception of seam bowler, Paul Reiffel, in place of a certain leg spinner who played in the Test.  The absence of Shane Warne in the Hampshire match should not take anything away from Smith’s achievement, as he totally dominated the Australian attack, including the other moustachioed Aussie in this story, Merv Hughes - more of whom later.

By the time that Smith was out in the afternoon session, caught by Hughes off the bowling of off-spinner Tim May, he had made 191, including 32 fours and 4 sixes - a mammoth 80% in boundaries.  Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised by this, as just five weeks earlier, Smith had plundered 167 not out in the One Day International loss against Australia at Edgbaston.  It was an ODI record for England that stood for 23 years until Alex Hales made 171 against Pakistan in 2016.  Even now, in an age where big hitting in limited over games is the norm, the record is only 15 (9%) more than Smith’s total - 182 by Ben Stokes against New Zealand in 2023.  By contrast, the highest team score has increased from 363 to 498 in that time, an increase of 37%!

Back to Southampton in June 1993, Hampshire sedately added another 52 after Smith’s fireworks before captain, Mark Nicholas, declared on 374-5, 19 runs behind the Australian total.  By the close of play, the Australians had reached 113-3 in their second innings, a lead of 132.

We returned home, even more sunburnt than the day before, and satiated by the feast of runs.  Whilst I think Hampshire Cricket’s current home at the Utilita Bowl is an amazing stadium, I miss those days at Northlands Road - watching the heat haze shimmering over the wicket, buying a Hampshire Handbook from the Supporters Association table, being so close to the players, and listening to the hubbub coming from the beer tent (both the laughter and the clinking of glass as the empties got collected).  To some extent my Hampshire Cricket memories, from that first game I attended with my Dad in 1973 onwards, blur into one.  But in my mind, I have catalogued that innings by Robin Smith together with another big innings by my other favourite Hampshire player, Gordon Greenidge.  To a 12-year-old cricket fan what could be better than the brutal 259 Greenidge scored against Sussex in August 1975, when he went to 50, 100, 150, 200 & 250 with a six.  From that point on, I was smitten - and even supported the West Indies against England in 1976, simply because of my love for Gordon.  Robin Smith reminded me of Gordon in many ways - surely two of the most brutal square cutters of the ball the game has ever seen.  So, my 30-year-old self in 1993 was transported back in time to the late 1970s - one of the joys of the cricket-supporting continuum.  And the latest bit of the never-ending story often now sees me enjoying the fours and sixes scored by James Vince in T20 games in the company of my lovely wife and kids - but Vince is probably more a descendant of Barry Richards than Gordon Greenidge or Robin Smith (now there’s one to debate when rain stops play!).

We didn’t go to the final day of the Hampshire match on the Monday, but we eagerly read the reports of how Matthew Hayden got the third century of the match and how, having suffered at the hands of Robin Smith at the weekend, Merv Hughes to some extent got his own back.  First, Hughes hit 7 sixes and 2 fours in a quick-fire 61 not out (just 11 short of his highest score ever) to set up Allan Border’s second declaration of the match, at 271-7 - giving Hampshire a target of 291 to win off a possible 64 overs.  Then, when Robin Smith came into bat after Hampshire had reached a promising 178-2, Merv Hughes had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Ian Healy first ball!  I’m sort of glad I didn’t see that, and so the first innings 191 (when, as one press report put it, he “massacred the Australian attack in baking heat”) rather than the second innings golden duck is my abiding memory!  Thereafter, with Smith gone, the run chase fizzled out, and the match ended as a draw, with Hampshire finishing on 220-6, 71 short of their target.

Looking back, it was a lovely weekend of cricket-watching shared with a friend, and there is no need to try and find any deeper significance to the event.  But cricket fans being cricket fans, there is always the temptation to look back at the statistics and historical context to draw out a key point to analyse and discuss.  And in this case, it could be said that the game embodied that Robin Smith / Merv Hughes rivalry.  They memorably locked horns many times during their careers.  Of the 15 tests that Smith played against the Aussies, Hughes was in the opposing team in 14 of them.  There is a video on YouTube entitled “ROBIN SMITH VS MERV HUGHES - A GLORIOUS BATTLE!” which boasts that it contains “Every boundary and wicket between the pair- spanning three Ashes series- 1989, 1990/91 and 1993. BRUTAL SQUARE CUTS!!!!!!”.

All those capital letters and six exclamation marks might seem excessive, but Hampshire Cricket’s website tribute, “Robin Smith: The Judge Who Stood Tall In The Ashes”, published after his death, gives further weight to the epic nature of this rivalry - and Smith’s dominance.  Describing Smith’s performance in the 5th Test in Nottingham in 1989, it said:

“Facing an Australian mountain of 602-6 declared, England collapsed to 14-3.  Smith counter-attacked with 101 from 150 balls, specifically targeting Merv Hughes and reducing his figures to an extraordinary 4-0-38-0 at one stage.  English supporters watched in delight as Smith launched into his trademark square cuts, demolishing the Australian attack with brutal power….At Trent Bridge, Smith's sustained assault on Hughes's bowling became a defining image: the Judge demolishing the moustachioed quick with square cuts that seemed to defy physics.”

That description of the defining image from the 1989 Test resonates, as it seemed to also describe what we saw in that Hampshire match at Northlands Road in June 1993.  Square cuts that defy physics, plus all the other wonderful ingredients of a cricketing memory (sandwiches, laughter, sunshine) - together with the poignancy that Robin is sadly no longer with us - make Hampshire versus The Australians in 1993 My Favourite Hampshire Game.

Pete Spain spends every summer following Hampshire and every winter following Portsmouth.

HAMPSHIRE v AUSTRALIANS

Tourist match

Chosen by Pete Spain

26, 27, 28 June 1993 at County Ground, Southampton                                                      Match drawn

Toss Australians

AUSTRALIANS

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

ML Hayden                c Nicholas b Shine                     85               c Smith b Connor        115

MA Taylor                 c Maru b Udal                           49   (7)    c Aymes b Udal             24

DC Boon                   c Aymes b Maru                      146   (9)    not out                       0

SR Waugh                  c Middleton b Udal                  6   (5)    b Connor                   0

*AR Border                c&b James                               41   (6)    c Maru b Connor         3

DR Martyn                 c Middleton b James                6   (3)    b Connor                     13

+IA Healy                  lbw b James                           3   (2)    lbw b James                 16

BP Julian                   not out                                     26               c Aymes b Udal             28

PR Reiffel                  not out                                   8

MG Hughes                                                                            (4)    not out                         61

TBA May

Extras                       lb 15, nb 8                                23               lb 3, nb 8                     11

Total                         7 wickets dec, 88 overs             393               7 wickets dec, 65 overs 271

FOW: 1st inns  1-91, 2-225, 3-240, 4-319, 5-327, 6-345, 7-359.

         2nd inns  1-37, 2-40, 3-96, 4-122, 5-132, 6-187, 7-268.

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Shine 16-2-81-1, Connor 16-0-55-0, Udal 24-4-123-2, Maru 15-1-62-1, James 17-2-57-3. (Second innings) Shine 2.4-0-8-0, Connor 19-3-77-4, Udal 17-3-94-2, Maru 15-3-57-0, James 11.2-3-32-1.

HAMPSHIRE

VP Terry                    lbw b Hughes                         2   (2)    run out                        82

TC Middleton             c Hayden b Hughes                    53   (1)    c Taylor b Hughes          78

DI Gower                   c Martyn b Hughes                  8               not out                         23

RA Smith                   c Hughes b May                      191               c Healy b Hughes            0

*MCJ Nicholas           b May                                     19               b Border                      12

KD James                  not out                                     31               st Healy b May            1

+AN Aymes                not out                                     17   (8)    not out                       8

SD Udal                                                                                (7)    lbw b May                  0

RJ Maru

CA Connor

KJ Shine

Extras                       b 4, lb 2, w 2, nb 45                   53               b 3, lb 3, nb 10              16

Total                         5 wickets dec, 80 overs             374               6 wickets, 64 overs      220

FOW:    1st inns  1-2, 2-28, 3-261, 4-317, 5-322

         2nd inns  1-167, 2-178, 3-178, 4-199, 5-200, 6-200

Australians bowling: (First innings) Hughes 18-2-60-3, Julian 19-1-95-0, May 15-2-63-2, Reiffel 15-1-76-0, Waugh 6-1-29-0, Border 7-0-45-0. (Second innings) Hughes 14-3-47-2, Julian 7-1-16-0, May 18-4-57-2, Reiffel 10-1-45-0, Border 15-3-49-1.

Umpires:        RA White & P Willey

COP: (1)    Australians 393-7dec, Hampshire 73-2

         (2)    Australians 393-7dec & 113-3, Hampshire 374-5 dec.

Match Number Forty-Five

1994 Hampshire v South Africa at Southampton

Result: Match Drawn

Facing Alan Donald on Debut

An Interview with Giles White

What would be your favourite Hampshire game as a player, Giles?

My favourite game would probably have to be just after I had finished my exams at university when I made my debut in 1994. I was thrown in at the deep end against South Africa at Southampton. I faced Allan Donald, bowling the speed of light. Kevan James was at the other end to partner me. To be fair to Kevan, he did a great job staying at the other end! It was South Africa’s first tour of England after returning to play Test Cricket after all those years of isolation from the international arena. The opportunity to join Hampshire for a year had come about, I think, mostly off the back of a hundred I managed to score against New Zealand at Fenners a few weeks earlier for the Combined Universities. Jonty Rhodes, fielding at backward point, was also another introduction to cricket at a different level. 

What was your cricketing journey as a child, before arriving in 1994 at Hampshire? 

I grew up in a small village in Devon and went to school at Millfield in Somerset where the cricket was obviously extremely strong. From there I moved to Loughborough University. As a member of the Somerset age group sides, it was then university cricket. I felt joining Hampshire, rather than Somerset, was a better move. It felt like there might be batting slots available at the top of the order with a number of fine senior players like Paul Terry and Chris Smith finishing. Paul had also been at Millfield. Initially, it was quite daunting joining Hampshire as a young player without a pre-season to get to know anyone properly. It was straight in to playing matches and trying to make my way in the game. The guys I started batting with were the likes of  Paul, Robin and Mark Nicholas. All fantastic players who went out of their way to look after me and give me every chance to succeed. You never forget that. Mark was a really fantastic captain. Robin was probably at his very peak and number one in the world. I sat next to him in the dressing room. Just a diamond of a player and a man who gave his all for that Hampshire dressing room. Cardigan Connor was equally delightful and helpful. I could not have walked into a more caring environment. Senior players, like Paul, all made you feel so welcome; they were such great role models on and off the field. 

Your other memories of that debut and how the game went for you?

I maybe only got 30 or so, but I felt I played Donald pretty well. Unfortunately, I got out just before the close. A number of us got starts and chipped in. Brian McMillan and Pat Symcox were part of a very good attack that were clearly warming up for the very eagerly awaited first Test series in England after such a long wait. I felt pretty pleased and took confidence from the fact that a number of senior players commented that evening on how well I managed to play Donald.

That meant a good deal and set me up for a run in the side. Facing Walsh for Gloucestershire next up at Portsmouth was the next challenge. For the next few games batting with Mark Nicholas and Robin Smith in the middle order, I kept getting in and was pleased to contribute, without going on maybe to get the really big scores. It was fine, but it is the debut that you always remember. The nature of the opposition and the occasion all made mine particularly special. That first day was a sunny day, big crowd, nice vibe, real interest in the outcome - certainly a great memory to be part of it for the first time at Southampton for me. It was a ground with character as well as feeling slightly right down by then. There were the flats on the far side that looked very close for the likes of Robin and others who hit the ball harder and further than me. The changing rooms were tiny, but the characters in it were big and incredibly special to call your teammates. The other very special aspect to my debut was making my debut with a great mate of mine James Bovill.

Were you on debut together?

No, James had joined a year earlier and made his debut in 1993, while I was still at Loughborough University. We knew each other from Combined Universities cricket. He had been at Durham, and we were actually living together at the time of my debut. 

Which other games stand out in your Hampshire career?

We played West Indies in 1994 in a one-day game with Ambrose and Walsh. I was Man in the Match for some runs that day. The caught and bowled that Peter Hartley took at Derby - almost between his legs - when there was the fight to avoid being in the lower division also comes to mind immediately. It was the first time the split from one to two divisions occurred;  there was so much riding on that game. He caught Simon Lacey to give us victory by 2 runs. The result sent Warwickshire down, while we stayed up. 24 hours later, we played Warwickshire in a 40-over game. It is fair to say it was quite lively when we went there for that game. Looking back now, I always loved batting with Robin. It’s funny I always thought so many opposition bowlers bowled really poorly to him and yet really well at me. That didn’t always seem fair! Balls I was leaving, he would hit for four. We played a different game most of the time. Paul Terry was also extremely special to bat with - as almost a father figure. We batted in quite a similar way, but he always looked after me at the crease. Without the unfortunate injury, he should and  would have played many more times for England. I actually took over from Paul as Head Coach at Hampshire in 2008 which also meant a great deal as well. 

After you finished playing in 2002, did you immediately join the coaching staff?

Although not employed by the club for the first two years, I did do some coaching with the academy under the duration of Tony Middleton. That then progressed with an appointment as full-time 2nd XI coach.

What would be your favourite Hampshire game as a coach, Giles?

The Lord’s Final in 2009 for the occasion, the weather, the day, the performance and the result. Equally memorable and more dramatic was that first T20 win here in 2010. If could not have been closer or more exciting to win. You have to celebrate those wins properly, at the time, as a dressing room. It was what we all play and watch the game for as players, coaches and fans. That Somerset finale was bizarre. It was only when everyone was running on the pitch that you realise, we have actually definitely won it!

A magical night celebrating with friends, family and supporters on your home ground is always truly special. Those two days are my most memorable ever in cricket. 

The final question is about the most difficult bowlers to face during your career, apart from Allan Donald as mentioned on debut?

That is easy. Shane Warne in the nets! I happened to be the batter in the nets when he first came down to Hampshire to show us what he could do. What an education and experience! He has made far better players than me look silly, to be fair! In a similar way, Malcolm Marshall when he was coach. He was still far better than anything or anyone that I faced out in the middle! He would occasionally put his spikes on when the grass nets were a bit spicy. He was our quickest and most challenging bowler, and he was the coach! Ambrose, Walsh, Donald and Darren Gough would be the pace attack who challenged me most otherwise in game. Depending on the wicket and state of the game, Murali and Saqlain carried just as big a threat, of course in very different ways. 

Giles White is the Director of Cricket at Hampshire.

HAMPSHIRE v SOUTH AFRICANS

Tourist match

Chosen by Giles White

2, 3, 4 July 1994 at The County Ground, Southampton                                                       Match drawn

Toss Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE

First innings                                                   Second innings

RSM Morris               c Rhodes b Donald                   4               not out                       101

VP Terry                    c Wessels b Snell                       75               c Kirsten b Shaw           43

RMF Cox                   c Richardson b Donald               46               c McMillan b Symcox    11

*MCJ Nicholas           lbw Snell                                 33

GW White                  c Richardson b Donald               30   (4)    c Rhodes b Symcox     8

KD James                  c Hudson b Donald                    42   (5)    c Wessels b Symcox       25

+AN Aymes                not out                                     33               not out                       3

SD Udal                    c Wessels b Donald                  0   (6)    c Symcox b Shaw        1

MJ Thursfield             c Richardson b Symcox            3

CA Connor                 not out                                     15

JNB Bovill

Extras                       b 1, lb 5, w 1, nb 12                   19               lb 4, nb 2                   6

Total                         8 wickets dec, 112.5 overs         300               5 wickets, 57 overs      198

FOW: 1st  inns 1-12, 2-106, 3-171, 4-172, 5-235, 6-248, 7-248, 8-263

         2nd inns  1-94, 2-113, 3-135, 4-174, 5-187

South Africans bowling: (First innings) Donald 24.5-7-58-5, McMillan 27-7-86-0, Snell 19-3-49-2, Shaw

19-4-56-0, Symcox 23-7-45-1. (Second innings) Donald 9-3-21-0, McMillan 2-1-6-0, Symcox 25-7-92-3, Snell 3-0-15-0, Shaw 17-2-59-2, Kirsten 1-0-1-0

SOUTH AFRICANS

G Kirsten                   c Cox b Udal                            50

AC Hudson                c Aymes b Thursfield                  27

DJ Cullinan                c Aymes b James                       18

*KC Wessels              c Udal b James                          31

JN Rhodes                 c Cox b Udal                            77

BM McMillan             c White b Udal                        1

+DJ Richardson          c Udal b Connor                        12

RP Snell                    c White b Udal                        0

PL Symcox                c Aymes b Udal                       0

TG Shaw                   not out                                   8

AA Donald                 not out                                     18

Extras                       b 4, lb 2, w 2, nb 14                   22

Total                         9 wickets dec, 80 overs             264

FOW: 1st inns  1-53, 2-95, 3-109, 4-189, 5-192, 6-227, 7-228, 8-228, 9-228

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Bovill 9-2-41-0, Connor 17-3-64-1, Thursfield 13-1-44-1, Udal 27-7-63-5, James 14-4-46-2.

Umpires:        HD Bird & R Julian

COP: (1)    Hampshire 263-8

         (2)    Hampshire 300-8 dec. and 22-0, South Africans 264-9 dec.

Match Number Forty-Six

1994 Hampshire v Durham at Portsmouth

Result: Match Drawn

My last game at Portsmouth

An Interview with Norman Cowans

What was your favourite Hampshire game, Norman?

It has to be my last appearance for the club in 1994. Unfortunately, my time with Hampshire was at a stage in my career where injuries were taking their toll. I still feel very grateful for the chance to move down from Middlesex to Hampshire. Every year, I attend the former players reunion at the new ground because of all the friends I made during my two seasons there. It was a very happy dressing room with some really fine players. My last game was at Burnaby Road in Portsmouth where I always enjoyed playing. It was a Championship game against Durham who had only just joined the County Championship a couple of years earlier. It was actually a game at the end of August where three of us played our last career Championship games. David Graveney bowed out at Durham after a very good career as a spinner, while for us Martin Jean-Jaques and I had to finish. We made over 500 in the first innings with nearly everyone chipping in. Paul Terry top-scored with a century, but Robin Smith, Mark Nicholas, Kevan James and Adi Aymes all contributed. We had a strong batting line-up. Robin was the standout player, of course.

Robin and Gordon Greenidge were two of the very batsmen I played with or against. They both hit the ball so hard, particularly square of the wicket on the off side. Robin was also just the nicest bloke you could ever meet. I never quite feel Gordon gets all the credit he deserves. Maybe it was because he was in that same West Indies side as Viv, but I would definitely have him right up there with the very batsmen I saw. Everyone at Middlesex rated him so highly when we played Hampshire. He could take any attack apart. 

Were Durham soon in trouble when they came to bat?

No, not really. John Morris made a big ton for them. He was definitely their best player after he signed from Derbyshire. We played a bit for England together. They ended up trailing by over a hundred and we extended that lead to about 320 before declaring. We thought we would have enough time to bowl them out. In my first spell, I got both openers and then John for 0. I finished with 4 for 70 odd from about 20 overs. We didn’t win the game though. It ended up a draw with them 7 down and about forty short. The guy who held us up was a young  local Durham lad called James Daley. He hit an unbeaten 150. My career with Hampshire was just about to finish, but at least I went out on a bit of a high. I obviously knew Raj Maru and Kevan James from my Middlesex days, and they both settled superbly at Hampshire and enjoyed great careers in Southampton. Both stayed on after they finished playing. It had always been such a friendly place. Even though I only played a few games, I loved my time with Hampshire.

I must ask you about your favourite England game. Was it in your first Ashes series down under in 1982/83?

Yes, for sure. I made my England debut in Perth where we drew the First Test. Derek Randall was man of the match for his second innings hundred. Ian Botham and Bob Willis opened the bowling for us, and I bowled okay without a wicket in either innings. We lost the Second Test in Brisbane, but my first Test wicket was Greg Chappell. I missed the Third Test in Adelaide. The Fourth Test in Melbourne is my favourite ever game I played in. We won by 3 runs. The scores were pretty even after the first innings. I managed to get Greg get out for 0. When we batted, we made just under 300. I remember facing Lawson, Hogg and Thomson in front of a huge crowd. Bob Willis and I somehow put on a few valuable runs for the last wicket. It meant they needed 290 to win. I took 6-77, opening the bowling this time. It was still a great wicket for me to bowl on with pace and bounce. We couldn’t get Border out though. They very nearly won it at the end. He added 70 for the last wicket with Jeff Thomson. It was Geoff Miller who took the catch to win the match when Ian Botham got Jeff out. The celebrations afterwards in the dressing room were unforgettable. Taking my first five-fer in such a close win in Australia was definitely the highlight of my cricket career.

Norman Cowans was the 500th cricketer to play Test cricket for England.

HAMPSHIRE v DURHAM

County Championship

Chosen by Norman Cowans

25, 26, 27, 29 August 1994 at United Services Ground, Portsmouth                                      Match drawn

Toss Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

VP Terry                    c Brown b Bainbridge              164               c Cummins b Wood        40

TC Middleton             lbw b Brown                             11               c&b Graveney              41

GW White                  c Scott b Wood                          15               not out                         73

RA Smith                   c Scott b Graveney                     45               c Scott b Brown            22

*MCJ Nicholas           c Morris b Wood                       25               not out                         30

KD James                  c Hutton b Wood                       53

+AN Aymes                c Cummins b Wood                    48

RJ Maru                    c Scott b Wood                          36

M Jean-Jacques           not out                                     22

CA Conor                  c&b Graveney                          18

NG Cowans                c Saxelby b Graveney               9

Extras                       lb 4, w 6, nb 56                         66               b 1, lb 2, nb 6              9

Total                         133.5 overs                            512               3 wickets dec, 63.3 overs  215

FOW: 1st inns  139, 2-60, 3-151, 4-188, 5-326, 6-382, 7-454, 8-465, 9-486, 10-512

         2nd inns  1-74, 2-97, 3-139

Durham bowling: (First innings) Cummins 27-1-91-0, Brown 27-3-92-1, Wood 30-0-141-5, Bainbridge

15-3-58-1, Graveney 34.5-6-126-3. (Second innings) Cummins 5-1-22-0, Brown 15-3-37-1, Wood 13-1-63-1, Bainbridge 14-1-55-0, Graveney 16.3-7-35-1.

DURHAM

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

JL Longley                 lbw b Cowans                         8               c Aymes b Cowans       1

M Saxelby                 c Maru b Connor                       13               c Terry b Cowans          24

JE Morris                   c Aymes b James                     149               b Cowans                   0

JA Daley                    c White b James                      3               not out                       159

S Hutton                    b Maru                                  1               c White b Cowans          33

*P Bainbridge             c Maru b James                         64               st Aymes b James          27

AC Cummins              c Maru b Cowans                      65               lbw b James               7

+CW Scott                 lbw b Connor                            39               run out                      1

J Wood                      b Connor                               6

SJE Brown                 c Smith b Connor                      15

DA Graveney              not out                                   2   (9)    not out                         16

Extras                       b 1, lb 8, nb 12                          21               lb 11, nb 6                    17

Total                         121.4 overs                            386               7 wickets, 77.4 overs    285

FOW 1st inns  1-19, 2-29, 3-70, 4-89, 5-249, 6-262, 7-349, 8-367, 9-367, 10-386

         2nd inns  1-1, 2-1, 3-56, 4-142, 5-247, 6-257, 7-258

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Connor 32.4-6-122-4, Cowans 30-5-97-2, Jean-Jacques 0.3-0-8-0, Maru 23.3-6-43-1, James 29-7-90-3, White 2-0-10-0, Nicholas 4-2-7-0. (Second innings) Connor 21-5-70-0, Cowans 19.4-5-76-4, Maru 16-3-58-0, James 21-4-70-2.

Umpires:        R Palmer & DR Shepherd

COP  (1)    Hampshire 326-4

         (2)    Hampshire 512, Durham 195-4

         (3)    Hampshire 512 & 129-2, Durham 386

Match Number Forty-Seven

1996 Hampshire v India at Southampton

Result: Match Drawn

Four wickets in four balls and a ton

An Interview with Kevan James

Kevan, can I ask you first about the 1985 game against Australia which was in your first season,  So, what do you remember of that game? 

When you first asked me to reflect on my favourite game, I completely forgot about that game. There weren't that many good performances in my career, but I don't know, so I think over the passage of time, I kind of forget. Following my move from Middlesex down to Hampshire that game was absolutely massive in terms of me trying to establish a place in what was an incredibly talented side. I probably didn't start the season as well as I would have liked. So, I certainly did feel a bit of pressure on me. Looking back at the Australian line-up, they didn't really rest anybody for that game either. I think it was one of those where it was almost a freak. We bowled them out for 76 in 32 overs. To be fair, I always knew that being left-arm over, if the ball swings, you can literally get anybody out. It could be absolutely anybody in the world. So, it didn't matter if I wasn't the best bowler or if it wasn't the quickest, but if it ever swung into the right hander, like any left-armer, I was suddenly right in the game. It just happened occasionally that the conditions were all in your favour and that was one of those games. It is a combination of the wicket, overhead conditions, the nature of the ball, how the ball is coming out of the hand

Do you particularly remember that it was Hampshire's first-ever 4-day game?

I didn’t know that, but I am pretty sure the first day was rained out, so it ended up a 3- day game anyway. What I can recall is that we got 220, before Cardigan Connor and I bowled them out for 76. I suppose it was particularly unusual because you know how flat that wicket was at Northlands Road; it was most unusual for any game to go through quite that quickly. Without being too technical, I think my sort of bowling, at times, probably suited that ground because I didn't rely on seam movement and bounce. There certainly wasn't a lot there, unless you played further down the square. But  I think if you moved the ball in the air, it didn't really matter what pitch you bowled on. For me, I actually preferred bowling on flat pitches, because if it was a green one, better bowlers than me would be bowling and take loads of wickets. 

Did that performance cement a place in the side for you?

Oh, I certainly think it took me a little while when I first came down. I had done 5 years at Middlesex where I was more out than in. I then came down and thought this will be a lot better, but I did find it tough.  It's quite tough for any cricketer being consistent. The  secret of being a good pro is still being able to bowl a good spell when conditions are not in your favour: that means that although you are not  necessarily taking wickets, you can still keep it tight.

As an all-rounder, did your bowling feed off your batting and the other way round as well? In other words, if you were getting runs, did that then help your bowling in the same or next game? 

Yes, definitely. I always thrived on the fact that if I didn't get runs, then I had a chance of taking wickets and vice versa. That role seemed to suit me down to the ground. I would have hated to be just a batter or just a bowler.  I loved being in the game, and even if it wasn't quite working out with a bowling spell or I didn't get any runs in a particular innings, I just loved always being in the game. Yeah. 

The two Lord’s Finals in 1991 and 1992 must have been very special occasions, particularly with your Middlesex connections. What do you recall from those two finals?

Obviously, I was disappointed in missing out against Derbyshire in 1998. I had been in and out of the side that summer. The Surrey and Kent Finals were definitely quite nerve-wracking for me. Especially the first one, where I think I was a bit lucky really. At the time, Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe were playing for their England places for the forthcoming winter tour; I remember coming on to bowl, and I just felt that those two were playing to make sure they got themselves in, They were looking to give themselves a chance of a big score. So, I just felt they weren't really going after me which settled the nerves. I think you probably know, but the lead up to that game was also a bit fraught because we played Surrey in a 4-day game on a wicket that was more than testing. I think we felt that they didn't want to play all 4 days leading up to the final. Waqar was a very fine bowler on most wickets but this one gave him every advantage. Mark Nicholas missed the Lord’s Final through an injury picked up on that wicket and I'm surprised nobody else had a finger smashed because I mean, it's not easy at the best at times, but it was very hard work on that deck. I think they thought, psychologically, they had a little bit of an advantage going into the final. The fact we played on a flatter pitch against Waqar, it all looked so much easier than it had done the previous week. So, it actually played into our hands in a way. It also helped that Robin Smith was at the top of his powers. He always played so well on the big occasion.

The 1992 Benson and Hedges Cup Final was very different: that was much more of a final that kind of always felt that we had in our control. We wanted to win it so much for Malcolm Marshall. Winning it also meant, of course, that we held both knock-out cups at the same time for a bit.  I certainly feel that was a very good Hampshire one-day outfit that had all bases covered in those days. Obviously, the batting is even more explosive in the modern game, but, back then, when games were 60 and 55 overs a side, you needed to set a platform and not go too hard too early. Robin stood out then and would have been just as big a star in today’s game, where in the shorter format you need to look to score off every ball.

Which games are on the shortlist for your favourite ever Hampshire game you played in, Kevan?

One obvious one is the partnership with Tim Tremlett at Taunton which was also in my first season in1985. I suppose again that came out of the blue, because I didn't have that many opportunities at Middlesex to do anything like that. I just remember that it was also so nice for Tim, because it was both his and my maiden centuries. Viv Richards was bowling at the time I got mine, and at the end of the over, he just asked me, “Is that your first one?” When I said yes, he said, “Well done!”. And I thought, wow, you know, where's that come from?

I also remember Beefy (Botham), bowling, and trying to knock my head off; when I played a couple of really bad shots, just fending it off, he just told me to give up. And with a few choice words around that as well! Coming from Beefy, I thought, oh my god, if he's telling me to give up, I probably better give up. As well as that there was Joel Garner. I guess nobody can argue that it wasn’t a quality attack to get runs against. Of course, that was what made it so special, but if you play enough games and you can sort of half play, then you are going to have some good days. And it just shows that when it is your day, you have to make sure that  you cash in. From that game, I took a great deal of confidence, but there were still doubts and constant challenges every year after that. David Gower probably summed up my career best: first half very inconsistent, second half very consistent. Not just fair, but also a great compliment to hear that from him. The toughest thing in the game is achieving what Liam Dawson has done over the last couple of years for Hampshire and England, both in first-class and all forms of one-day cricket. The truly best players achieve consistently high levels and contribute somehow in very nearly every game. I had so many more difficult days, particularly in my early years. Of all the matches that stand out, though, the India game in 1996 for Hampshire was my very lucky game. I think most people are bored of hearing me talk about it.

Definitely not and having talked recently to Adi Aymes, he certainly claims the first of your four wickets in four balls in that game was really his own. Is that fair?

Oh, it was - 100% correct and I've always acknowledged that. It was a horrible delivery, way outside leg stump. He just made it look very easy: it was a very smart piece of stumping. With the 30-year anniversary fast approaching, I spoke to somebody about this game the other day. India got to 192 without loss, just after lunch, and were piling on the runs. It all suggested really that they were going to go on and get a million! My wickets came not far into the afternoon session, completely out of the blue. It was such a flat pitch. When Adi stood up, I was quite happy with that. So, basically, we got that first absolute bonus wicket at 192, but there was no suggestion that there were any more coming. At this point, Sachin Tendulkar walks out. He was the man everyone had come to watch bat that day. I think there was a real sense out in the middle that there was a very obvious heightened interest from everyone in the crowd. I remember John Stephenson said, “Well, why don't we have a short leg?” It was almost as a bit of a joke. We nominated Jason Laney, probably because he was the youngest player in the team and the only one that would actually say yes to go in that close, when the ball was going everywhere. I mean, it was stupid really. And I just remember bowling, and the ball just straightened, and maybe shaped back in very slightly, but no more than that. Tendulkar just pushed forward, inside edged it onto the pad, and it ballooned up to Jason.

In truth, it was absolutely bizarre. It really was just that because the ground went deathly silent, and I immediately felt sort of public enemy number one. But it was fun, and we were laughing our heads off almost out in the middle, when we were in a group huddle. I also knew, though, that I was on a hat-trick when Rahul Dravid walked out. And I just remember thinking to myself when I walked back to my mark, Kev, you've never taken a hat-trick. I haven't got many more years left in the game. Just bowl it straight and just, you know, give yourself a chance. And again, the ball just for some reason just straightened a fraction. It didn't really swing. it just straightened. And he just slightly played down the wrong line, and he was hit on the pad. John Hampshire was the umpire. He took a while to put his finger up. At the beginning of my first over just after lunch, he had jokingly said to me good luck and told me if I stayed on for four or five overs that I would have done well. Admittedly, I was sort of playing as a batting all-rounder, really. 

Not content with three in three, you kept going. Who was your next victim?

Manjrekar was next in. For this ball, it didn't move at all. It just stayed outside off stump, but he went for this booming drive, played inside the line and got an edge. Paul Terry caught him at 1st slip and there's the four in four. Paul was a truly brilliant fielder: whenever you saw the ball go off an edge, when he was in the slips, you just knew it was going to be taken. Raj Maru was similar in the slips.  Paul was fabulous at extra cover or wherever; he just stopped absolutely everything. Absolutely brilliant fielder. After that,  I always remember the radio guys were on air. The Radio Solent guys in those days included John Hughes and Mike Barnard. John came down the stairs and over to me at fine leg and he asked me whether I had ever taken a hat-trick before. When I said, no, and, if I'm honest, I've never bowled 3 straight, the crowd around me were absolutely cracking up. For the record, it could have been 5 in 5, because Ganguly chased the first ball of my next over but was actually dropped at deep gully. It was a tough one. It was one of those where it might have been taken maybe 2 or 3 times out of 10. We only took 5 wickets all day. I took some tap as well, but did take the 5, when they declared on 362. 

Not content with four in four, you then created the unique record of making a hundred in the same game. What are your memories of that knock? 

Jason Laney got a hundred as well. I I just remember that I was down the order. We lost a wicket or two. The question was asked if anybody wanted to be a night watchman? And I thought, well, to be honest, I can't do anything wrong. So, I said, yeah, I'll do it. I went in at four. I felt that I couldn't do anything wrong. My mindset was simply it might just continue to be my day. At the close, I think I was about 2 not out; I certainly played and missed a couple of times. Overnight, I was sort of riding a crest of a wave. I never really drank between games, but I had a couple of beers that night in the sponsor tents. When I went out the next morning. I just sort of got my head down initially, but then I just remember playing quite a few shots. For a while I was just freed up and blazing the ball around, with no pressure on me. The next thing  I remember is I got to about  90; Paul Terry was batting with me. I played a couple of really bad shots and got away with it. Paul came up to me at the end of the over, and he said that you might want to think about this. He said, “ you've just taken four in four.  Just think about what a century might do to go with it!”  That is probably the worst thing he could have ever said. The next 10 runs took about an hour!  For a few weeks, there was a good deal of media interest and Paul was right! 

Kevan James ended his first-class career for Hampshire with 8,819 runs at 31.01 and 359 wickets at 32.47

HAMPSHIRE v INDIANS

Tourist match

Chosen by Kevan James

29, 30 June, 1 July 1996 at The County Ground, Southampton                                             Match drawn

Toss Hampshire

INDIANS

                                 First innings

AD Jadeja                  c Keech b James                        91

V Rathor                    st Aymes b James                      95

SC Ganguly                not out                                   100

*SR Tendulkar            c Kaney b James                     0

+RS Dravid                lbw b James                           0

SV Manjrekar             c Terry b James                       0

A Kumble                  not out                                     59

BKV Prasad

SA Ankola

ND Hirwani

SLV Raju

Extras                       b 2, lb 6, w 1, nb 8                     17

Total                         5 wickets dec, 86.2 overs          362

FOW: 1st inns  1-192, 2-207, 3-207, 4-207, 5-207

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Milburn 18.2-2-72-0, Bovill 15-3-66-0, Thursfield 18-0-86-0,

James 25-4-74-5, Stephenson 4-0-22-0, Udal 6-0-34-0.

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings

*JP Stephenson           c Prasad b Ankola                      14

JS Laney                    c Tendulkar b Hirwani              100

JNB Bovill                 c Rathor b Ankola                    8

KD James                  c Kumble b Raju                     103

VP Terry                                b Ankola                                  20

M Keech                    c Jadeja b Ankola                      36

PR Whitaker               lbw b Prasad                             19

+AN Aymes                c Jadeja b Ganguly                   1

SD Udal                    c Dravid b Prasad                    9

MJ Thursfield             not out                                     37

SM Milburn               not out                                     54

Extras                       b 23, lb 28, w 2, nb 4                  57

Total                         9 wickets, 124 overs                 458

FOW: 1st inns  1-33, 2-45, 3-220, 4-254, 5-262, 6-337, 7-341, 8-351, 9-367

Indians bowling : (First innings) Prasad 25-7-68-2, Ankola 30-3-120-4, Kumble 17-7-41-0, Hirwani 20-1-73-1, Raju 23-3-75-1, Ganguly 5-3-5-1, Tendulkar 4-1-25-0.

Umpires:        JH Hampshire & KJ Lyons

COP: (1)    Indians 362-5 dec, Hampshire 49-2

         (2)    Indians 352-5 dec, Hampshire 383-9

Match Number Forty-Eight

1997 Hampshire v Warwickshire at Southampton

Result: Match Drawn

That special year with Matthew Hayden

An Interview with Nigel Gray

Nigel, how did you come to join the Hampshire ground staff?

Tony Baker had asked me a couple of times if I would like to join the amateur ground staff. I joined at the start of the 1989 season when Tom Flintoff was the Head Groundsman. He then left to go back north to Durham.

When you were working then, did you have a chance to watch much of the games at Northlands Road?

Actually, we saw quite a lot of it, because, because it was such a small site. I mean, apart from just working on the nets out at the back, every now and then, there was nothing else you could do, once play started. You couldn't do anything else, once there was a crowd in the ground

You must have many fond memories of the old ground in Southampton, Nigel?

It was a really good batting wicket. It was quite a lot of 3-day cricket still, so, I remember there was quite a lot of 3rd morning declaration balling and that sort of thing. Nobody wanted to get out to the declaration bowlers like Adi Aymes. We certainly had a few broken windows and windscreens along the way at different times, with balls coming out of the nets and things like that. But generally, people didn't net like they do these days. Thankfully, they tended to play more conservatively, rather than trying to see how hard they can hit it.

What has been your all-time favourite Hampshire game since starting with the club in 1989?

It has to be the Matthew Hayden game. It was the Warwickshire game in late May 1997. It was not just that it was a high-scoring game, from memory, but it was the fact that Hayden scored such a high proportion of the Hampshire runs. Kevan James batting at three and got a pair, while Matthew bossed the whole game when Hampshire were batting.

What made that game so special for you?

It always comes to mind, that game, because I remember Matthew Hayden having such an amazing season. I always remember him scoring three centuries in probably 4 days, starting that weekend. He got 118 on the Sunday, on the neighbouring wicket, in the AXA Life League game as well. Warwickshire batted all day on the Saturday in the Championship game, but then Hampshire batted on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Hayden scored the most runs anyone has ever made in a single game for Hampshire over those three days.

He was 235 not out in the first innings. He then added 119 in the second. He just seemed to be batting for the whole game and he was always so imposing at the crease. Obviously, it's his only season that he played for Hampshire as well. I just remember him as well as being so dedicated to his craft. He had come over and signed for Hampshire that year, just because he hadn't been selected for Australia, and I guess he felt that, well, if I'm in in the country and I was making runs, then you never know. When we played against Australia that summer for Hampshire, I know that he didn't get any runs in that game. It was about his only disappointment all summer. He was just phenomenal.

The game you have chosen as your favourite was a very tight finish with so many runs scored?

It definitely was a great batting pitch that I had prepared again for that game, because 1700 runs were scored across the 4 days. Hemp made a hundred for Warwickshire in both innings. I mentioned declaration bowling and Aymes, Kendall, Hayden and Kenway all bowled on the last day to set the game up for a result. I think it is still a record runs aggregate for a Hampshire v Warwickshire game. Hampshire were set about 330 in about 65 overs, from memory, and they ended up finishing 9 down hanging about 60 runs short. The biggest surprise was Matthew Hayden actually getting out after tea. Derek Kenway was making his debut and was still in at the end. The record books show the last pair battled for seven overs to earn Hampshire a draw. It would have been such a travesty if Matthew had ended up on the losing side. His 235* in the first innings was the highest maiden century made by a Hampshire player at the time. He hit so many fours back down the ground. He wasn’t a massive six hitter, but he could score all-round the wicket. I do remember thinking he must be so hard to bowl at; he felt like a batsman without a weakness and such a dominant presence in the middle.

Did you get the chance to watch Matthew Hayden practise much in the nets?

Hayden was the fittest cricketer that I saw. I really remember that he was the first cricketer to be particularly diet conscious. He had very specific requirements. He didn't have butter on his bread. He was the first one I saw who brought that tough Australian winning mentality. The likes of Shane Warne, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Dan Christian all followed;  they all had such an impact on our club.

Paul Terry used to go out and play cricket in Perth every winter and the connections out there were strong.

Paul would have left by 1997  - to be replaced in that opening spot by Matthew - for your favourite game. Did you enjoy seeing some of Paul’s record opening stands on wickets you prepared?

Yes, Paul was a very good batsman, as well being a brilliant fielder, but a nightmare for us as groundsmen. He always fielded in the cover or at mid-wicket where he would be very active and, on his toes, scuffing the ground up, just as the bowler was walking in. We were always doing running repairs to the square whenever Hampshire were in the field. We never really minded because he was that good in the field. He was also a very good one-day player. It was sad that he had that injury playing for England. Going back to Matthew Hayden, I remember how early he was out there in the nets facing the bowling machine. Robin Smith’s Dad would be feeding the machine at 7.30 in the morning to the pair of them. It was no coincidence they were both brilliant out there in the middle.

What about your memories of Malcolm Marshall, Nigel?

Not just the fact he was such a truly great cricketer, but also that he was just a fantastic and humble bloke to chat to, either on the ground or in the county club bar. I remember afterwards as well, when he was coach and he was demonstrating something, He would just amble in off four paces and still bowl quicker than anyone else. His rhythm and control were just so special to watch. I have a pencil drawing of Malcom signed by him in my office that is a special reminder of all my time with Hampshire.

Other favourite Hampshire players?

Another favourite player has to be Robin (Smith). I used to love watching him bat when he was back off England duty. He was box office on those really good Northlands Road decks. I also don’t think Mark Nicholas sometimes gets all the recognition for everything he did for Hampshire. He was another wonderful servant of the club, like Robin. The success he brought with those Lord’s successes while he was captain was a special and exciting time at Hampshire. He scored over 15,000 runs for the club and was maybe a bit unlucky not to play for England. In the modern era, it has to be Vince and Dawson. James is still such a joy to watch. He is so elegant and destructive. Liam has just got better and better with age. They are also both great professionals.

What about your favourite game at the Utilita Bowl?

Well, I think Hampshire beating Australia in 2001 was pretty good and there was, of course, that first ever T20 England International in 2005, It was the one where we won by 100 runs, just ahead of that unforgettable Ashes series. When I think of the top players here at this ground then John Crawley, Michael Carberry and Dimi all come to mind .It was sometimes tough preparing really good wickets for us in those first couple of years.

Nigel Gray was awarded a testimonial by Hampshire in 2012.

HAMPSHIRE v WARWICKSHIRE

County Championship

Chosen by Nigel Gray

29, 30, 31 May, 2 June 1997 at County Ground, Southampton                                      Match drawn

Toss Warwickshire

WARWICKSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

*NV Knight               c Aymes b Bovill                       81               not out                       119

AJ Moles                   c Hayden b Kenway                 168               c Aymes b Kenway      8

DL Hemp                   lbw b Bovill                           138               not out                       114

G Welch                    c Kenway b James                     75

TL Penney                 not out                                     86

NMK Smith               c Kendall b Bovill                   6

DP Ostler                   c White b Udal                          36

DR Brown                 c Aymes b Udal                       8

AF Giles                    not out                                   2

DA Altree

+T Frost

Extras                       b 4, lb 11, w 8, nb 8                   31               b 4, lb 1, w 2, nb 4         11

Total                         7 wickets dec, 167 overs           631               1 wicket dec, 27 overs  252

FOW: 1st inns  1-154, 2-388, 3-438, 4-524, 5-530, 6-595, 7-619.

         2nd inns  1-21

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Connor 23-3-101-0, Bovill 33-4-154-3, James 18-5-52-1, Hayden 3-0-19-0, Maru 42-3-137-0, Udal 42-9-132-2, White 5-0-16-0, Kenway 1-0-5-1. (Second innings) Kenway 8-2-53-1, Kendall 5-0-46-0, Aymes 9-0-76-0, Smith 3-0-36-0, Hayden 2-0-36-0.

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

GW White                  c Frost b Welch                       1               lbw b Brwon                 37

ML Hayden                not out                                   235               c Brown b Giles          119

KD James                  c Knight b Altree                     0               c Hemp b Brown         0

*RA Smith                 c Penney b Altree                      35               lbw b Brown               4

WS Kendall                c Moles b Welch                        76               c Moles b Brown           44

DA Kenway               b Welch                                 2   (7)    not out                         20

+AN Aymes                c Moles b Welch                        19   (8)    lbw b Giles                 1

SD Udal                    not out                                   117   (6)    c Penney b Brown         15

RJ Maru                                                                                            c Hemp b Welch          0

CA Connor                                                                                         b Welch                     0

JNB Bovill                                                                                         not out                       8

Extras                       b 6, lb 6, w 14, nb 38                  64               b 4, lb 6, w 2, nb 14       26

Total                         6 wickets dec, 148 overs           549               9 wickets, 72 overs      274

FOW: 1st inns  1-3, 2-8, 3-76, 4-282, 5-284, 6-344.

         2nd inns  1-89, 2-91, 3-101, 4-201, 5-225, 6-248, 7-254, 8-260, 9-260.

Warwickshire bowling: (First innings) Altree 22-3-108-2, Welch 31-6-119-4, Giles 44-10-112-0, Smith

30-3-120-0, Brown 18-4-54-0, Hemp 3-0-24-0. (Second innings) Welch 15-6-58-2, Altree 3-0-11-0, Brown

22-3-106-5, Smith 10-3-25-0, Giles 22-7-64-2.

Umpires:        JW Holder and AGT Whitehead

COP  (1)    Warwickshire 351-2

         (2(    Warwickshire 631-7dec, Hampshire 172-3,

         (3)    Warwickshire 631-7 dec, Hampshire 549-6  

Match Number Forty-Nine

1998 Middlesex v Hampshire at Lord’s

Result: Hampshire won by 144 runs

0-3 against Dorset

An Interview with Adi Aymes

What are your earliest memories of watching Hampshire, Adi?

It was being taken by Mike Barnard, who obviously played for the club and played for Portsmouth, to Northlands Road to watch Barry and Gordon bat together. We also loved watching Andy Roberts. I arrived in Southampton, aged eight, and went to Shirley Middle School. It was there I first met Mike’s son, John Barnard. We used to play a lot of cricket in the summer and football in the winter together. I was more into football and John, through his Dad, was the guy who first introduced me to playing cricket properly. We joined Hursley Park Cricket Club at the same time with another really good friend whose Dad was Mayor of Southampton. John and I then played together in the same Hampshire U19 side.  Apparently, there was another John in that team, but I don’t remember him! That was at a time when trying to make it as a footballer was still more of a priority for me.

What were your earliest memories of joining Hampshire then as a player?

Not many people know this, because I had been selected for the West of England U15 squad with the likes of Syd Laurence, but it was the Club knockout Final for Hursley Park at Lord’s in 1984 that was vital for my career. I top scored and Surrey were immediately interested. That then triggered a trial second team against Middlesex for Hampshire in August 1985 at the United Services Ground in Portsmouth. They had Phil Tufnell, Angus Fraser and Neil Williams in their line-up. I kept wicket to Kevan James, Stephen Andrew,  PJ Bakker and Raj Maru. I also made an unbeaten fifty in the second innings, which all led to the offer of a contract for 1986. When Bobby Parks was injured in June 1987, I came in to make my debut at The Oval. We were 46-6 when I came to the wicket. I top-scored with 58 against Martin Bicknell, Tony Gray, Greg Thomas, Ian Greig and Keith Medlycott, but it was back to the seconds again for a couple more years. Trevor Jesty had been someone I loved watching, and he actually got me out. He also made runs against us. My first catch, I think, was Darren Bicknell. On the Sunday between days 1 and 2 of the Surrey game, I also played my first one-day game. It ended up as a tie against Derbyshire at Southampton in the Refuge Assurance League. I took my first catch off Malcolm Marshall in that game. 

How long before your third first-team appearance?

More than a year. I certainly learnt my trade as a keeper/batsman in the second team championship and Bain Clarkson Trophy. I would usually bat in the top three or four with Tony Middleton and Rupert Cox by then. The next first-team  game was against Sri Lanka in August 1988. I didn’t bat in either innings. Paul Terry and Robin Smith both made centuries. My fourth game was against Oxford University only in June 1989.

I took four catches in the first innings and six in the second, for ten in the match. By now, was more than ready to play first team cricket, and Surrey were in for me again. At the back end of 1990, I was finally given the last six games. Tony Middleton, Chris Smith, David Gower, Robin Smith and Mark Nicholas were ahead of me, but I finished up fourth in the national batting averages. It had been a long time coming. One of the things I am most proud of is that I never averaged below thirty in the first team, starting at 7 or 8 and gradually working my way up the order. I think I was almost always at my best, with the bat, when we needed runs and were in trouble. I relished the fight. I also responded to more responsibility. When Robin was captain and promoted me to 4, my average went up to nearly 37. All of us who played in that era knew that the standard of bowling on the county circuit at that time was strong. It was also at a time when against the West Indian quicks, you weren’t wearing a helmet. The step up from county cricket to Test cricket is far greater now, without the likes of Ambrose, Walsh, Wasim and Waqar turning out regularly for county sides.

Which other differences do you also notice about the modern game?

Staying with the County Championship, it is the fact that the likes of Angus Fraser and Robin Smith would turn out for their counties immediately when the England matches were finished. The knock-out cup games were showpiece occasions as a result. They were still on terrestrial television and played in front of full houses. I can see why central contracts came in to benefit the England team, but the Championship has been adversely affected as a consequence. 

Who were the biggest coaching influences on you?

Players like Keith and Bob Stephenson initially, followed by Nigel Cowley and then Peter Sainsbury. A great mentor for me was also Peter Haslop who played so much 2nd XI cricket for Hampshire.

What was your favourite game?

It has to be during my best summer with the bat in 1998. I have to pick the Middlesex game in the Quarter-Final of the NatWest at my favourite ground - Lord’s. before we focus on that game, I just need to take you back to the first-round match against Dorset at Dean Park in Bournemouth. We were back there six years after leaving the ground in 1992. I was down on the card to bat five and had nipped across the ground for something to eat with the pain killers I had to take, when we won the toss and batted. Julian Shackleton took the new ball and helped reduce us to 0-3, so I hastily joined Robin in the middle. It is fair to say I didn’t have much time getting my pads on. We won the game easily with a big unbeaten ton from Robin. We added nearly 180 for the fourth wicket. In the next round at home, Cardigan Connor took three wickets in the first over of the match against Essex. We got home in a low-scoring game by 3 wickets, and it was off to Lord’s to play a strong Middlesex side. We battered them. They stuck us in, and we very nearly set them 300. I batted for nearly 30 overs with Giles White to set the platform. We took more than a hundred off the last 12 overs. I ended up 73 not out, batting at the end with Dimi Mascarenhas and Nixon McClean. The game was over at 65-5. The couple of catches I took were ones I also remember. When standing up to the seamers like Cardigan Connor, Kevan James and Dimi Mascarenhas and making the batsmen stay in their crease, you still needed to take the catch. One of those was a couple of years earlier off Kevan against India in 1996. It was a leg-side wide stumping at Southampton. Three balls later, Kevan had taken four wickets in four balls - including Tendulkar and Dravid. 

What are your other best memories of your long and successful Hampshire career?

The Lord’s win in 1991 was just such a special day for the club. There is nothing like lifting silverware, particularly at Lord’s. I was also the most privileged wicket-keeper in the world. Standing back, I kept to Malcolm Marshall and standing up I was 22 yards away from Shane Warne. Find a keeper anywhere who can match that! Not only did Malcolm have express pace, but he swung it both ways. Shane was unquestionably the best spinner of all time. When Lambie started batting out of his crease at Northants, Malcolm even had me standing up to him for a few overs. For my Benefit season in 2000, I do remember  the joy of keeping to Warnie. Having said that, Hampshire had plenty of other very talented bowlers during my years in the first team. You don’t get to the level of a Shaun Udal or Kevan James by accident. Most of all it is the friendships you made playing that now mean the most. I would not swap the era I played in for any other. It was a fabulous dressing room to be part of at Hampshire. I had a wonderful career with the club I grew up supporting. I loved the contest and being in the middle of the action, either as a keeper or batsman. Since I finished playing, football has given me some great memories on the touch line. I still love both sports; it just feels so sad now that the three true greats I played cricket with - Robin, Malcolm and Shane - aren’t with us anymore. They were all amazing players and special teammates. For their families and friends, it is still such a painful loss. Here in Hampshire, all three will never be forgotten for their contribution to the club and the game in general.

Adi Aymes scored 9548 runs, claimed 828 dismissals and took 6 wickets for Hampshire in all matches.

MIDDLESEX v HAMPSHIRE

National Westminster Bank Trophy 1998, Quarter-Final

Chosen by Adi Aymes

28 July 1998 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood Hampshire won by 144 runs

           Toss Middlesex

HAMPSHIRE

                     JS Laney                                c Gatting b Fraser                                  47

                     JP Stephenson                         st Brown b Dutch                      21

                     *RA Smith                             b Batt                                    7

GW White                              c Brown b Langer                      69

+AN Aymes                            not out                                     73

AD Mascarenhas                     c Dutch b Weekes                      29

NAM McLean                        not out                                     16

KD James

SD Udal

PJ Hartley

CA Connor

Extras                                   lb 12,  w 11, nb 10                     33

Total                                     5 wickets, 60 overs                  295

FOW: 1-70, 2-82, 3-98, 4-239, 5-277

Middlesex bowling: Fraser 12-3-25-1, Bloomfield 7-0-45-0, Batt 8-0-37-1,

Langer 5-0-45-1, Dutch 12-0-38-1, Johnson 9-0-56-0, Weekes 7-0-37-1.

MIDDLESEX

                     MW Gatting                           lbw  Connor                             14

JL Langer                              c Udal b Mascarenhas                57

*MR Ramprakash                    lbw McLean                           5

OA Shah                                c Aymes b Connor                   7

PN Weekes                             lbw Hartley                            9

+KR Brown                            c Aymes b Hartley                   4

KP Dutch                               c Mascarenhas b Udal                35

RL Johnson                            c&b Udal                               4

CJ Batt                                  run out                                  0

ARC Fraser                            not out                                   3

TF Bloomfield                        b McLean                              0

Extras                                   lb 5, w 6, nb 2                           13

Total                                     42.4 overs                              151

FOW::   1-16, 2-22, 3-36, 4-52, 5-65, 6-135, 7-146, 8-146, 9-151, 10-151

Hampshire bowling: Connor 7-1-29-2, McLean 7.4-1-23-2, Hartley 7-0-18-2,

Mascarenhas 12-0-37-1, Stephenson 4-0-28-0, Udal 5-1-11-2.

Umpires:        AA Jones & P Willey

Player of the match      AN Aymes

2000’s

Match Number Fifty

2001 Hampshire v Australia at Southampton

Result: Hampshire won by 2 wickets

Hampshire beat the Australians

Written by Simon Coombs

I’ve attended part or all of 204 Hampshire matches spread over seventy years, which makes the choice of a favourite game rather difficult!  I mentioned my first match, against Sussex at Portsmouth on 6 August 1955, to John Winter, but I was only there for the first afternoon and everybody else was much taller than I was at eight years old. Fast forward to 3 August 1959, again at Portsmouth, to watch Middlesex dismantled by Butch White and the beginning of the then record opening partnership by Roy Marshall and Jimmy Gray.

One of the great days of my life came a year later when Hampshire won their first championship, at Bournemouth. I was sitting close to where Danny Livingstone caught Bob Taylor off Peter Sainsbury to secure the title. Ironically, the opposition was Derbyshire who had won their only title twenty-five years earlier. Derek Shackleton’s 6 for 39 was the difference between the sides. His 153 wickets and the batting of Marshall, Gray and Henry Horton were decisive that year.

I must reserve a complete paragraph for Barry Richards!  I first saw him bat in The Parks at Oxford on 13 June 1968. An opening partnership of 160 with Richard Lewis was spectacular and nearly the end of me! After a boozy celebration party, I was sitting quietly in the pavilion when a six-hit landed on the bench beside me, a foot away. Other spectators admired my courage in not moving a muscle, but in truth my brain had not alerted me to the possibility of danger or worse. My other memory of Barry was his innings at Lords on 24 April 1974. 189 out of 249 for 6 was the finest innings I ever saw. It was only when he was out that my girl-friend and I realised that we were in danger of dying of hypothermia!

Wisden called this match MCC v Hampshire, but in reality, it was Champion County v The Rest. Hampshire had won their second title on 30 August 1973, again at Bournemouth, and again I was there! Bonus points for batting were easy to come by that year, but some time that afternoon, Hampshire’s points total became uncatchable by any other county, and we duly celebrated at tea. A year later came my least favourite match. Hampshire v Yorkshire was washed out entirely with Hampshire needing four points to win their third title. I left the ground with Richard Gilliat – neither of us could think of anything to say.

Memories from that era included Andy Roberts coming down the slope at Basingstoke like a whirlwind, destroying Kent and the unfortunate Colin Cowdrey, and Gordon Greenidge hitting the ball out of small grounds such as Basingstoke and Weston-Super-Mare.

There followed a long period of mixed fortunes, before on 9 July 1988, Hampshire reached their first Lords one-day final and won it by seven wickets. The opposition were again Derbyshire, and the heroes were Steven Jefferies (5 for 13), Robin Smith (38) and the inspired Mark Nicholas for his field placing and for seeing Hampshire home. This was definitely one of my favourite games!

This was the first of several Lords finals which I attended. In particular, I remember the match in 1991. Hampshire had savaged Warwickshire in the semi-final (Cardigan Connor 4 for 29) with the Smith brothers and Paul Terry delivering a 9-wicket win, but the final was a different matter. Surrey were firm favourites and made 240 for 5. Hampshire faced an attack led by Waqar Younis, but a pair of 78’s made by Tony Middleton and Robin Smith put us in a strong position and, despite a minor collapse, Jon Ayling saw us home in gathering darkness. Definitely another candidate for the favourites list! Another Robin Smith master class followed in 1992 with 90 runs before Malcolm Marshall saw off Kent with 3 for 33.

Malcolm deserves a paragraph to himself, but sadly I never saw him at his best, except on television. I met him towards the end of his short life and that memory remains with me.

In the sunny September of 2005, I was at Southampton to see Hampshire record their highest ever innings total, 714 for 5 dec. John Crawley led the way with 311*, sharing an unbroken partnership of 254 with Dimitri Mascarenhas who made 103*. Nottinghamshire were beaten by an innings and Hampshire finished second in the Championship behind them.

And so to the era of James Vince and Liam Dawson, and another period of great  success in one day competitions.  I rate James Vince second only to Barry Richards for the quality of his stroke play. Two of his innings stand out. His 240 against Essex in 2014 (Hampshire winning by 470 runs!) and 142 against Somerset in 2019, in what is now known as Abbott’s match, after Kyle took 17 wickets, beating Jack Newman’s record which had stood for 92 years. Hampshire’s other hero was Liam Dawson, who gritted out 103 out of 196 in the first innings.

May I mention two matches which I would love to have seen? At Middlesborough in May 1965, Yorkshire were dismissed for 121 and 23, the lowest innings score in their history.  Shackleton took six wickets in the first innings and Butch White six in the second. Hampshire won by ten wickets.  At Southampton in August 2011, Michael Carberry and Neil Mackenzie put on 523 runs for the third wicket, the highest partnership for any Hampshire wicket and the ninth highest in history. Again, the opposition were Yorkshire.

My favourite game? It has to be Hampshire's victory over the Australians in July 2001. This was my second visit to our new home at West End, the Rose Bowl. After the cosiness of Northlands Road, still essentially Victorian with a few modern additions, the new ground was then a mixture of tents and temporary buildings, lacking in atmosphere and somewhat wind-swept. Those were the days when the tourists played against all the counties, who had not much hope of beating them. I doubt whether anyone present on 28 July was alive in 1912, when Hampshire beat the Australians for the only previous time, but some might have seen the game in 1948 when Hampshire achieved a first innings lead of 78, only to lose by eight wickets.  Bradman was not playing, and Harvey made only one, with Charles Knott and Jim Bailey taking nine wickets between them in the first innings.

Thus, expectations were suitably modest at the start. A large crowd then watched spell-bound as Australia collapsed to 23 for 5 before recovering to be all out before lunch for 97, with Matthew Hayden and Shane Warne each contributing a single. Alan Mullally led the attack with 5 for 18. Hampshire replied with 354, against an attack only missing McGrath. Robin Smith (113), Neil Johnson (88) and Derek Kenway (70) drove us to a first innings lead of 257. Hayden redeemed himself with 142 before Steve Waugh unexpectedly declared, setting Hampshire a target of 133 to win, off 26 overs. Eight wickets had fallen, four of them to Warne, before Iain Brunnschweiler swept the winning four with nine balls remaining. Attendance of 13,000 over the three days and gate receipts in excess of £100,000 told their own tale. The Rose Bowl was well and truly Hampshire's new home.

My favourite game? It has to be from July 2001, as Hampshire beat the Australians by two wickets. I was present as the Australians were bowled out by Alan Mullally for 97 and Robin Smith hit 113 but had to leave before the pulsating finish as Iain Brunnschweiler swept the winning four with nine balls remaining. To all the men of Hampshire Cricket, my grateful thanks, and may I live long enough to celebrate a third Championship!

Simon Coombs is still very much a regular at Hampshire home matches supporting his favourite team.

HAMPSHIRE v AUSTRALIANS

Tourist match

Chosen by Simon Coombs

28, 29, 30 July 2001 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton                                   Hampshire won by 2 wickets

Toss Hampshire

AUSTRALIANS

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

ML Hayden                c Johnson b Schofield               1               c Johnson b Udal         142

JL Langer                   lbw b Schofield                       2               c Kenway b Johnson      30

SM Katich                 c Prittipaul b Mullally              3               c sub b Udal                 59

*SR Waugh                c Johnson b Schofield                 10               c&b White                   40

+WA Secombe            c Kenway b Mullally                  13               b Udal                         31

SK Warne                  c Brunnschweiler b Mullally          1   c Brunnschweiler b Schofield      15

B Lee                        c Brunnschweiler b Mascarenhas   22   c Brunnschweiler b Johnson          2

AA Noffke                 c Brunnschweiler b Mullally        28   (10)  c Prittipaul b Schofield   19

JN Gillespie               b Mullally                              1   (8)    not out                         27

DW Fleming               c Johnson b Udal                     6   (9)    c sub b Udal               5

CR Miller                  not out                                   2  

Extras                       b 4, lb 2, w 1, nb 1                   8   Extras   b 10, lb 8, w 1               19

Total                         30.4 overs                                97               9 wickets dec, 108.1 overs 389

FOW: 1st inns  1-1, 2-10, 3-16, 4-20, 5-23, 6-47, 7-63, 8-72, 9-95, 10-97.

         2nd inns  1-72, 2-198, 3-271, 4-283, 5-321, 6-333, 7-333, 8-345, 9-389.

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Mullally 11.4-3-18-5, Schofield 6-2-25-3, Mascarenhas 8-2-17-1, Johnson 4-0-25-0, Udal 1-0-6-1. (Second innings) Mullally 8-3-20-0, Schofield 28.1-3-106-2, Mascarenhas 1.5-0-8-0, Udal 47.1-10-149-4, Johnson 16-4-50-2, White 8-0-38-1.

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

DA Kenway               c Waugh b Warne                      70   (2)    c Katich b Lee              22

GW White                  c Secombe b Lee                     0   (1)    c Secombe b Lee         8

WS Kendall                lbw b Lee                               0               b Warne                     9

*RA Smith                 lbw b Noffke                          113   (6)    c Langer b Miller           10

NC Johnson                b Gillespie                               88               lbw b Warne                 37

LR Prittipaul              c Secombe b Gillespie                10   (4)    b Lee                        0

AD Mascarenhas         c Secombe b Noffke                   10               b Warne                       14

SD Udal                    c Warne b Noffke                      15               b Warne                     2

+I Brunnschweiler       c Waugh b Miller                     1               not out                         10

JEK Schofield             c Katich b Miller                     0               not out                       1

AD Mullally               not out                                   4

Extras                       b 7, lb 22, w 2, nb 12                  43               b 3, lb 10, w 5, nb 3       21

Total                         114.1 overs                             354               8 wickets, 24.3 overs    134

FOW: 1st inns  1-13, 2-14, 3-116, 4-298, 5-321, 6-328, 7-339, 8-350, 9-350, 10-354.

         2nd inns  1-27, 2-38, 3-42, 4-90, 5-99, 6-111, 7-121, 8-128.

Australians bowling: (First innings) Lee 19-6-54-2, Fleming 21-6-53-0, Noffke 22.1-11-66-3, Gillespie

14-2-37-2, Miller 21-8-55-2, Warne 13-2-43-1, Katich 4-0-17-0. (Second innings) Lee 7-2-17-3, Fleming

4-0-22-0, Gillespie 3-0-19-0, Miller 5.3-0-32-1, Warne 5-0-31-4.

Umpires:        JF Steele and RA White

COP: (1)    Australians 97, Hampshire 238-3

         (2)    Australians 97 and 176-1, Hampshire 354.

            Match Number Fifty-One

2003 Hampshire v Glamorgan at Southampton

Result: Hampshire won by 93 runs

Those pies in the Atrium Bar

Written by Nick Pike

Having been taken to my first Hampshire Cricket match at Northlands Road in the 1964 and enrolled as a Junior Member, I have been fortunate enough to witness many tremendous individual performances and indeed many matches since that time. One can never forget the thrill of watching Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge open the batting or Warney leading our team by example and brilliance.  Witnessing many one-day trophies in the last 20 years – a true highlight. Not least in 2022 when watching the Twenty20 final against Lancashire thousands of miles away in Toronto and attempting to explain to my Canadian hosts why, with fireworks having been lit amongst a smoke-filled Edgbaston, with my and the players extravagant celebrations, that all had to be set aside as a no-ball meant playing the last ball again.

However, my favourite match, witnessed personally with only a few, I doubt is recalled by many. Starting on 15th July (my Birthday) 2003 and when competing in Division Two of the County Championship, Hampshire faced Glamorgan at the then Rose Bowl captained by John Crawley. Hampshire were depleted through injury and other issues, missing Robin smith, Alan Mullally, Shaun Udal, Ed Giddins and Wasim Akram. Richard Hindley was drafted in for what proved to be his only first-class appearance.

Glamorgan won the toss and boosted by a century each by Dale and Maynard amassed 436 for 9 on day one, moving to 449 all out at the beginning of day two. 3 wickets a piece for Mascarenhas, Tremlett and Katich bowling off-spin and 1 for Tomlinson. Hampshire were then bundled out for 185. With the weather having already interfered and with more risk ahead Glamorgan enforced the follow-on. Kenway and Adams got starts, Katich passed 50 but couldn’t push on, out to the last ball of the day, Hampshire closed on 114 for 4, a seemingly perilous position.

However, on Day 3, a battling 40 from John Francis, half centuries from Dimi Mascarenhas (75) and Richard Hindley (68) together with a tremendous 121 from 170 balls by Nic Pothas, meant Hampshire were eventually all out for 449. Pothas batting with a runner and unable to keep wicket in the 2nd innings due to a pulled hamstring.

Set 198 to win Glamorgan; Chris Tremlett and James Bruce’s hostile bowling reduced them to 33 for 3 at the close. The next morning, under overcast conditions Tremlett and Bruce kept the pressure on and with controlled aggression continued to take Glamorgan wickets, including 2 catches by stand-in wicketkeeper Ian Brunnschweiler.

As a Hampshire fan who has never been able to sit still whilst watching, I nervously watched from the top of the berm (these were the days before the Ingleby-Mackenzie and Shane Warne Stands). Rocking from foot to foot I became aware of someone heading my way progressing up over the fixed seats in a somewhat ungainly slow hurdle. “Excuse me Mr Pike, I have this letter for you.” Hoping to remain polite and gripped by the game I asked whether it would be OK to read a little later; a request that was willingly accepted. Tremlett got Croft caught in the slips by Simon Katich, as was Dale batting late due to injury. One wicket needed and it was Kat who again took the catch off Dimi to seal an extraordinary victory.

Tremlett 6 for 61, Bruce 3 for 42 and Glamorgan all out for 104. Hampshire win by 93 runs.

The first time since 1922 that Hampshire had won a County Championship match after being asked to follow-on. And all that achieved by a very inexperienced side, in front of a small crowd under leaden skies.

Oh, and the contents of the letter. Could I please do something about the lack of choice of pies in the Atrium bar.

Nick Pike is the current Chairman of Hampshire Cricket.

HAMPSHIRE v GLAMORGAN

County Championship

Chosen by Nick Pike

15, 16, 17, 18 July 2003 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton                          Hampshire won by 93 runs

Toss Glamorgan

GLAMORGAN

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings

JP Maher                   hit wkt b Tomlinson                   30               c Crawley b Tremlett    9

J Hughes                    c&b Mascarenhas                                4               c Crawley b Tremlett    7

A Dale                       c Kenway b Katich                  123   (9)    c Katich b Tremlett      3

MJ Powell                  c Kenway b Katich                    44   (5)    c sub b Bruce              4

MP Maynard              c Pothas b Tremlett                  129   (6)    lbw b Tremlett            3

+MA Wallace             b Katich                                 0   (3)    b Bruce                        11

*RDB Croft                c Francis b Mascarenhas             28   (8)    c Katich b Tremlett        12

MS Kasprowicz          c Pothas b Tremlett                    24   (10)  c Katich b Mascarenhas   14

AG Wharf                  not out                                     16   (11)   not out                         10

DS Harrison               c Potas b Tremlett                    0   (7)    c sub b Tremlett          9

DA Cosker                 c Katich b Mascarenhas            7   (4)    lbw b Bruce                6

Extras                       b 3, lb 4, w 3, nb 22                   32               nb 16                          16

Total                         105.1 overs                            437               31.2 overs                  104

FOW: 1st inns  1-7, 2-69, 3-158, 4-287, 5-287, 6-360, 7-407, 8-424, 9-430, 10-437.

         2nd inns  1-16, 2-21, 3-33, 4-39, 5-46, 6-50, 7-74, 8-79, 9-94, 10-104.

Hampshire bowling: (First innings) Mascarenhas 20.1-4-50-3, Tremlett 22-5-72-3, Tomlinson 20-2-89-1, Bruce 17-3-86-0, Hindley 9-0-46-0, Katich 17-2-87-3. (Second innings) Tremlett 16-3-51-6, Mascarenhas 5.2-2-11-1, Bruce 10-1-42-3.

HAMPSHIRE

                                 First innings                                                   Second innings (following on)

DA Kenway               b Wharf                                   26               b Croft                        24

JHK Adams                c Wallace b Kasprowicz              21               c Wallace b Croft           21

SM Katich                 c Maynard b Kasprowicz          4               c Wharf b Croft             53

*JP Crawley               c Hughes b Croft                       24               st Wallace b Croft        9

JD Francis                  c Wallace b Croft                       27               c Wallace b Wharf         40

+N Pothas                  lbw b Kasprowicz                    2               c Croft b Harrison        121

AD Mascarenhas         c Maher b Harrison                    16               lbw b Kasprowicz          75

RJE Hindley               c Wallace b Harrison                8               not out                         68

CT Tremlett                c Wharf b Kasprowicz                22               c Maher b Kasprowicz  6

JTA Bruce                  not out                                     21               c Wallace b Kasprowicz   10

JA Tomlinson             b Kasprowicz                          0               c Wallace b Croft         1

Extras                       lb 4, w 2, nb 8                           14               b 9, lb 6, nb 6                21

Total                         73.5 overs                              185               107.3 overs                449

FOW: 1st inns  1-40, 2-48, 3-58, 4-93, 5-102, 6-126, 7-137, 8-140, 9-169, 10-185.

         2nd inns  1-40, 2-55, 3-75, 4-114, 5-194, 6-343, 7-394, 8-420, 9-432, 10-449.

Glamorgan bowling: (First innings) Kasprowicz 22.5-10-48-5, Wharf 10-1-31-1, Harrison 15-3-51-2. Croft

26-8-51-2. (Second innings) Kasprowicz 28-8-103-3, Wharf 17-4-68-1, Harrison 10-0-81-1, Cosker 14-1-65-0, Croft 38.3-9-117-5.

Umpires:        MJ Kitchen and R Palmer

COP  (1)    Glamorgan 436-9.

         (2)    Glamorgan 437, Hampshire 185 and 114-4

         (3)    Glamorgan 437 and 33-3, Hampshire 185 and 449.

            Match Number Fifty-Two

2005 Surrey v Hampshire at the Oval

Result: Hampshire won by 2 wickets

Highest-ever run chase

An Interview with Kevan James

What is the best Hampshire 50-over one-day side you have commented on?

If I start with the 2018 side that beat Kent in the Royal London One-day Cup Final at Lord’s, there were some names in that that weren't always regulars, which means I have to settle on the 2012 team. It was the double winning team who lifted the T20 title in Cardiff and then beat Warwickshire at Lord’s again in the CB40 - in that dramatic last ball finish. There was so much dynamic batting at the top of the order, where you had Michael Carberry and James Vince. Jimmy Adams was a prolific one-day player around that time. Neil McKenzie was there that summer; he was certainly a brilliant player. After that you had Sean Ervine coming into the middle order, with Simon Katich. In any era, that's just a seriously good batting order. Back that up with home-grown talent of Liam Dawson, Michael Bates behind the stumps, and Chris Wood -  who was very much in his pomp in those days. David Griffiths gave you that real pace, while Kabir Ali bowled that terrific last over in that Warwickshire final. I just think around that time there was nobody to match Hampshire in either shorter format.

How does that compare with best one-day side you played in?

Just going on pure statistics, I think around that sort of 1991/1992 era, I think we also had a very good balance side. The players in that team  were very competitive and consistent. Maybe, it wasn't the most dynamic of opening partnerships with Paul Terry and Tony Middleton for those finals, but, in those days, a solid opening partnership - that gave you runs without losing wickets - was very much the way all the successful teams played. The quality of the opening attacks you faced demanded that.  I know now it's the big thing to sort of go hard early on, but it wasn't back then. Solid opening partnerships who set the platform were worth their weight in gold. When I look back now, Paul Terry played so many match-winning innings in those knock-out cup games. With Robin Smith and David Gower coming in after that, there is clearly no explanation needed about their class. No county in the country could match those two batting in tandem. Mark Nicholas was a great captain and very fine bat. Malcom Marshall had no equals with ball; he also was the best of any of those famous West Indian quicks with the bat. Other all-rounders included the very promising Jon Ayling, the very skilful Shaun Udal or the ever-dependable Raj Maru, as well, of course, as the very tidy and competitive Adi Aymes keeping. That team batted all the way down: Adi was certainly a seriously good middle-order player in both formats by then. Aaqib Javed deputised for Malcom in 1991. Sharing the new ball with both of them was Cardigan Connor who was always so consistent. There was great variety to the attack. We were happy to set a target or chase. If you asked me to compare that with the 2012 side that followed, all I can say is that it would be a great game! 

What about the great Hampshire T20 sides you have commentated on?

What I also really liked about the 2010 and 2012 winning teams was the fact that so many of the academy were allowed to come through together. I particularly enjoyed watching the 2012 side, when we relied on the three spinners, Danny Briggs, Liam Dawson and Glenn Maxwell . I found that era with those 3 playing, especially at our ground, very fascinating. Even though they weren't high scoring games, that never really mattered. In fact, it added to the drama. I couldn't single out a single game. I just thought that was a great era for us. That was always a great fielding side. With the spinners bowing in the power play, saving boundaries in the ring was key. Every run mattered and often it was much more of an even contest between bat and ball. My own feeling is that T20 cricket has become such a lottery now. The scores keep going up and up, as batters find more and more ways to score all-round the wicket. The size of bats mean you regularly see good balls going for four and six. They are such small margins with the catches that now get held on the fence. Back then, around 2012, you always felt that Hampshire were going to win, even if they had only set about 150. Teams can regularly chase down 220 now, especially on some of the smaller grounds. Definitely as a bowler, T20 cricket is more of a lottery than ever with so many more players able to play on both sides of the wicket and clear the fence. Hampshire’s record in the shortest format remains extremely good; one of my favourite games to commentate on was definitely the 2022 T20 Final at Edgbaston against Lancashire.

What would be your favourite Hampshire game you have commentated on, Kevan?

Certainly, a contender would be the 2022 T20 Final where Nathan Ellis bowled the extra ball.

I think for a couple of reasons really. One was just the drama obviously. The other one was my co-commentator was Melissa Story that day. I just think she called that last couple of the balls, just absolutely superbly; I just sat back and let her get on with it because she just called it so beautifully. Her commentary journey obviously started with us on Radio Solent, and she shone that day when the biggest moment arrived. I distinctly remember that whole last over was so amazing. Another very memorable game was the 2010 Twenty20 Final on our ground that also went to the last over. That was both incredible and crazy. The last over took about 20 minutes to complete. Funnily enough, I spoke to Sean Ervine last week actually about that game. He was at the non-striker’s end for the last delivery; he just said he didn't know what the hell was going on. When he saw Dan Christian coming towards him, even though he had a runner, he just had to run. There was chaos at the end. It sparked great celebrations that night at the club. Sean was a fine player by the way. He had an amazing 2005, if you remember, because he got

a hundred in the semi-final against Yorkshire and another century in the win over Warwickshire in the Final. All this brings me to my final choice of My Favourite Game from the commentary box. It was the Quarter-Final win that same year in 2005.

Was that the record run chase at the Oval?

Yes, that was it – the highest ever run chase by any side in England in a one-day competition. Surrey won the toss and batted. It was a great wicket, and you got full value for any shot square of the wicket with so many cut strips. They put on nearly 150 for the first wicket. Graham Thorpe then added over a hundred with their keeper Jonathan Batty. Thorpe made 60, while Batty finished up with 158. At one stage, with about 10 overs to go, it seemed like almost 400 might be on for Surrey. Chris Tremlett and Sean then pulled it back a bit in the death overs. We still thought it was all over at the halfway mark, though. Surrey had posted 358-6 from their 50 overs.

Shane Watson, who wasn’t in the Ashes side that summer, played one of the best one-day innings that I have ever seen. He came in at four – with the score no more than 40-2 – and duly made 132, at far more than a run a ball. It was a fabulous effort. The excitement really built up, as the runs kept coming.  Just as valuable at the end was the 44 not out Shaun Udal made to see Hampshire home, when Shane was out. In the end, Hampshire won with 2 overs to spare, eight down. Those are the hardest innings to play, with mounting scoreboard pressure and wickets tumbling, especially chasing such a big score. As well as Shane had played, Hampshire still needed 80 to win at just under 8 an over. Surrey were a very good side and were stunned at the end. The significance of the win was that Hampshire went on to lift the trophy that summer, while Shane Warne was weaving his magic in that unforgettable Ashes summer. My other memory of the semi-final is that Yorkshire arrived at the Rose Bowl in all sorts of different vehicles,  since their bus had broken down on route. 2005 was an unforgettable summer for Hampshire and England.

Kevan James is the voice of Hampshire cricket on BBC Radio Solent, commentating on every game for the live stream for the club’s website.

SURREY v HAMPSHIRE

Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy quarter final

Chosen by Kevan James

15 July 2005 at The Brit Oval, Kennington                       Hampshire won by 2 wickets

SURREY

                     JGE Benning              st Pothas b Udal                        73

                     +JN Batty                  not out                                   158

                     AD Brown                 c Latouf b Tremlett                    12

                     GP Thorpe                 b Udal                                     60

                     R Clarke                    b Ervine                                   17

Azhar Mahmood         c Pothas b Tremlett                  4

TJ Murtagh                c Crawley b Ervine                  3

*MR Ramprakash        not out                                   5

Mohammad Akram

ND Doshi

J Ormond

Extras                       lb 2, w 8, nb 16                         26

Total                         6 wickets, 50 overs                  358

FOW: 1-142, 2-159, 3-274, 4-321, 5-328, 6-349

Hampshire bowling: Tremlett 10-0-68-2, Taylor 7-0-68-0, Ervine 7-0-47-2, Mascarenhas

8-0-50-0, Udal 10-0-60-2, Lamb 6-0-41-0, McMillan 2-0-20-0.

HAMPSHIRE

GA Lamb                   c Batty b Azhar Mahmood             0

+N Pothas                  c Mohammad Akram b Murtagh   27

JP Crawley                 c Thorpe b Mohammad Akram     45

SR Watson                 b Murtagh                              132

CD McMillan             run out                                    42

SM Ervine                 c Doshi b Benning                     16

KJ Latouf                   c Batty b Mohammad Akram       25

AD Mascarenhas         run out                                  6

*SD Udal                   not out                                     44

CT Tremlett                not out                                   1

BV Taylor

Extras                       lb 4, w 5, nb 12                         21

Total                         8 wickets, 47.5 overs                359

FOW: 1-0, 2-41, 3-119, 4-200, 5-232, 6-270, 7-279, 8-342.

Surrey bowling: Azhar Mahmood 9-1-61-1, Murtagh 8.5-0-63-2, Ormond 10-0-71-0, Mohammad Akram 10-0-71-2, Doshi 7-0-64-0, Benning 3-0-25-1

Umpires:        NJ Llong & P Willey                TV Umpire  DJ Constant

Player of the match   SR Watson

Match Number Fifty-Three

2005 Hampshire v Yorkshire at Southampton

Result: Hampshire won by 8 wickets

First-ever game of cricket

Written by Robbie James

Right, I've had a wee think and I reckon that 2005 C&G Semi-Final between Hampshire & Yorkshire is going be my answer to the favourite Hampshire game question; some of the other contenders are already taken! Firstly, I believe it to be my first ever game of cricket! I was still a couple of years away from double digits. A few weeks prior to the game, on the final day of the summer term, me and my eleven peers that were in my year group trotted from Upham School to Upham Recreation Park. We came armed with energy, ice lollies, grass-stained shorts, and a wooden cricket set from Londis (the one with the singular long bail, not trusted to use two just yet). It was that Friday evening that flicked the switch from ''cricket...?'' to ''cricket...!'' within my brain. I was hooked on this newfound activity. If only to accompany my hobby for the next few weeks of school holidays, there was one of the greatest test series of all time taking place on free to air television...? So, Shane Warne and KP were on the TV and I was completely engrossed in the theatre of it all, and the characters within the play are still some of my heroes to this day.

It was my Uncle John who was given the task of taking me to The Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy semi-final between Hampshire and Yorkshire at The Rose Bowl in August 2005. Hampshire bowled first, and reduced a Yorkshire side with Phil Jaques, Michael Lumb, and Craig White within their ranks to a modest 197/9 from 50 overs. Shane Watson was standing in for the 'other' Shane and was the pick of the bowlers. Also, I'm pretty sure I thought Andy Bichel was English for about the next three years after watching him…anyway.

Looking back, Hampshire were all over the Yorkies in that game, and chased down the target with over 10 overs to spare. Sean Ervine was magnificent (I say this as if I can remember how well he rotated strike or made the bowlers stray onto his pads, I haven't got a clue, but ESPN Cricinfo says he got a hundred, which I do remember, so he can't have batted horrifically). Trusty Nic Pothas anchored the innings and carried his bat (he must've had his lucky underpants on), and Hampshire cruised to the final of the competition they would go on to win at the Home of Cricket.

It was a blistering hot day and at the ripe old age of eight, I remember looking into the beer tents and thinking the pints of cold, gold liquid looked very appealing, so that explains a few things. I remember the music (Hampshire would walk out to In The Middle by the Sugababes, which still amuses me to this day). I just remember watching Sean Ervine and wondering if he and Kevin Pietersen were good mates who loved chatting hairstyles more than cricket tactics.

More than the actual live game, I remember my parents had recorded it onto a video. I must've watched the entire Channel 4 broadcast back twenty times in the year that followed. I can still remember the opening montage introduced by Mark Nicholas, set to Fatboy Slim's, Right Here Right Now, the opening frame a fuzzy wide shot of the iconic giant stumps at the end of Marshall Drive. I remember being unable to comprehend that the voices I'd been hearing at Lord's, Edgbaston and Old Trafford (we were three tests into the series by this point) had been at the same game I was at. Richie Benaud? Tony Greig? Michael Atherton? Are you SERIOUS!? It was the first time I'd ever been to any sporting event with scale, with television cameras.

Cricket has added a tremendous amount to my life. Ever since that summer of 2005, cricket has been the constant soundtrack. It's been there through childhood, exams, puberty, breakups, first jobs, last jobs (whoops), and so many more ups and downs. But it's always knocking about, there's always a game happening somewhere in the world, it won't ever let you down like that. It brings us jubilation and sadness and teaches us rejection, and most importantly of all, it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's one of the great forms of comedy out there, and I'll always take great joy from that. So I'm very grateful to my parents, my school friends, and my uncle for introducing me to it in that year of 2005. I'm also very grateful to Sean Ervine for having a skunk back then, the characters and colours of the game have always really stood out to me; while I couldn't appreciate a fifth stump cross-seamer, I could engage with wacky hair.

Lots of other Hampshire games came very close to my final selection.
I'll probably be falling asleep in May 2029 and suddenly remember another game I should've considered picking. But, alas. The Friends Provident Trophy final of 2009 was my first trip to Lord's, and it was to see Hampshire lift silverware. The Friends Provident T20 final of 2010 backed up my point about cricket not being a serious sport like nothing else ever. The 2012 CB40 final remains the most on edge I've ever been watching Hampshire. Love Michael Bates. The trip to Liverpool at the end of the County Championship in 2021 was quite frankly ridiculous, and England vs West Indies IT20 in 2025 was the first international I've worked on at Utilita Bowl, which felt like a cool moment. Also, an honourable mention for whichever game Shane Warne was playing in when I first met him. My guess is September 2005, but he changed my life and I have a lot to thank him for. What a hero. Hampshire are a wonderful county and they put us through the ringer; here's to many more years of the nonsense.

Robbie James is the stadium announcer at the Utilita Bowl.

2005 Hampshire v Yorkshire at Southampton

Result: Hampshire won by 8 wickets

First-ever game of cricket

Written by Ashley Wren

Hampshire cricket runs in my family. My granddad, Doug, was heavily involved in cricket and used to umpire Hampshire second XI games before I was born. I never met my grandad, but my dad has told me about watching him umpire across Hampshire at grounds such as Northlands Road, Mays Bounty and Bournemouth.

Stories would be about past players such as Barry Richards, Trevor Jesty and Richard Lewis but to name a few. Doug’s father, my great grandad, was also a member at Hampshire. Going to my first Hampshire game was an important moment for me and it started an exciting journey into cricket for me. That is why this game is so important to me.

Hampshire v Yorkshire was my first ever cricket match and I was so excited to watch a live game. My auntie and uncle had managed to get tickets, so I went with them as well as my dad and cousins.  We arrived at the ground early in order to take in the atmosphere. We met at the stumps at the entrance and my excitement was building as we made our way up to the gate. When I entered the ground, I remember the feeling of seeing the pitch for the first time and the contrast of the grass against the white backdrop of the seats. Me and my cousins were watching the players warming up and we started collecting signatures.

We were fortunate enough to meet most of the Hampshire team. I remember meeting Chris Tremlett and not believing how tall he was! Kevin Latouf was playing for Hampshire, and he had played for a team that I was playing junior cricket at the time, Flamingo Cricket Club. I remember it being a very warm day and there was such a buzz in the air. The channel 4 team were there, and I managed to meet Shane Warne and Mark Nicholas. When we were also collecting signatures on the boundary a Yorkshire fan offered to sign my cousins autograph book and proceeded to sign the book ‘A Yorkshireman’.

Hampshire won the toss and put Yorkshire into bat. Yorkshire were restricted to 197-9 from 50 overs due to a tight all-round bowling display. Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shane Watson and Shaun Udal with 2 wickets a piece, Andy Bichel with 1 wicket along with a fine fielding display that included 2 run outs. Michael Lumb, a future Hampshire player, top scored for the visitors with 43 and a useful contribution from captain Craig White of 40. Hampshire never really looked in trouble in the run chase with a fine century from Sean Ervine and classy 73 from Nic Pothas guiding the Hawks to comfortable 8 wicket victory with 10 overs to spare.

The other game that came close was the Royal London final against Kent in 2018 where a superb hundred from Rilee Rossouw lead Hampshire to victory at Lord’s.

Ashley Wren and his family still love nothing better than following Hampshire cricket.

HAMPSHIRE v YORKSHIRE

Cheltenham and Gloucester Semi-final

Chosen by Robbie James

20 August 2005 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton  Hampshire won by 8 wickets

              Toss Hampshire

YORKSHIRE

                     PA Jaques                  c Bichel b Mascarenhas                      31

                     MJ Wood                   c Watson b Bichel                                9

                     MJ Lumb                   c Pothas b Watson                                  43

                     A McGrath                 run out                                                17

                     *C White                   not out                                                 40

                     RM Pyrah                  c Pothas b Watson                                1

                     +I Dawood                 run out                                              2

                     RKJ Dawson              b Mascarenhas                                      21

                     TT Bresnan                b Udal                                               3

                     JAR Blain                  c Lamb b Udal                                    6

                     GJ Kruis                    not out                                               7

                     Extras                       lb 3, w 10, nb 4                                     17

                     Total                         9 wickets, 50 overs                              197

                     FOW: 1-29, 2-76, 3-103, 4-121, 5-123, 6-127, 7-158, 8-166, 9-177

                     Hampshire bowling: Bichel 10-1-42-1, Tremlett 8-0-36-0,

Mascarenhas 10-0-32-2, Ervine 3-0-22-0, Watson 9-0-29-2, Udal 10-0-33-2.

HAMPSHIRE

JP Crawley                 b Kruis                                              8

+N Pothas                  not out                                                 73

SM Ervine                 c&b Dawson                                      100

SR Watson                 not out                                                 11

JJ McLean

KJ Latouf

GA Lamb

AD Mascarenhas

AJ Bichel

*SD Udal

CT Tremlett

Extras                       lb 3, w 2, nb 2                                     7

Total                         2 wickets, 39.5 overs                            199

FOW: 1-32, 2-179

Yorkshire bowling: Kruis 10-1-23-1, Bresnan 8-0-46-0, Blain 9-1-34-0,

Dawson 8.5-0-58-1, McGrath 2-0-15-0, Pyrah 2-0-20-0

Umpires: AA Jones and AGT Whitehead  TV umpires TE Jesty

Player of the match: SM Ervine

Match Number Fifty-Four

2006 Surrey v Hampshire at Whitgift School

Result: Hampshire won by 8 wickets

I saw Warne’s best-ever List A figures

Written by Phil Catchpole

How hard is it to pick your favourite Hampshire game, Phil?

Very hard, because there are so many good ones to choose from. I grew up in Uxbridge and followed Surrey as a child, but when I moved down to Hampshire in the late 1980's, I adopted Hampshire and have been a regular home and away ever since. Certainly, one of the best was my first game at the old ground in Southampton.

It was against Yorkshire in the late eighties on a Sunday and a guy called Richard Scott just came in and regularly smashed sixes out of the ground.* He won the game on his own and it was the only time I really remember him doing it. I just loved the ground and Hampshire have been my club ever since. 

What is your favourite ever Hampshire game?

It was a one-day game in about 2006 at Whitgift School. I just remember it most for the Surrey fans near us giving Shane Warne stick throughout the game. He took 6 wickets, and I am pretty sure they were his best ever one-day figures in this career that day. David Ackland, who was sitting with us at Edgbaston when we conducted this interview, was also there that day for the Surrey game in 2006. He was immediately able to confirm that Shane Warne's 6-41 at Whitgift were his best ever List A figures. I just remember Shane lining everyone up on the boundary edge, down by the marquee opposite all the banking where most of the spectators were, to sign for everyone. This was during the game when Hampshire batted to knock off the runs.  Carberry made it look so easy, and we won with more than 10 overs to spare. Shane might have had the odd cigarette, while he was watching from his plastic chair, but he signed every single one. The queue never got any shorter for a couple of hours. Even when the game was over and he had to go and do the presentation as the winning captain, he still came back to his chair on the boundary and signed everything. What a guy! Nobody was barracking him by then. Just a different class on and off the field that day. I always loved the fact he was so competitive, he clearly loved Hampshire so much and that he always loved a laugh and a drink after the game! 

Favourite away ground?

For the smaller grounds, it would have to be either Arundel or Tunbridge Wells. As for the bigger grounds, where the Tests are played, I always love going to Trent Bridge. I really enjoy the company of the small group of us who go to all the away grounds in the Championship. Four-day cricket is great for trips away around the country with friends who love watching Hampshire as much as I do.

Can you recall any early Hampshire games at the Oval? 

No, not really. I used to play for Ickenham Cricket Club, and I just remember going on tour which was where I came into contact with Richard Hayward and Robin Smith. I was always captain in those days because that was the only way I could get a game. Robin, of course, was just a different class and I loved watching him play. He hit the ball so unbelievably hard. It was a joke watching him play club stuff as a 17-year-old back then. Through the tours that we used to organise, I also got to know Paul Terry who is a great chap and a fabulous player. I remember Ramprakash as a kid played against our club. You could see then he was also destined to play for England. 

Favourite other players overs over the years?

As a child, my favourite England player was definitely Graeme Roope. I loved watching him as a batsman, but he was probably an even better fielder. He used to take some amazing catches in the slips. Another of my Surrey favourites, who also played for England, was definitely Robin Jackman. I think it was the way that he used to appeal that made him so much fun to watch as an opening bowler. 

Your all-time Hampshire favourite player?

That’s a really tough question because there are two that immediately bring to mind. From that side that I watched in the early 90s, it would have to be Malcolm Marshall. But if you push me as to my real all-time favourite, I’d have to say Shane Warne. I think he changed this club more than anybody I can remember. He was just box office whenever he was on a cricket field. His appeals were also something else! I would love to have seen Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie. Players with personality, charisma and a colourful life off the field have always been my favourites. 

Your favourite current player?

That’s a difficult question because it is a toss-up between Liam (Dawson) and Kyle (Abbott). 

Favourite all-time Hampshire XI? 

Richards, Greenidge, Robin, Gower, Vince, Warne, Marshall, Abbott, Dimi, Tomlinson, Bates, Dawson. Special mention for Michael Bates who was the best keeper we have had in my time watching Hampshire. 

Phil's first game at Northlands Road was on Sunday 2nd July 1989. Hampshire, in reply to Yorkshire's 179-7 in 40 overs, were 24-3 when Richard Scott arrived at the wicket. In a stand of 150 with Chris Smith, Richard smashed nine 6's in his unbeaten 116 from just 86 balls. A number of those sixes definitely did sail out of that relatively small ground, according to the mini report of the game in the following year's Hampshire Handbook.  In 38 matches - between 1986 and 1990 - he averaged 27.59 in scoring 976 one-day runs for Hampshire; this was his only century for the club.

Phil Catchpole rarely misses home or away Hampshire Championship fixtures.

SURREY v HAMPSHIRE

Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy

Chosen by Phil Catchpole

4 June 2006 at Whitgift School, Croydon                         Hampshire won by 8 wickets

                                                                                                               Toss Hampshire

SURREY

                     SA Newman                           c Lamb b Taylor                      0

                     JGE Benning                          c Pothas b Bruce                     8

                     *MA Butcher                          run out                                    77

                     AD Brown                             c Ervine b Taylor                     8

                     +JN Batty                              st Pothas b Warne                      35

R Clarke                                c Lamb b Warne                        15

SJ Walters                              not out                                     12

TJ Murtagh                            c Lamb b Warne                      0

ND Doshi                              lbw b Warne                           0

Mohammad Akram                  lbw b Warne                           4

JM Dernbach                          st Pothas b Warne                    1

Extras                                   lb 3, w 3                                6

Total                                     40.2 overs                              166

FOW: 1-0, 2-16, 3-37, 4-120, 5-145, 6-150, 7-154, 8-154, 9-158, 10-166.

Hampshire bowling: Taylor 7-1-21-2, Bruce 5-0-21-1, Ervine 6-0-22-0,

Warne 9.2-0-42-6, Udal 9-0-39-0, Mascarenhas 4-0-18-0.

HAMPSHIRE

MA Carberry                          c Murtagh b Doshi                     88

JP Crawley                             c Newman b Doshi                    49

SM Ervine                             not out                                     22

DJ Thornley                           not out                                   0

GA Lamb

*SK Warne

AD Mascarenhas