Special Summers

In this first special interview, conducted this summer by HCH's John Winter, Richard Gilliat talks at length about the year he made six first-class hundreds - one more than Barry Richards! Modest and the ultimate team-man, Richard recalls his start in the game, the breakthrough summer (which also saw the introduction of the John Player League) and his time as captain of that great Championship-winning side of 1973.

The summer of 1969 with Richard Gilliat 

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

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

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

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

What was the next summer like in 1967?

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

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

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

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

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

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

What about your own season in 1968?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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