Weston Saint

Are the bowlers getting accustomed to using the Kookaburra ball! 7 of the 9 results this round ended with a win/loss.

Barker has a slight calf injury and Orr is out with concussion. I have just spoken with Adi Birrell and Giles White.

7 hours ago, Picard said:

Do you know why Barker isn't playing?

No, not had a chance to find out.

Spoke to Lynn tonight. Grade 2 Hamstring. Will not play for us in next two games which ends the league games. 

Spoke to Chris Lynn yesterday afternoon. He has a slight hamstring issue and due to have a scan. Subject to the result he hopes to be back for games this week.

None of the players like the Kookaburra ball!

Update on bowling.

• Baker has a knee injury and there is some hope he will be fit again next week
• Wheal has a heel injury and not available at present.
• Turner is out for the season with a stress fracture.
• Barker is available after this game.

10 minutes ago, Picard said:

Hants have signed Indian white ball specialist Tilak Varma for the next four championship games.

One wonders why they haven't signed him for the T20 as well. Perhaps that will come later.

BCCI will not let any Indians play T20 cricket other than IPL to protect their competition so he will not be playing in Vitality Blast 

22 hours ago, Picard said:

Do you know if Brevis will be playing in the county championship in June and July?

No idea at present. Coach kept them all in the dressing room on Friday after the win. He has signed for T20 at least. Nothing more said.

He has had 20 1st class games (33 innings) with 4 x 100 plus and 6 x 50 plus with a top score of 169 so a possibility. Only 22 as well.

He bats as No 4 in Red ball.

James Vince oozed class on Friday and showed us what we have been missing in the Championship. However, it is unlikely that we will to get him back for red ball next season. He has had a house built in Dubai which they have now moved into, the children are at an English school there and have settled. James wife is happy with the change (mostly driven by her, following the nasty attacks last year) The only down side is that it is very hot!

Because of his residency in Dubai, he is limited to the time he can spend in the UK or he will have to pay taxes on all his earnings, even though much of it would be outside UK! 

I was aware that James was relocating to Dubai at the end of last season so it should not have come as a surprise. The club also know that he wanted to play in the PSL so as that encroached onto our 2025 season the warnings were there. I appreciate that the final decision was as reported. Prest may be the long term answer in there mind.

However,  it is not as easy as some think in getting a replacement of that experience and standard. Financially, we cannot compete with Surrey and Lancashire at present. We have a limited budget.

We have been looking overseas but again; it is difficult to get any top class player to commit to a season long contract.

Whilst we have new owners, they have asked that we stick to our pre takeover budget for this year so that everything can be reviewed over the season before a new budget is agreed going forward.

We will just have to be patient and enjoy the ride! 

Let me express my opinion on here

For a few years we have had a problem with opening batting. At present we have Orr, Middleton and Stoneman (bought in for a year to give a bit of experience to that position)

Albert was tried last year but he is not a natural opener. Organ has demonstrated he does no have the technique to bat as an opener.

The club have persevered with Stoneman and Middleton but Orr is now not far away from getting his chance.

With the loss of Vince the middle order needed strengthening with an extra batsman, hence Albert batting at 7. As he develops I see him moving up to No 5

Organ is seen as a bowing all rounder as is Fuller. If it seams, as it is at present Fuller gets the nod. If spin is expected Organ gets that spot.

Abbas was not re-signed because we were looking for a quality batting all rounder. With Edwards injury a few weeks before the start we had to look elsewhere with very limited choice and Hampton proved not to be the answer.

The batting all rounder was to help support the young bowling attack so they could play some 1^st Class Cricket. If we had Abbas they would not get a game and we would lose them.

When Wheal came back after the winter break the club were pleasantly surprised at his massive improvement from day one and he has proved to be the perfect opening bowler. He has 19 wickets so far. Abbott also came back fitter and has continued to show himself as world class.

This season was realistically seen as a development year. Of course the club want to go one better than last year but there needs to be a quick development from those younger players to achieve that.  

We won the opening game. We batted all day in two to get draws, one was a weather problem but I think we would have won it we had 4 clear days. The only hick up was the last game. 

OK, we have not batted too well this game on what was suggested a good batting strip but we have a good lead. Lets see were that takes us.    

54 minutes ago, Picard said:

Did Hants manage to get 3 batting points?

No only 2, but it was not about bonus points, it was more about batting all day which they did. 

Bonus points for batting are more difficult in last couple of years. 250, 300, 350, 400 and 450 in 110 overs. 

Hampshire players who have achieved this award

1900: RM Poore; 1911: CB Llewellyn; 1912: CP Mead; 1914: LH Tennyson; 1933: AS Kennedy; 1959: RE Marshall & D Shackleton; 1969: BA Richards; 1974: PJ Sainsbury; 1975: AME Roberts; 1977: CG Greenidge; 1983: TE Jesty & MD Marshall; 1984: CL Smith; 1990: RA Smith; 2006: KP Pietersen; 2025: LA Dawson.

49 minutes ago, Window Cleaner said:

Depends really. I don't know the real circumstances so I couldn't say. Anyway relatively good news because today we look to be a bowler short at least.

Hampton isn't a Barker substitute.

Oh I don't know, 94/6 looks pretty good to me. Agree though, Hampton does not look a Div 1 allrounder so far. He was a late choice though after Edwards injury 

We now know the reason Keith Barker has not featured for 9 Months

Club Statement: Keith Barker | Utilita Bowl

I was told last year his contract had been renewed but it had not been reported to the media.  Be good to have him back

Yes, 2 weeks loan just announced. 

I really do not understand this negativity. We bowled Yorkshire out twice and won the game in 3 days.

Middleton does well as an opener and has experience now. It is about ticking over in the early overs to take the shine off.  Stoneman has great experience and in this game we did not lose early opening wicket as we did all last season.

We know Albert has talent. Give him time.  Prest, Dawson and Brown as middle order is a strong one.

Hampton has only just arrived and was a late choice so again give him a little time. We have Fuller, Barker (injured and not expected to play until mid summer) and Curry (injured but expected to be fit in a couple of weeks)

Abbot and Wheal look a great opening bowling partnership with the latter finding more line and length that last campaign. 

Baker is quick and will take wickets. As he matures he will improve his line and length. Likewise Turner will improve. Turner is expected to play against Surrey instead of Baker as they alternate these young bowlers.

Personally, I expect us to  be upper mid table this season as our young team grows.   

I am told Mo Abbas has gone to Notts. Good luck to him. Great servant for Hants.

Edit - club have confirmed. Say it was needed to rebalance the squad. 

8 hours ago, MB said:

Deal off, collapsed late on

I’m well informed, player literally changed his mind at the last minute

can also confirm they enquired about JWP

You are not doing very well so far! JWP has played for West Ham and Notts Forest this season so under Premier rules he cannot play for a 3rd Premier club this season. So why would we make an enquiry?

A little update - There is likely two be an announcement next week on 2 extension to contracts. I have not been told who although Keith Barker (Who I was told about before end of last season) Could be Abbott, I asked! He would not say but got some vibes it could be.

The club are working on two potential new signings but the problem is they are finding it difficult getting anyone for more than a couple of months. Likely to hear move as February develops.

New owners spoke and 2025 will be a learning time for them. Not going to change the budget for the season and will look at all capital projects again to make sure they are a benefit to the club, the members and the community. These are serious owners but they need time to understand English Cricket. They have allocated a team of five from the company to look and grow with Hampshire and its businesses. One will be based in UK and the others will come over when required. 

Can update now.

James has signed a 1 year white ball contract to complete his contract with Hampshire. He will not be playing red ball cricket in 2025. He will not be captain of the Championship side as a result but will captain the Vitality Blast T20 where he has committed to play in 2025.

There are many reasons for this including 2 attacks on his home by thugs when his wife and children were in residence meaning they spent all summer in a hotel. Despite that James continued to keep his head down and play for Hampshire with pride.

Despite the police involvement the matter was not resolved and as ultimately there was no closure it was a key factor in James leaving the UK  at the end of the season. He has a wife and two young children to protect.

Not heard anything relating to additions or if Abbas and Abbott returning. Rumour that we might sign Tim Southee as overseas player  

1 minute ago, Barsiem said:

Safe to say we ain't likely to win the CC next season after this news...

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24854251.hampshires-vince-likely-miss-county-championship-season/

It is not as straight forward as it seems. 

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

This is ridiculous, need to get to 20 overs a side for a result and there’s a drinks break at 17 overs. At the end of September in Bristol.

Potts now wasting time changing boots when he should have done that during the needless drinks break.

Think you have forgotten rain was due and England were well behind the DL rate.  All about trying to keep below the 20 over minimum for a match. As it was the rain came just after the 20 overs so we lost!  

Well we ended up 2nd 17 points behind Surrey.

Had we drawn away to Surrey early in the Season their 16 points would have been 8 each meaning 1 point behind. We were deducted 2 points for slow over rate meaning if the loss and points deduction had not happened we would have won the Championship by 1 point.

Small margins and what ifs but it just shows we are not that far off.