Weston Saint

Worth recording an excellent 4 days at the Ageas Bowl with a win for Hampshire completing a Championship double against Glamorgan. David Balcombe was my man of the match. Scored some good runs at the tail and bowled Marcus North twice wehn he was well set. North was by far the best batsman on show. Look outfor the name Maxwell. An Aussie paying for South Wilts. Could be one of our overseas player in T20 if complicated contract can be sorted. Spoke to Dimi (and his wife with their delightful 8 month old son) earlier in the week. Fit but having just flown in and short of bowling he never expected to feature against Glamorgan.

He is fine. Wickets do not suit him at present so they are using Dawson as the spinner to create a better balance in the side. He will come good when the wickets get dryer and harder.

Bugger Las Vegas... I have just arrived in Barbados ...Whooo Hooo

Yes Lowe and Cowan appointed them but Mark Fry and his Company would only take it on if Lowe resigned. There was a couple of hours persuasion before Lowe did the right thing. That is why the Administration was not confirmed until 11am aalthough the shares weere suspended overnight

Last season the restaurant was opened as the Shane Warne suite. When I arrived pre season it had been changed to the Ageas Suite. Thought that was a bit strange but I did get a whisper that something was happening the day before the WestIndies game involving former captains. I was told one was Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie which I thought a bit strange as he was dead and the other was to be confirmed. Now it all fits in place. We already have the road named after the Marshalls. We have the Robin Smith Suite, the Shackleton Suite , the Udal Suite, the Richards Suite and Greenidge Suite along with the Aurther Holt Pavillion overlooking the nursery ground. Happy with the two new additions. On a different tact Hampshire are trialing a 23 year old Ausi all rounder Glenn Maxwell who has played for Victoria and the Daredevils in this years IPL! Northants currently 218 for 8 Edit make that 9 Edit again all out for 218. Woods 4 wickets (3 were bowled!) Ervine 3 Griffiths 2 and Balcombe 1. Dawson took 3 catches in the slips.

Good to see your player got a decent run late on and played well Enjoy your evening.

Academy willtake time It is the best 6 in Europe quote that backs Cortese's vision As for stands - Cortese has said all three will happen in close season next year if we maintain Premier status.

The pressure is going to be on him next season. Cortese wants to grow this club. He wants us competing at the highest level in Europe. He will have one of the best 6 Academy set ups in Europe when it is finished. He has already told staff that if we can maintain Premier status next year he will extend Northam, Kingsland and Chapel with another tier. Adkins has a contract until June 2015. He can be part of that success. He is not the finished article but he will learn and adapt As teams evolve through promotion and players are left in a league beyond their means and talent so can the backroom staff. I am sure that was Adkins reflection on a day of massive emotion

Jimmy Adams had an illness in the family. No other reason. If Carberry had not been fit Adam Rouse was going to be in for him.

Cork - has disappointed me. I was expecting more from him over the season. Average performance Davis - great shot stopper and kicker but lacks the all round ability of commanding his box. Good season all the same Hooiveld - has been a relevation and our best centre back. Lallana - has lived up to expectations and is a class act. Lambert - What a good all round game this season. Holds the ball up well, passes well, good vision and the number of goals puts him firmly in the front. Only blip is his lack of real pace. My player of the season Schneiderlin - Still not living up to the skills he undoubtedly has. Does a job in midfield but not much else. Think next season, assuming Premier, might be just what he needs. I predict a fine season next.

Hampshire win against Glamorgan in a rain affected match by 2 wickets with 1 ball to go.

I spoke with the Chairman & Chief Executive of another large sporting club on Sunday who is also a Saints supporter and he felt the same way as me. It is not about being top other than for an ego trip, it is about getting to the Premier. Playoffs are a lottery. 2nd is as good as first in that context.

Well done to Reading. They have been on a fantastic run including maximum points away to us and West Ham. If they become Champions, which I am sure they will it will be deserved. Cannot see them easing off. Winning breeds confidence and they will need that in the Premier. As for us, who really cares if we finish second. The prize is Premiership football and all that goes with it. Losing to Reading when we looked the better side could have knocked our confidence but yet again this side believe in themselves and remind me very much of the way Norwich have approached the game for the last few seasons. We will need to strengthen but not too much. Norwich way should be our model although we may have a little more to spend than them so can bring in a better quality of player. A new goalkeeper with Davis acting as reserve and giving him a chance to move into coaching and a midfield box to box man. Cork should have been that man but I am not sure he is good enough for Premier. Surman is doing that well for Norwich. He will not come back but someone with his quality but better. This is not just about the team nor the Manager. This is about the whole ethos of Southampton Football Club.

A green top and rightly so that Hants inserted Glous. Great bowling from Balcombe. Wood deserved better. Beat the bat and got movement but no luck Rain breaks did not help either side. Yes, we have let them off the hook and need to take early wickets tomorrow. Looks like a 250 wicket!

A few things that have disappointed me about Guly. There is no doubt his form has dipped in the last few months. I watched him carefully on Saturday and his body language was all wrong. His head was down a lot and at times he just did not look up for it! It seems to me he sees himself as an out and out striker and is uncomfortable out on the right. Maybe he sees Lee and Sharp ahead of him in the central position and that is affecting his moral. One for the Manager to sort out I think. What disappoints me more however is a witch hunt by some slagging him off as useless. This guy had scored 10 league goals this season and 7 assists. This hardly makes him useless. Get off his back and let the Manager decide if he is good enough to play from the start.

What did a point today give us other than taking us back to the top? We are now guaranteed a play off place as a minimum

Football is a lottery.....let’s get funding from the Sports Council, that is funded by the lottery Hang on though....funding is for the amateur sport is it not? Not for businesses Not a problem....Pompey Management have been acting like a bunch of amateurs for years Problem solved

This year is a different prospective. Most 2nd division teams prepare wickets to get results. Balcombe proved himself in this division with Kent and providing his back operation is a total success he will do well. Bransgrove is expecting Riazuddin to do well this year Wood is impoving all the time Griffiths if fit will become a top bowler but later in the year might be in the Lions side. We also have an experience Tomlinson Strategy at the Ageas Bowl for the wicket this season is to leave it greener to get some zip, pace and carry. Very much a transitional year but what an opportunity for the youngsters. About half our team will be ex Hants Academy.

Have a look ar Derry and UpandAway's posts. Think they both have it spot on.

Hi Frank, got your email yesterday (it went into my spam folder...must have been all those "het's" ) Will reply over the weekend.

Morph? I knew who he was, what school he went to in the past and was in touch with him by email at the time. He had powerful contacts, that is all. He works in the city but not for any of the main players. Nice guy and I would not dream of saying who he was or his powerful friends.

I said this back in January on here

There is a proverb Empty vessels make most noise I am thinking "in the head as well as the stadium" I rest my case!

Will see you on Friday, old chap!

My late father always blamed our Manager Bill Dodgin. He let Fulham go up instead of us and then promptly joined them as Manager. There was also rumour that our board were not ambitious enough to want promotion to the top league. I am quietly confident after last nights win. That, to me, was the first real big test passed.