Hampshire CCC 2012 Season Thread

Apparently, the lovely KP is in the Surrey team for Sunday.

I'm sure he'll receive a warm welcome(!)

Hants doing well against Northants - might even win it!

Hants doing well against Northants - might even win it!

Wow looks like are going to win this..incredible if we do! Probably coult have got odds of 100-1 abot 5 hours ago

Just won it - brilliant run chase!!

Rose Bowl sold out tomorrow, as all tickets were free...which is a great thing...but with Peterson playing, and sunny weather they may have shifted a few tickets anyway! Neverming should be good atmosphear.

Nice win today, if only we could get a few entirely dry matches we might even get promotion. Got to get McKenzie back at the start of next season though.

Wow a crucial game, sunny day, Kevin Peterson, tickets given away free...and only 6k actually turn up. I guess that is cricket & Bransgroves problem in a nutshell. Pretty dissapointing tbh.

Gate was just over 7,000. It was up with club expectations. Fantastic success. Source - Club Directors and senior personnel.

Hahhah this is brilliant:

"It was a good ball that got Pietersen, pitching middle-and-leg and hitting off stump," said BBC Sport's Steve May.

"But it was greeted as though Southampton had won the Champions League and the FA Cup at the same time - 50- and 60-year-old people standing up and cheering with their arms in the air."

Pietersen, 32, left Hampshire in acrimonious circumstances in 2010 having played rarely for them after breaking into the England Test team in 2005.

Gate was just over 7,000. It was up with club expectations. Fantastic success. Source - Club Directors and senior personnel.

I mean this absolutely sincerely as a big hampshire fan, but I just can't consider half filling a ground for one of the biggest games of the season,when the tickets were given away free, and the weather was scorching, as a fantastic success...in fact I see it as a massive worry. I love the club, and I realise they will put a massive spin on it..but behind the scenes someone must be worried. Kevan James voiced his dissapointment on the radio today.

It also seemed that half of them disappeared halfway through when their kids got bored

I mean this absolutely sincerely as a big hampshire fan, but I just can't consider half filling a ground for one of the biggest games of the season,when the tickets were given away free, and the weather was scorching, as a fantastic success...in fact I see it as a massive worry. I love the club, and I realise they will put a massive spin on it..but behind the scenes someone must be worried. Kevan James voiced his dissapointment on the radio today.

I'll give you a few reasons IMO why:

The club has lost its customer service values it had recently and gone from family orientated to just trying to make money.

In the junior membership they used to attach a few vouchers for free games - that bought in a few extra lads and dads not this year they got a cheap watch that broke very quickly.

Food and beer used to be reasonable - now £4 for a Marstons and £5:50 for a cheeseburger, how can you justify £5 for a cheese and onion pasty...not that I would buy one anyway :-) costly for all day and longer CB40 matches.

Recently there was a game rained off after 2.5 hours - fans that paid cash had to write in for a refund....the club kept £3

to cover postage as no refunds available on the day...is that a way to treat cash payers?

I love going but this season things have changed from previous seasons and that shows in the gates they are getting.

I'll give you a few reasons IMO why:

The club has lost its customer service values it had recently and gone from family orientated to just trying to make money.

In the junior membership they used to attach a few vouchers for free games - that bought in a few extra lads and dads not this year they got a cheap watch that broke very quickly.

Food and beer used to be reasonable - now £4 for a Marstons and £5:50 for a cheeseburger, how can you justify £5 for a cheese and onion pasty...not that I would buy one anyway :-) costly for all day and longer CB40 matches.

Recently there was a game rained off after 2.5 hours - fans that paid cash had to write in for a refund....the club kept £3

to cover postage as no refunds available on the day...is that a way to treat cash payers?

I love going but this season things have changed from previous seasons and that shows in the gates they are

getting.

Yeah good response, i've heard similiar from a couple of other people. I think maybye my biggest fear is that today is a symbol for the state of county cricket. I think those in charge of county cricket totally blew it after 2005. We had the ashes win, Counties were getting huge crowds for 20/20's amd then as per everyone god greedy. Overloaded fixtures, ridicoulous itinery(last weekend Hants didn't have a game, but they had a CB40 starting at 16:00 on Tuesday!) i actually think Rod Bransgrovei is very forward thinking, but he is going to possibly end up paying the cost of those in charge English Crickets stupidity. I can't beleive i'm having this rant when we might win 3 trophies, but I really fear for the future of county cricket.

Oh dear - 117 for 7 against Leicestershire - looks like we want to lose this one.

181 for 8 - a bit better -26 more to avoid the follow on but now raining.

181 all out - only four ducks today.

Leics 100 for2 - about 275 ahead. I fear only tomorrow's rain and their failure to take the follow on can save us now!

190 for 9 - very poor from Hampshire - don't look like a promotion side on this showing.

Blimey - 306 for 9 now and Wood has made 102 - it is now raining here so who knows what might happen?

looks like a bit of a dodgy dos at Scarborough, Yorkshire have 2 joke bowlers on and are letting Gloucs smash them about, no doubt to reach some fixed target in a minimum of time and overs. Surely that ain't kosher!

looks like a bit of a dodgy dos at Scarborough, Yorkshire have 2 joke bowlers on and are letting Gloucs smash them about, no doubt to reach some fixed target in a minimum of time and overs. Surely that ain't kosher!

Nothing I haven't seen us do dozens of times. Mark Nicholas was the master of talking the opposition into setting up a match on the last day. I once saw Bobby Parks take off his wicky gloves and bowl 10 overs.

Nothing I haven't seen us do dozens of times. Mark Nicholas was the master of talking the opposition into setting up a match on the last day. I once saw Bobby Parks take off his wicky gloves and bowl 10 overs.

Didn't help our cause in any way this time though, and as we're currently getting smashed by the Sussex openers it looks like it might be a bad couple of days for Hants CCC

Didn't help our cause in any way this time though, and as we're currently getting smashed by the Sussex openers it looks like it might be a bad couple of days for Hants CCC

Or possibly not. This team never knows when it is beaten.

What a knock from Carberry - good one too from Vince.

Final could be ours 35 from 92 balls with 8 wickets.....ours to lose.

Woot ! Another final.

Another amazing performance after we looked in trouble early on in their innings! Couldn't believe how easy we ended up winning.

Anyone going to Emirates and Lord's in the same day?

Well done Hampshire - another great display!

 

Anyone going to Emirates and Lord's in the same day?

Couldn't get Arsenal ticket but have my Lords ticket sorted. Will be nice meeting up with Saints fans in N London after 2 wins!

Hampshire allocated 2000 seats is that a joke? Everytime I've been to a final there are thousands of empty seats? There are 26000 seats at Lords, if Hants & Warks get 4000, will they really shift another 22000? They can't even sell out England one-day internationals?

Briggs away on England duty, Bell and Trott back for Warks.

Could be tough.

Hampshire allocated 2000 seats is that a joke? Everytime I've been to a final there are thousands of empty seats? There are 26000 seats at Lords, if Hants & Warks get 4000, will they really shift another 22000? They can't even sell out England one-day internationals?

You can get them direct from the Lord's website anyway, will just be more of a mix of supporters in there.

You can get them direct from the Lord's website anyway, will just be more of a mix of supporters in there.

Oh cool..i'll do that. Cheers

Anyone going to Emirates and Lord's in the same day?

Went to Loftus Road and Lords in 1991 - but that was 60 overs, not 40, so started at about 10.30 and finished about 7ish (?). We nipped out to Shepherds Bush (2-2 draw) during the middle overs then got back for the Hants successful run chase in the dark. Not sure you'd be able to do both now - I think the cricket is supposed to finish at 5.15

Going to Arsenal, whilst praying it rains all day. Then go to Lords on the Sunday. Should be able to get tickets on the day.

Good start today for Hants, put Essex in and currently got them at 47-4 after 18 overs: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/hampshire/latest_scorecard/default.stm

Went to Loftus Road and Lords in 1991 - but that was 60 overs, not 40, so started at about 10.30 and finished about 7ish (?). We nipped out to Shepherds Bush (2-2 draw) during the middle overs then got back for the Hants successful run chase in the dark. Not sure you'd be able to do both now - I think the cricket is supposed to finish at 5.15

We did that as well but it doesn't look feasible now.

Going to Arsenal, whilst praying it rains all day. Then go to Lords on the Sunday. Should be able to get tickets on the day.

Now that would be perfect!

Following on from other posts, I remember people leaving Lord's in 91 to head to Loftus Road. Seem to recall that run chase finishing well after 7 as Surrey's bowlers were wasting time and fiddling around.

If this 5.15 finish time is anywhere near accurate, there's not a chance in hell I'm going to be able to see any more cricket after the football.

Damn the loss of the 60-over competition, now that was a proper day at the home of cricket!

Essex 456 for 7 = not looking good I'm afraid. We will do well to salvage this one.

About 430 needed to win.

Easy.

Game over for our promotion chances. Never mind, another season in Div 2 isn't the end of the world...

We'd have been stuffed in Division One anyway. Might be better for likes of Vince (who's had a shocking FC season), Briggs (who's barely been picked!), Dawson, Wood and Bates to have another year in Division Two. The batting has been really poor all year, despite the fact that on paper it looks very strong at this level. Bowling is solid enough at this level but lacks the cutting edge to consistently bowl sides out. We seem pretty capable of running through top orders (2nd innings of this game excepted!) but struggle to take the last few wickets.

Ivo Tennant Times Cricket Correspondant at Hampshire v Essex

Hampshire have been given the go-ahead from Eastleigh Borough Council to build their planned hotel at the Northern End. It will be a four star Hilton, incorporating conference, hospitality and media facilities as well as 175 bedrooms. Work will start next week on clearing away the old press box and TV balcony which has housed sweating Sky commentators more accustomed to air conditioned rooms.

The aim is to complete the entire project in time for the Test match against India in 2014. Hampshire feel they will by then have come up with the only model Test match venue in the country, as specified by the ECB. The hope is that an Ashes Test will duly follow.

Also

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9917134.Ageas_Bowl_development_gets_go_ahead_for_final_stage/

Seriously, how bad is Michael Bates with the bat? For a keeper who is needed to contribute with bat, he has been shocking barring 1 or 2 reasonable scores. Another duck today. I know he is only young but he needs to start improving soon. As for Vince, in the 4 day game he hasn't progressed at all. The amount of times he has come to the crease, hit 3 or 4 boundaries and then just as quickly given his wicket away is startling. Still got years ahead of him obviously, but have been disappointed to say the least this season at 4 day level.

Lost - too many low scores - I fear that promotion is gone.

Seriously, how bad is Michael Bates with the bat? For a keeper who is needed to contribute with bat, he has been shocking barring 1 or 2 reasonable scores. Another duck today. I know he is only young but he needs to start improving soon. As for Vince, in the 4 day game he hasn't progressed at all. The amount of times he has come to the crease, hit 3 or 4 boundaries and then just as quickly given his wicket away is startling. Still got years ahead of him obviously, but have been disappointed to say the least this season at 4 day level.

I have to agree with this - our tail seems to be too long and we need some runs from Bates on a regular basis.

I think Bates lack of ability with the bat is excruciated by the fact that his predecessor Pothas was such a quality batsman himself. That and the lack of availability of Dimi for a large part of the season has cost us in the 4 day game. Can't take away the efforts of the team in the one day format though , which have been truly magnificent

Hats off to Jimmy Adams: leading run scorer in Div 2 despite missing those 2 games early in the season (David Balcombe is also Div 2’s leading wicket-taker). Shame the rest of our batsmen can’t show similar resolve.

Whatever happens at Lords, I guess it’s been a good season; however, I’m afraid I’m one of the old school that still thinks the county championship is what really matters and, although I agree with earlier posters that another year in Div 2 might benefit our younger players, it means that a repeat of our 1973 title success is still at least another 2 years away! With the resources Hampshire have had over recent times, we’re seriously underachieving in the 4 day game.

Seriously, how bad is Michael Bates with the bat? For a keeper who is needed to contribute with bat, he has been shocking barring 1 or 2 reasonable scores. Another duck today. I know he is only young but he needs to start improving soon. As for Vince, in the 4 day game he hasn't progressed at all. The amount of times he has come to the crease, hit 3 or 4 boundaries and then just as quickly given his wicket away is startling. Still got years ahead of him obviously, but have been disappointed to say the least this season at 4 day level.

I would suggest that the majority of his dismissals are bowled "through the gate". Again today you could have driven a car through the gap. Not good enough to bat at 8 let alone 7 as he has been doing.

As for Vince. Dont get me started.

Not only Adams most runs in Div 2 and Balcombe most wickets but Dawson most catches and Bates most dismissals! We are doing something right.

County Cricket Championship has to be the most important but we were not ready for Div 1 yet. CB40 and T20 have taken a lot of the pain away this season but winning this league next season has to be the priority and some of our players have to step up to the mark or find themselves without regular 4 day cricket.

Despite the wonderful successes in the limited overs format I am disappointed that we have not done better in the 4-day contests.