Hampshire CCC 2016 Season thread.

What a **** season across all comps!

But honestly what can you expect with our bowling as it is ? Take last night, if we hadn't been so awful with the ball in the first

few overs then we'd probably have won quite easily. You just can't give away 13 and 14 runs an over for the first 6 or 7 overs. The instant Dawson came on we turned off the tap a bit. Best is the obvious culprit but then as we know he's only a stop gap

because of the injuries to Edwards and Topley.

There's a problem with the Cricinfo website. It says Hampshire are 298 for 3. I've sent them a strongly worded email.

Tell a player he is no longer first choice wicket keeper and has to fight to get a batting place and what does he do..... Scores 147 in seconds and comes into the firsts and scores 40 followed by a career best of 170no as I key this. Well done Adam Wheater

Ervine's 52no reaches a milestone of 10,000 first class rune. Well done Sluggy

Record galore as Wheater has now passed 5,000 first class runs. And he then reaches 200 with his next ball......my last post for the day:)

Record galore as Wheater has now passed 5,000 first class runs. And he then reaches 200 with his next ball......my last post for the day:)

Excellent batting from Ervine and Wheater, pity we had a bit of a tail collapse though, only got a few more runs for the loss of our last 5 wickets and a declaration would have robbed them of a bowling point.

pity we had a bit of a tail collapse though, only got a few more runs for the loss of our last 5 wickets and a declaration would have robbed them of a bowling point.

The bonus points cut off is 110 overs so no extra points - just the one as only 4 wickets down at the time.

The bonus points cut off is 110 overs so no extra points - just the one as only 4 wickets down at the time.

ah yes, forgot BP cut off applied to bowling as well as batting. Excellent day so far though with Warks having lost a wicket in the second over.

YESSSSSSSSSS, Bell gone, don't we usually have trouble getting him out ?

Weird situation with Wheater. Judging by his Solent interview he won't stick around long unless he can keep as well as bat.

Surely someone of his batting talent you want to retain even if he isn't exactly what you want as a keeper?

How did we win that? Incredible

5 overs to go was

LIVE:@hantscricket 134/9 v Sussex reply 109/3 off 15 overs #T20Blast

How did we win that? Incredible

No idea. Was the strangest T20 game I have been to. Sussex were cruising and then just slowed down way too much. Some great bowling from Afridi and especially Wheal.

Big Champ game versus Surrey starting tomorrow . No Dawson which is a massive miss. Looks like we will only have 5 real batters too.

Good thinking by Hampshire's bowlers. Wearing the Surrey batsmen down in these humid conditions by forcing them to rung between the wickets lots of time and excerting energy hitting boundaries. Meanwhile we wait for them to flag and hit them where it hurts.

Good thinking by Hampshire's bowlers. Wearing the Surrey batsmen down in these humid conditions by forcing them to rung between the wickets lots of time and excerting energy hitting boundaries. Meanwhile we wait for them to flag and hit them where it hurts.

Boy is our incapability to take wickets going to cost us this season...

Boy is our incapability to take wickets going to cost us this season...

I was there today. Had to leave at 3.00. It was like water torture. As I speak Surrey are still batting which seems a bit of an odd decision. I once watched Geoff Boycott bat all day in 1985 at Southampton to make 75 not out. This was worse.

I was there today. Had to leave at 3.00. It was like water torture. As I speak Surrey are still batting which seems a bit of an odd decision. I once watched Geoff Boycott bat all day in 1985 at Southampton to make 75 not out. This was worse.

Well they declared at 637/7 and Smith was out first ball he faced. Just hopeless.

NB Adams also gone now, Hants 5/2. You can't even blame the wicket for our inability to get them out for a less than monstrous total. Our bowlers just aren't good enough.

Of course our bowling is not good enough Windows. Edwards injured, Best a very poor replacement. Topley injured although he should only have played a bit part this season in red ball cricket. Berg and McLaren out for games this season with injuries and they are really first change bowlers not new ball guys. Tomlinson not the bowler he was as age catches up with him. Stephenson was a hopeful this season as was Woods. Both out for the rest of the season with back and knee injuries respectively. Have I missed anyone!

When Surrey bowled their 3 pace bowlers looked sharper and more effective.

But in fairness this is an awful wicket. Why did the club let one be prepared like that! Yesterday I asked Dale if we had won the toss what would we have done? He said the wicket might give some early assistance but they would have batted...reluctantly!

I spoke to David Fulton of SkyTV. He said the wicket was a bit flatter than expected and they had hoped it would take spin! Why did we only pick one spinner! Well done to Mason Crane. 51 overs in the innings is a phenomenal effort on a wicket that was too slow for his leg spin.

McLaren was dropped in the slips or it would have been worse! Hopefully tomorrow will be a run fest but we could still be short of the follow on if we bat all day!

Great start, McClaren out hit wicket first ball of the day......

No doubt some very attractive batting from Ervine and Wheater but when you come down to the nitty gritty we're 199/6 now and still over 400 behind, facing an innings defeat no doubt with absolute minimum points gained. This was a match not to lose. We could have overtaken Surrey with our match in hand in theory but now we've blown that completely due to absolutely dire bowling and rash batting.... Heads must roll....

I just do not get it, when we need to bat out 2 days over our 2 innings why are we hitting 6s and getting bowled 2 balls later?

Now I'm old school, I remember the likes of Henry Horton, Chris Smith and more recently Neil McKenzie straight batting it for hours when we needed survive for 3 or 4 sessions. If someone could explain the new master plan to me that would be genial.

Good job by McManus though, putting us in a position where we can at least hope to make them bat again at worst.

Now some sensible batting from the senior men please.

Some unexpected balls on display this afternoon. Lewis McManus came to the crease at 184/5 and walked off 69 overs later unbeaten on 117 with the score at 398/9. Just shows that the runs are there if you apply yourself properly, something the senior players would do well to heed when we still inevitably have to follow on at some point tomorrow morning.

Of course our bowling is not good enough Windows. Edwards injured, Best a very poor replacement. Topley injured although he should only have played a bit part this season in red ball cricket. Berg and McLaren out for games this season with injuries and they are really first change bowlers not new ball guys. Tomlinson not the bowler he was as age catches up with him. Stephenson was a hopeful this season as was Woods. Both out for the rest of the season with back and knee injuries respectively. Have I missed anyone!

Not to mention missing Dawson, Carberry, and Vince.

Excellent performance from McManus, with sterling support from Wheal.

Managed to put on another 25 this morning and more importantly knock 10 overs or so off the days total.

With a bit of application we should be able to bat it out, I presume we'll be asked to follow on, and salvage 10 points from the game. With Notts looking to be in a bit of a tricky situation just now and Surrey not so many points ahead having played more games things might not be so dusty. Thanks to McManus and Wheal principally.

Aie Aie Aie going to be a sticky last few overs, cruising and then lost 2 wickets in an over. Still we'll overtake them soon so the

overs remaining will diminish by 2 because of the innings change right ?

Sod it, lost by an innings and 13 runs. Last 4 wickets lost for about 20.

.

201 all out. Lost by an innings and 13 runs. Very poor.

Just to put our bowling woes into perspective, we have used 13 bowlers this year and they have so far taken 98 wickets in 10 games. In 1982 Malcolm Marshall took 134 wickets by himself in a 22 game season! On average he would already have taken 61 wickets at this point of the season on his own!.Actually I think this says more about the genius of Mashall than our current plight.

In interview Smith says at this point last year we had won 1 lost 5. This season we have won 1 lost 3 so we are in a better place and he is confident we can survive as we did last year! Not a chance Smithy, we have Edwards who took 37 wickets from now on. We have no one even near that ability.

Planning should now be underway for how we are going to challenge teams in Div 2 next season.

In interview Smith says at this point last year we had won 1 lost 5. This season we have won 1 lost 3 so we are in a better place and he is confident we can survive as we did last year! Not a chance Smithy, we have Edwards who took 37 wickets from now on. We have no one even near that ability.

 

Planning should now be underway for how we are going to challenge teams in Div 2 next season.

Blimey Weston, I normally look at you as a ray of optimism in an otherwise pessimistic world..but I agree with you. I'm actually optimistic for next season Alsop, Crane, McManus, Topley are all young and look class acts. I would definitely keep Ervine, I would have said keep Carbs, but obviously it's heartbreaking what he is going through, Dawson seems to be developing into a superb allrounder, I could see Wheater hitting 1200 runs in a season Don't know if we will see much of Vince, add a decent international and you've got........ well about 8 players! ....but it's a pretty decent bunch of young players....and Ervine.

In interview Smith says at this point last year we had won 1 lost 5. This season we have won 1 lost 3 so we are in a better place and he is confident we can survive as we did last year! Not a chance Smithy, we have Edwards who took 37 wickets from now on. We have no one even near that ability.

 

Planning should now be underway for how we are going to challenge teams in Div 2 next season.

Really not holding out for those last few overs yesterday has dealt a blow to our survival hopes. With 5 points each for Hants and Surrey we'd have every chance of overtaking them when the games even out. With 16 for them and nowt for us that changes everything. Still we need a win and all will look rosier but with the bowling as it is and test calls as they are.......................

Blimey Weston, I normally look at you as a ray of optimism in an otherwise pessimistic world..but I agree with you. I'm actually optimistic for next season Alsop, Crane, McManus, Topley are all young and look class acts. I would definitely keep Ervine, I would have said keep Carbs, but obviously it's heartbreaking what he is going through, Dawson seems to be developing into a superb allrounder, I could see Wheater hitting 1200 runs in a season Don't know if we will see much of Vince, add a decent international and you've got........ well about 8 players! ....but it's a pretty decent bunch of young players....and Ervine.

Yes, it was going to be difficult even with a fit squad this year, but with the injuries (and Vince out) it became impossible. Edwards the biggest blow. Will he be back next season?

Yes, it was going to be difficult even with a fit squad this year, but with the injuries (and Vince out) it became impossible. Edwards the biggest blow. Will he be back next season?

I can't see it mate, he'll be 36?,Plus recovering from a broken leg! God knows, But as I said, I think we'll be in Division 2, but with a pretty strong set of players, there may be a couple of others in the 2nd eleven I don't know about. The bowling is a worry though.

So disappointed with Vince. Gets dropped playing his normal loose drive....and then 15 minutes later plays the same shot and gets caught. Just don't think he has the mental application for this level.

Blimey Weston, I normally look at you as a ray of optimism in an otherwise pessimistic world..but I agree with you. I'm actually optimistic for next season Alsop, Crane, McManus, Topley are all young and look class acts. I would definitely keep Ervine, I would have said keep Carbs, but obviously it's heartbreaking what he is going through, Dawson seems to be developing into a superb allrounder, I could see Wheater hitting 1200 runs in a season Don't know if we will see much of Vince, add a decent international and you've got........ well about 8 players! ....but it's a pretty decent bunch of young players....and Ervine.

Well Vince has done his prospective test career no good again today. Same flawed judgement, same stupid shot as usual. He's got the shots, he just doesn't always have the judgement necessary to use them at the highest level.

Well Vince has done his prospective test career no good again today. Same flawed judgement, same stupid shot as usual. He's got the shots, he just doesn't always have the judgement necessary to use them at the highest level.

We posted nearly the same thing at the same time!

Well Vince has done his prospective test career no good again today. Same flawed judgement, same stupid shot as usual. He's got the shots, he just doesn't always have the judgement necessary to use them at the highest level.

I agree I just dont think Vince is a Test class batsman he reminds me of Lallana a lot of show but a lack of an end product what do you think

I agree I just dont think Vince is a Test class batsman he reminds me of Lallana a lot of show but a lack of an end product what do you think

Vince annoys me, he's obviously got what it takes technique wise but he gets to 30 or 40 and then does something completely stupid which you'd castigate an U16 for doing. Then again I'm a spoilt Marshall (Roy not Malcolm although he wasn't dusty with the bat either), Richards, Greenidge, Turner, Jesty, Gower, Smith, Smith type throwback.

Vince annoys me, he's obviously got what it takes technique wise but he gets to 30 or 40 and then does something completely stupid which you'd castigate an U16 for doing. Then again I'm a spoilt Marshall (Roy not Malcolm although he wasn't dusty with the bat either), Richards, Greenidge, Turner, Jesty, Gower, Smith, Smith type throwback.

I am the same vintage as you I have been watching the Saints and Hampshire since 1962 so perhaps we may have bumped into each other over the years .

Yes the batsmen you mention RE Marshall Greenidge Jesty Smith and Smith were the best and the latter four I saw on the field in a Test Match although with Jesty he was 12th man at Sydney in 1983 and came on with a sweater for some one and Vince is not in that company as yet.

I think Jesty would have become a Test Batsman if he had not been such a good bowler he got 585 wickets at 27.47 and sometimes even opened the bowling sometimes especially in 1976 when Roberts was playing for the WI.

That attack was probably as bad as ours today where I season has been the most disappointing for years caused by injuries sickness and the investment in old deadbeats

Richards however was in a different class without doubt the best batsman I have ever seen and probably one of the best of all time. I remember being at Bournemouth in 1982 when Jesty was in prime form and was scoring a hundred with a series of covers drives I said to some old member that he looked like Barry Richards at his best the member then said that Barry was as good as Jack Hobbs who was the best batsman he had ever seen

I agree I just dont think Vince is a Test class batsman he reminds me of Lallana a lot of show but a lack of an end product what do you think

I agree as well although Hants unprofessional set up has dragged down his focus and standards as it would with any talented player. James struggled for most of last season against quality D1 bowlers around off stump and despite his late season form last year, I felt he was 2 years away from Test standard. Once he moves to Surrey or Middlesex over the winter with better coaching he might tighten up and focus if he's got something between the ears.

As for Hants, can anyone please explain why White and Benkenstein still there? Should both have been dismissed aged the Surrey debacle. People can make excuses about injuries and absences - and thoughts with Michael Carberry and family - but this won't wash. Plenty of people on here posted after the great escape last year that the top order needed a complete rebuild and that several of the long servers needed to go on compromise deals to free up cash. Why was this not done?

Rod has serious questions to answer from the members.

I have known for some time that Dale Benkenstein was not happy at Hampshire due to missing his family in south Africa (I am sure our present plight did not help)

Last week I congratulated him on bringing Wheal in to replace Best in the Championship game. I said that although Best bowled fast he was not taking wickets. His response (with Tommo also with me) "He is not even bowling fast now! He was bowling fast crap and now he is bowling slow crap" I did not put it up here as it was a private conversation and Dale is always so brutally honest when I chat to him. However events have changed with Dale resigninging this morning.

Last week I spoke to Tony Middleton over the absence of Ryan Stephenson from all forms of Cricket. He confirmed Ryan's early season back problem has returned and he is unlikely to play any cricket again this season

Last night I spoke to Don Topley, Ryan Topley's father. Ryan has not yet returned to a bowling programme as England do not want him rushed back. He does not think we will see Ryan bowling this season!

On the question of Vince, I think he has proved he is not yet ready for Test cricket. IOD & T20 yes but Tests no.

With Dale gone I do not expect anyone coming in with any haste. Wonder if Warne is available and hungry! No insight, just a personal wish.

Fresh start next season with a good bunch of youngsters, Dawson and Vince as mid 20 experience and we will need about three experienced old heads who can play to a high standard. Carberry unlikely (all gone quiet on that front and I did not like to ask) Adams and Smith past their best and should not feature. Evine still has a couple of years in him. After that ...............

I have known for some time that Dale Benkenstein was not happy at Hampshire due to missing his family in south Africa (I am sure our present plight did not help)

 

Last week I congratulated him on bringing Wheal in to replace Best in the Championship game. I said that although Best bowled fast he was not taking wickets. His response (with Tommo also with me) "He is not even bowling fast now! He was bowling fast crap and now he is bowling slow crap" I did not put it up here as it was a private conversation and Dale is always so brutally honest when I chat to him. However events have changed with Dale resigninging this morning.

 

Last week I spoke to Tony Middleton over the absence of Ryan Stephenson from all forms of Cricket. He confirmed Ryan's early season back problem has returned and he is unlikely to play any cricket again this season

 

Last night I spoke to Don Topley, Ryan Topley's father. Ryan has not yet returned to a bowling programme as England do not want him rushed back. He does not think we will see Ryan bowling this season!

 

On the question of Vince, I think he has proved he is not yet ready for Test cricket. IOD & T20 yes but Tests no.

 

With Dale gone I do not expect anyone coming in with any haste. Wonder if Warne is available and hungry! No insight, just a personal wish.

 

Fresh start next season with a good bunch of youngsters, Dawson and Vince as mid 20 experience and we will need about three experienced old heads who can play to a high standard. Carberry unlikely (all gone quiet on that front and I did not like to ask) Adams and Smith past their best and should not feature. Evine still has a couple of years in him. After that ...............

Cheers for that Weston. Yeah my feelings were get this season out of the way and focus on the youngsters and build around Vince, Dawson, Ervine and Carbs...obviously the horrible events around Carbs have slightly changed that. I suppose my one concern if we go down is that Dawson may look to leave? He appears to be developing into a top class all-rounder, and if he could take 50 wickets in Div 1 he may consider himself an outside bet for the test team due to England's paucity of spin options All-in-all a season to forget, but I'm strangely optimistic for next season, and good luck Carbs, he always seems such a lovely bloke.

Likewise Vince, if he does get dropped, may feel he needs to prove himself against D1 bowling to get back in.

Allround the season could barely have gone worse.

Cheers Weston – interesting insight.

I imagine the atmosphere around the club must be fairly gloomy what with the poor results, wretched form of some of the senior players, injuries, Carberry's illness and now DB's departure.

The emergence of the likes of Alsop and McManus gives hope for the future but it would be good to get a couple of decent results this week in the one day cup to lift the spirits a bit.

Looks like another defeat again today, solid start, lost a couple of wickets, some quick runs from Wheater, Ervine and Dawson but they all went pretty quickly, 2 of them caught by the same bloke, off the same bowler in the same over. Does that mean they both played the same risky or unmastered shot? Anyway at 171/6 off 37 overs we'll do well to bat out our 50 and at least give the bowlers something to bowl at.

6 wickets already for Matt Coles.

It was interesting to hear Kevin James saying on commentary that Dale Benkenstein stated the other day that one of his biggest regrets during his time at Hampshire was having to let Coles return to Kent.

Does anyone know the full story why we let him return?

6 wickets already for Matt Coles.

 

It was interesting to hear Kevin James saying on commentary that Dale Benkenstein stated the other day that one of his biggest regrets during his time at Hampshire was having to let Coles return to Kent.

 

Does anyone know the full story why we let him return?

Wasn't he a loanee ? perhaps we just couldn't afford him.

Wasn't he a loanee ? perhaps we just couldn't afford him.

He was a loanee for a month or so at the end of one season but then we signed him permanently for the next season, IIRC Windows.

2 of them caught by the same bloke, off the same bowler in the same over. Does that mean they both played the same risky or unmastered shot?

Both caught at deep square leg, hooking bouncers. The fielder didn't have to move either time and he was inside the shorter 60 yard boundary. It was laughable.

6 wickets already for Matt Coles.

 

It was interesting to hear Kevin James saying on commentary that Dale Benkenstein stated the other day that one of his biggest regrets during his time at Hampshire was having to let Coles return to Kent.

 

Does anyone know the full story why we let him return?

Never been spoken about, even by Weston. Heard rumour at the time about a punch-up in pre-season tour.

He also took an amazing one handed return catch off McLaren.

So it looks like we're going for the treble this season then. Out of the 2 one day competitions at the group or round robin stage and relegation...Yay, go Hampshire.