Hampshire CCC 2025

[Picard]

54 minutes ago, stevegrant said:

Another thing, on the scheduling this year... we finish the group stage  the quarter-finals are A WEEK before Finals Day in September. Utterly ridiculous, and likely means empty seats at Edgbaston in the four competing teams' allocations.

No worries. Finals Day will be the 4 southern teams as usual .

[Lighthouse]

I thought 220 was a good score but Essex are having an absolute yard sale at the moment - everything must go.

[Hodgey]

I reckon Cox could have scored 10 6s in a row if needed. And god knows how many he’d have got if we played another 10 overs….

Batting pitch mixed with some pie throwing (Fuller / Howell especially) 

[Andrew Watson]

Some innings by Cox after a very decent Hampshire total,however Dawson has been let down again by the pie throwers brigade of Howell and Fuller,after he bowled his heart out yet again.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 hour ago, Andrew Watson said:

Some innings by Cox after a very decent Hampshire total,however Dawson has been let down again by the pie throwers brigade of Howell and Fuller,after he bowled his heart out yet again.

Not quite sure why Fuller bowled the last over there

[stevegrant]

Just now, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Not quite sure why Fuller bowled the last over there

Basically came down to rubbish bowling resource management by stand-in captain Chris Wood, who has pretty much always been one of our death bowlers throughout his career but rather than take responsibility and get the job done he burned his final over with three to go, and then gambled that they'd need too many in the final over that Fuller or Howell bowling pies wouldn't matter.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, stevegrant said:

Basically came down to rubbish bowling resource management by stand-in captain Chris Wood, who has pretty much always been one of our death bowlers throughout his career but rather than take responsibility and get the job done he burned his final over with three to go, and then gambled that they'd need too many in the final over that Fuller or Howell bowling pies wouldn't matter.

Thought as much, I was thinking Currie was going to bowl the last over to be honest.

[Barsiem]

TBF we needed to get Cox out before the end to stand a chance of winning so we needed to bowl our more in form bowlers.  Fuller and Howell were atrocious last night....

Some innings by Cox!  I don't think he gave us a sniff of a chance the whole innings

[stevegrant]

It was an incredible innings, but still one where we will almost certainly feel we could have bowled better to him, especially at the death.

We've scored exactly 450 runs in 40 overs against Essex in the Blast this year and only have one win to show for it

Fortunately it didn't actually matter in terms of qualification or group placing, I don't think Sussex and Kent would both be able to win by enough tonight to overhaul us, and we couldn't catch Surrey or Somerset, so it was effectively a dead rubber, but it does show a vulnerability at the back end of the innings that we've had throughout this year's group stage.

Still think we'll have a good chance at beating Northants, Durham or Warwickshire (final placings in the North group still TBC tonight) on the road, but with the games not taking place until September, christ knows what the squad will look like then. Think it clashes with an international white ball series too

[Andrew Watson]

Durham away then, very winnable if we get the team selection right,interesting who we will sign as the two overseas players for this game. I suppose that will depend on availability and fitness.

[John B]

On 17/07/2025 at 23:37, stevegrant said:

Basically came down to rubbish bowling resource management by stand-in captain Chris Wood, who has pretty much always been one of our death bowlers throughout his career but rather than take responsibility and get the job done he burned his final over with three to go, and then gambled that they'd need too many in the final over that Fuller or Howell bowling pies wouldn't matter.

A small ground easy pitch batsman in the form of his life nothing to do with bpwling resource management in my opinion Wood came on to get a wicket which he did shame it was not Cox

 

Cox is an excellent batter I saw him at the Bowl last season when he got a ton if Essex get relegated it would be great if we got him in and sent Orr to them

[Window Cleaner]

So Durham in September, might be a tall order for us. Toss would be important. I think there are some England South Africa short format games at that epoque so we might be robbed of Dawson and won't probably be able to get our South Africans back.

Still not at all bad to make the play-off stage. 

As a general comment on the T20 blast overall this season, I've been a bit surprised about the general poor quality of the bowling in most of the teams I've seen. Some of it is just destined to be hit over the boundaries, too short, too wide, a lot of full tosses. Seems that good bowlers avoid T20 nowadays. Sussex the other day were particularly poor, don't know if they have injuries or international calls but it was Club standard. Mind you batting has evolved, a few years back 160 was about par, now it would seem to be 180+.

[stevegrant]

On 19/07/2025 at 09:44, Window Cleaner said:

So Durham in September, might be a tall order for us. Toss would be important. I think there are some England South Africa short format games at that epoque so we might be robbed of Dawson and won't probably be able to get our South Africans back.

Still not at all bad to make the play-off stage. 

As a general comment on the T20 blast overall this season, I've been a bit surprised about the general poor quality of the bowling in most of the teams I've seen. Some of it is just destined to be hit over the boundaries, too short, too wide, a lot of full tosses. Seems that good bowlers avoid T20 nowadays. Sussex the other day were particularly poor, don't know if they have injuries or international calls but it was Club standard. Mind you batting has evolved, a few years back 160 was about par, now it would seem to be 180+.

I would assume the insanely dry period we've had has probably contributed. I think there's generally a preference to high scoring over low scoring in T20 when it comes to preparing pitches, but I'm not even sure the ground staff will have had much say in matters this year with the lack of any real periods of rain to soften the surfaces up, so as a result it's just been a series of roads.

[Lighthouse]

Weatherley picked to open the batting. Are Stoneman and Orr both injured or just not fancied? Organ as expected replaces Daws.

[Picard]

On 29/06/2025 at 17:32, Weston Saint said:

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.

Do you know why Barker isn't playing?

[Gloucester Saint]

Could be a struggle to get a result for either team with tomorrow’s forecast and the ball https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637487

[Weston Saint]

7 hours ago, Picard said:

Do you know why Barker isn't playing?

No, not had a chance to find out.

[Gloucester Saint]

Mind you, in fairness to Kookaburra, the Dukes have been going soft and out of shape after 20 overs in the Test series as well.

[Weston Saint]

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

[Andrew Watson]

Thanks Ron.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

I feel like I've seen an ex and she's with a much bigger more handsome man based on Abbas' efforts against us this season

[Andrew Watson]

Well done in particular to Tilak and Organ,the same needed again tomorrow. A few new faces needed for next year,that is for sure.

[Gloucester Saint]

35 minutes ago, Andrew Watson said:

Well done in particular to Tilak and Organ,the same needed again tomorrow. A few new faces needed for next year,that is for sure.

As long as there’s no collapse we should avoid the follow on and that would be another draw. Safety bit by bit.

[badgerx16]

Is that a career best score for Organ ?

[stevegrant]

8 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Is that a career best score for Organ ?

Yep.

Worcestershire lost in the end, so they're now in the situation of needing results regardless of conditions. Mercifully the last game of the Kookaburra at New Road next week, but I fancy they might try to prepare a pitch that'll produce a result as they need a win - if it means they end up losing instead, it's probably a risk they need to take now.

[John B]

10 hours ago, stevegrant said:

Yep.

Worcestershire lost in the end, so they're now in the situation of needing results regardless of conditions. Mercifully the last game of the Kookaburra at New Road next week, but I fancy they might try to prepare a pitch that'll produce a result as they need a win - if it means they end up losing instead, it's probably a risk they need to take now.

I do not like the Kookaburra but I expect Tilak Varma does

[Weston Saint]

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

 

 

[John B]

7 hours ago, Weston Saint said:

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

 

 

Clearly not Hampshire's

[Gloucester Saint]

7 hours ago, Weston Saint said:

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

 

 

Not as if the Dukes are doing that much either, look at the Test series. As @stevegrant says, factor in baking weather killing most of the live grass and bat has beaten ball frequently. The lack of pace in most of the wickets is a concern though, whether or not there’s any sideways help on offer they should be picking up pace and more bounce as they harden, then some gradual deterioration through 4 days. 

A few pitches need relaying around the country over the winter, including some of the Test venues, as sluggish puddings don’t encourage the spinners either, and white ball cricket is better with bounce. The trueness I don’t mind, you don’t want Darren Stevens type bowlers getting 50-60 wickets a season, we want to see more point of difference bowlers emerging.

Kookaburra is perhaps encouraging domestic bowlers to think a bit more. 

Edited 26 July, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[Gloucester Saint]

11 minutes ago, John B said:

Clearly not Hampshire's

I don’t think the pitches have been relaid since we moved? Probably time to do it over the next couple of season, get some pace and bounce into it.

[Andrew Watson]

144 FOR 0 to 293 all out is a pretty awful performance and I accept that Varma and Brown cannot bale them out evey time.

[Gloucester Saint]

Much better day so far, Baker took two early on with looseners but bowled very well after that. Big thunderstorm and heavy rain here so if that heads north there might not be much more play today.

[Andrew Watson]

What a difference a day made,well done for a great day Hants.

[John B]

On 30/07/2025 at 15:19, Andrew Watson said:

144 FOR 0 to 293 all out is a pretty awful performance and I accept that Varma and Brown cannot bale them out evey time.

The conditions changed completely after the rain break with the ball swinging and Worcestershire bowling well

[Picard]

One day cup today vs Glamorgan. Will need a good score as bowling looks inexperienced with Neal from Herefordshire and Lumsden from the academy.

Tilak out for a 🦆. Was hoping to see his white ball skills in action.

[Window Cleaner]

Not looking any too great at the moment. 4 down with just 115 on the board after half way.

[Lighthouse]

Ben Mayes having a handy debut. Turned our innings around after Prest goes for single figures, yet again.

[badgerx16]

Over 120 from the last 10 overs.

[Weston Saint]

324 not a bad score but short boundaries so our bowling attack will still have a lot to do.

Incidentally, Andrew Neal did once play for Herefordshire but has been playing in our 2nds all season. 

Great debut from Mayes. There are high hopes for this very talented lad. Not 18 yet.

Edited 5 August, 2025 by Weston Saint

[Window Cleaner]

Finally a very entertaining second half of our innings. We'll see if it's enough.

[Andrew Watson]

Excellent win with such a young main bowling attack,well done Hants.

[badgerx16]

Somehow a reasonably comfortable win. Some of our bowling was poor, but only to be expected from such an inexperienced attack.

[badgerx16]

If you look on the BBC cricket page you will struggle to find that the cup is actually taking place.

However, they have gone overboard on the fucking stupid Hundred.

Edited 5 August, 2025 by badgerx16

[Mixedkebab]

Future looks bright for Hampshire, some great young lads although there will be much tougher tests.

Mayes in particular was fantastic with the bat and keeping. 

 

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

However, they have gone overboard on the fucking stupid Hundred.

London Spirit getting routed by Oval Invincibles again - a fox on the pitch at Lords was the most exciting thing. 

[Weston Saint]

Had time to reflect on yesterdays great win against the reigning One Day Cup champions.

Superb knock by Gubbins with a lifetime list A score. of 144no Likewise Mayes 74 at a crucial time and a quickfire 32 not out by Organ at the end. Good start for Orr as well.

Overall though I am not expecting too much in this competition. 3 of our front line bowlers are age 19, 19 and 16. although they took seven of the Glamorgan wickets!  Mayes is only 18.  Unless we can bat well many teams will outscore us due to our inexperience in the bowling department, in my opinion. 

Still ,we have to go with what we have. Howell and Wood are with Birmingham Phoenix, Dawson with London Spirit, Curry and Baker with Manchester Originals, Fuller with Northern Superchargers, Albert and Vince With Southern Brave, 

Turner is out for the season, Barker not expected to be back until at least September and Wheal had hoped to be back for this competition so he may be a possibility for future matches. I will try to find out tomorrow. Abbott is resting at present and does not usually take part. 

A positive is that it bloods our youngsters and so far they have all come out with some credit.

Edited 6 August, 2025 by Weston Saint

[Andrew Watson]

Thanks for the above Ron.

[Weston Saint]

Abbott is in the squad for Essex game tomorrow. 

[Lighthouse]

23 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

If you look on the BBC cricket page you will struggle to find that the cup is actually taking place.

However, they have gone overboard on the fucking stupid Hundred.

I don't mind it. If the mainstream media is more focussed on a competition that will get more kids into cricket, that's not really a bad thing. The Hundred is a gateway drug to hopefully get them hooked on real cricket.

[badgerx16]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I don't mind it. If the mainstream media is more focussed on a competition that will get more kids into cricket, that's not really a bad thing. The Hundred is a gateway drug to hopefully get them hooked on real cricket.

Yet the ECB have just released a report that says there is no evidence that The Hundred has brought any new supporters to the Counties, either in first class or List A games.