da bet nacional： There were not many people who believed that Hampshire could win the countychampionship at the start of the 1973 season
Greg Struthers06-Nov-2003There were not many people who believed that Hampshire could win the countychampionship at the start of the 1973 season. Sure, they had a powerfulopening batting pair in the South African Barry Richards and West IndianGordon Greenidge. And with the likes of David Turner and Trevor Jesty theyhad batsmen who could continue the good work at the crease. But it was aline-up better suited to limited-overs competition and their weaker bowlingattack had always hampered their success.
Champions 1973
Copyright – Patrick Eagar
This did not deter Peter White, their new scorer, from taking a bet at 66-1on them winning the championship for the first time since 1961. Some say itwas more out of loyalty than good judgment. White collected his winningsafter Hampshire had won half and drawn the other half of their 20 matches toclinch the title with a game to spare.Their batsmen lived up to their reputations with both Greenidge and Richardsnotching more than 1,000 runs each. But it was the bowlers who surprisedeverybody – Bob Herman, Tom Mottram and Mike Taylor took more than 50wickets each and spinners Peter Sainsbury and New Zealander David O’Sullivanchipped in with 40-odd wickets apiece.”We had a wonderful team spirit too,” recalls Turner. “Our bowlers performedsuperbly. However, a lot of our success came because of our fielding.Greenidge and Richards took everything that flew to them in the slips, andwe had some good ground fielders.”
Buckingham Palace
Copyright – Southern Newspapers
Richards remembers the success but, like many international players, wasmore focused on the Test arena. “I don’t want to demean the achievement ofwinning a county championship but I was young and wanted to play Testcricket,” he said. “I eventually found the challenge had gone out of playingcounty cricket and I left a lot of runs out there.” His greatest challengewas a healthy competition that developed between himself and Greenidge asthey attempted to out-perform each other. It was a contest that many abowler around the shires would grow to regret.
R.V.Lewis
1 Richard LewisA right-handed batsman and occasional leg-break bowler who played in 13matches in the championship-winning season, he was with the county from 1967to 1976 but had the misfortune of being understudy to the best openingbatting pair in county cricket at the time. Played for Dorset until 1989 andnow coaches cricket at Charterhouse school.
D.R.O’Sullivan
2 David O’SullivanA fine slow left-arm bowler who thrived in dry conditions, the New Zealandergrabbed plenty of wickets late in the season as Hampshire’s title chasegathered momentum. Achieved career-best figures that summer when he took6-26 against Nottinghamshire. Hampshire had to choose between him and AndyRoberts, the West Indian fast bowler, the next season and reluctantlyreleased the Antipodean. He played in 11 Tests and lives in New Zealand,where he is successful in the insurance business.
M.N.S.Taylor
3 Mike TaylorRejected by Nottinghamshire after eight years, in his first season for hisnew county, the right-arm medium-pace bowler took 63 wickets at an averageof 19.33. He repaid Hampshire for their faith with solid performances untilhe stopped playing in 1980. Became marketing manager at the club in 1984 andretired last year. He lives in Chandler’s Ford, near Southampton.
T.J.Mottram
4 Tom MottramThis was Mottram’s finest season in four summers in first-class cricket,taking 57 wickets at an average of 22. Mottram played 35 matches and took111 wickets. He is an architect in Poole, Dorset.
R.S.Herman
5 Bob HermanA right-arm fast-medium bowler, Herman took 81 wickets at an average of21.66 in his first season at Hampshire in 1972, having moved from Middlesex,and followed that with 63 the next summer. Followed in his father’sfootsteps by playing for Middlesex then Hampshire. Turned out for Dorset fortwo seasons until 1979 before becoming an umpire. He was a prolific hitterin club cricket for Sarisbury Green, where he teaches at the local school.
C.G.Greenidge
6 Gordon GreenidgeThe Barbadian-born right-handed batsman moved to England at the age of 12and, although approached to play for England, waited for his chance with theWest Indies. When it came he never looked back, playing 108 Tests andscoring 7,558 runs at an average of 44.72. Stayed loyal to Hampshire, andhis partnership with Richards provided the platform for many successes.Retained his interest in the game after he retired, and was the battingcoach for Bangladesh in the World Cup in South Africa.
A.J.Murtagh
7 Andy MurtaghA lower-order batsman born in Dublin, Murtagh played in five games in thechampionship-winning season in which Hampshire used only 13 players butstruggled to win a regular place in the powerful batting line-up. He is ateacher and in charge of cricket at Malvern College near Worcester. Hissons, Tim and Chris, are on the books at Surrey.
T.E.Jesty
8 Trevor JestyAn aggressive middle-order batsman who started with Hampshire in 1966, Jestydid not enjoy one of his best seasons with the bat in 1973. Had more successas a change bowler, taking 35 wickets at 20 runs apiece. Jesty played 340games for Hampshire until he moved to Surrey in the winter of 1985. Spenttwo and a bit seasons at The Oval and then played for Lancashire. He scored1,000 runs in a season 10 times and played in 10 one-day internationals forEngland. Now a respected first-class umpire.
D.R.Turner
9 David TurnerAfter Greenidge and Richards in the batting line-up came Turner, a solidleft-hander who piled on 19,005 first-class career runs at an average of30.55. Born in Wiltshire, he played for Hampshire from 1966 until 1989 andscored 1,000 runs in a season nine times. Returned to Chippenham where heruns a key cutting and shoe repair business that he took over from hisfather. When he has time he plays social cricket and enjoys a round of golf.
P.J.Sainsbury
10 Peter SainsburyA slow left-arm bowler and lower-order batsman, this was his finest seasonand he was named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year. Sainsburychipped in with more than 700 runs, but it was his bowling that turned thetide Hampshire’s way as he took 49 wickets at an average of 17.73. The onlyplayer to win championships with the county in both 1961 and 1973, he waswith Hampshire from 1954 until 1976. Sainsbury hit 1,000 runs in a seasonsix times and took 100 wickets in a season twice. After hanging up hiswell-worn boots, he became Hampshire coach from 1977 until 1991, and has nowretired to the golf course.
R.M.C.Gilliat (captain)
11 Richard GilliatLike many good captains, Gilliat was slightly aloof but well respected. Hisstrongest ability was his tactical awareness and a penchant for getting thebest out of his players. Although he had a strong batting line-up, winningthe championship title required bowling teams out twice in three days, andGilliat’s use of his attack could not be faulted in 1973. He played forHampshire in 220 matches from 1966 until 1978 and captained the county from1971 until his retirement. Gilliat hit 1,000 runs in a season four times andcaptained Oxford University at cricket and football. He is deputy headmasterat Charterhouse school.
B.A.Richards
12 Barry RichardsHampshire followers would drool over a Richards century before lunch, andfor good reason. The South African was a stylish and technically correctbatsman whose brilliance at the crease was curtailed in the Test arena byapartheid. However, he showed that black and white could mix by forming aformidable opening partnership with Greenidge. Richards played in only fourTests for South Africa, but enjoyed a batting average of 72.57. He was chiefexecutive at Queensland and lives in Perth, Western Australia. He is atelevision commentator and writes a newspaper column.
G.R.Stephenson
13 Bob StephensonThe Hampshire wicketkeeper started his career at Derbyshire before moving toSouthampton in 1969. Played in 263 games for the county and was captain in1979, his penultimate season. He ran a sports shop specialising in shootingand fishing and is sports coach at Twyford school near Winchester.