About two months ago John Winn wrote a blog about Hampshire's first ever County Championship win, under the captaincy of Colin Ingleby-McKenzie, in season 1961. Twelve years after this they won the championship again in 1973 and I was lucky enough to be on holiday in Hampshire to see them clinch the title during a match with Gloucestershire at Dean Park, Bournemouth. This time the captain was Richard Gilliat, an Oxford blue who had the requisite number of initials (three) to become Hampshire captain in the middle of a long post war line which took in E.D.R. Eager, A.C.D. Ingleby-McKenzie, N.E.J. Pocock and M.J.C. Nicholas.
Nevertheless Gilliat was a very useful middle order batsman and played a crucial part in the victory which clinched the title. The two chief weapons in his armoury were the two opening batsman, Gordon Greenidge of the West Indies and Barry Richards of South Africa. The rest of the squad could perhaps be classified as journeymen professionals, with perhaps Sainsbury and Jesty the two who stood out above the rest.
In the vital game at Bournemouth, Hampshire bowled Gloucester all out for 204 thanks to Mike Taylor's 7-53. They then got a first innings lead of just over a hundred (Greenidge 96). On the last day Sadiq Mohammed dominated proceedings with a splendid 170 which allowed Gloucester to declare and set Hampshire to score 190 to win in the final session. They got there for the loss of only five wickets, in 33 overs, thanks again mainly to Greenidge with 65 and a captain's innings of 48 from Gilliat, together with Jesty's 33 not out.
Hampshire 1973 - Back row Lewis, O'Sullivan, Taylor, Mottram, Herman, Greenidge, Murtagh, Jesty.
Front row Turner, Sainsbury, Gilliat (capt), Richards and Stephenson.
Richard Lewis was a middle order batsman who played for the county for nine seasons. He was in and out of the side and never really established himself despite two centuries and thirteen fifties. He subsequently played Minor Counties cricket with Dorset for a further ten seasons. David O'Sullivan was a New Zealander who only played with Hampshire for three seasons. He was a slow left arm bowler and went on to play eleven Tests for New Zealand and had a long career with Central Districts in his home country.
Mike Taylor came to Hampshire from Nottinghamshire where he played from 1964 -1972. A medium pace bowler he started well at his new county with 64 wickets in the championship season of 1973. He was a regular until 1980, making two first class centuries and being part of the Sunday League winning side before retiring to become Assistant Secretary and Marketing Manager at the time of the move to the Rose Bowl. His twin brother, Derek Taylor, kept wicket for Somerset.
Tom Mottram a tall opening bowler was a Lancastrian, who only stayed with Hampshire from 1971-1976. He played a notable part in the championship win, taking 57 wickets, but then become more of a one day specialist. Bob Herman, was the son of another Hampshire bowler Lofty Herman. He too was an opening bowler who had six years with Middlesex, before joining Hampshire in 1972-1977. After a couple of seasons with Dorset he became a first class umpire for four years.
Gordon Greenidge was born in Barbados but went to school in England and joined Hampshire in 1970 where he stayed until 1987, A prolific run scorer he played over a hundred Tests for West Indies as well as 128 one day internationals. He made over 37,000 runs and scored 92 centuries. Andy Murtagh is an Irishman and the uncle of Tim Murtagh of Middlesex and Ireland. He was a middle order batsman and medium pace bowler who had just five seasons with Hampshire before becoming a school master at Malvern College. On retirement he became an author and has written several cricketing biographies.
Trevor Jesty was an excellent all round cricketer who was unlucky to play only ten one day internationals for England. He had a long career with Hampshire from 1966-1984 before having brief spells with both Surrey and Lancashire. He then became a first class umpire for twenty years before retirement in 2013.
On the left of the front row is David Turner who was a splendid left hand batsman and a brilliant fielder. He played 426 games for Hampshire between 1966 and 1988, scoring over 19,000 runs. His highest score was 184 not out against Gloucester in 1987, when he put on 311 for the third wicket with Gordon Greenidge. Next to him is Peter Sainsbury, a true Hampshire legend who served the county well from 1954 to 1976. He was a right hand bat and slow left arm bowler and the only player to appear in both Hampshire championship winning sides. He played 618 matches, scored over 20,000 runs, took 1,316 wickets and 617 catches as a specialist close to the wicket fielder.
Captain Richard Gilliat was a left hand bat who had three seasons at Oxford University before becoming a regular with Hampshire. He had an outstanding season in 1969 scoring the fastest century of the season and his highest score of 223 not out against Warwickshire. He took over as captain from Roy Marshall in 1971 until 1978. After retirement he returned to Charterhouse School as a teacher.
Barry Richards, as with Mike Procter of Gloucester, was lost to international cricket due to the South African situation. However he prospered at county level, until losing interest in the game when it became apparent he would never be able to play at the highest level. He scored many runs for Hampshire in his stay from 1968-1978 as well as for Natal in South Africa and for South Australia. In all he scored over 28,000 runs, including 80 centuries.
Finally we have wicket keeper Bob Stephenson who came to Hampshire from his native Derby after two seasons with Derbyshire. He arrived in 1969 and stayed until 1980. In his younger days he was an inside forward who played for Derby County and Rochdale, but he really made his mark as a cricketer.
Not only a wicket keeper, but a useful batsman who made one first class century in 1976. He was made captain on Gilliat's retirement in 1979 for one season only and retired the following year when Hampshire finished bottom of the table.
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