Born On This Day: 9th March

Today we celebrate the birthdays of two current Hampshire players, captain James Vince and all-rounder Brad Taylor.

James Vince, was born in Cuckfield, Sussex in 1991, although he grew up in Wiltshire and played for Hampshire’s age-group sides and for England U19s in all three formats. He made his county debut v Loughborough UCCE in 2009 and the following year, he and Jimmy Adams set a (then) partnership record v Yorkshire at Scarborough with 19-year-old Vince contributing 180, his maiden century.

There were nine more in the next three years, and four in the promotion year of 2014, including 240 v Essex in a victory that would be crucial at the season’s end – a year when he scored 1,525 runs at 61.00. In 2019, he was a member of England’s victorious World Cup squad.

By the end of the 2020 season, he had played in 143 first-class matches for Hampshire, scoring 8,760 runs at a fraction over 40, with 24 centuries, a period when only two men have passed 10,000 runs for Hampshire in the 21^st century, Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry. He was appointed captain of Hampshire’s T20 side in 2014, added the limited-overs side in 2015, and became club captain in 2016.

He played in two Hampshire sides that won Lord’s Cup Finals: in 2012 & 2018 and two T20 Trophy winners in 2010 & 2012. In 2017, his 50-overs score of 178 v Glamorgan at the The Ageas Bowl took him beyond Gordon Greenidge as the highest limited-overs innings for Hampshire and he beat that in 2019 with 190 v Gloucestershire.

He has played T20 cricket for six overseas sides in various countries – with Sydney Sixers he won the Australian ‘Big Bash’ in 2019/20 and again in 2020/21. He has played in 13 Test Matches with 548 runs at 24.90 and a highest score of 83 v Australia (Brisbane) in 2017/18. In 16 ODIs he has scored 322 runs at 23.00 with a best of 51 and in IT20s 12 matches brought 340 runs at 28.33 and a best of 59.

Although principally a batsman, he bowls occasional medium pace, with a few wickets in each format. His best bowling in first-class cricket is 5-41 v Loughborough UCCE in 2019. He has also kept wicket occasionally in an emergency.

Brad Taylor was born in Winchester, Hampshire and is a product of Hampshire’s highly successful youth system.

After representing Hampshire’s youth squads as a youngster, Taylor first hit the headlines in 2013 at the age of 16 when he became the youngest player in 135 years to appear for Hampshire after being selected to play against Lancashire in List A and County Championship fixtures.

He continued to impress in 2014, featuring twice for the First XI but predominantly for the Second XI – something which saw him receive a call-up to the England U19s Test side for matches against South Africa. At the end of the 2014 season, Brad was awarded a development contract for the 2015 season and after yet another promising season for the Second XI, he was selected to captain the England U19s on their winter tour to Sri Lanka. Continuing to develop his skills with bat and ball for the Second XI, Taylor featured in five T20 fixtures in 2016.

The off-spinner progressed further in the 2017 season, featuring against South Africa 'A' in a tour game as well as a County Championship game against Lancashire in June, whilst also contributing to the Hampshire Second XI throughout the season.

That winter saw the right-armer travel to New Zealand's North-Island city, Wellington, to play as the overseas professional for Petone Cricket Club and gain valuable experience in the southern hemisphere whilst working with former New Zealand spinner, Jeetan Patel.

Taylor made key contributions throughout Hampshire's triumphant 2018 50-over campaign the following season, before an ankle injury ended his season prematurely. Following his recovery, he played a key role in the success of Hampshire Second XI in 2019, guiding the side to a T20 final and a Championship title, all whilst returning as a valuable part of the First XI set-up.

Also today: Patrick Hall, Rev George Raikes, John Stephenson.