Born On This Day: 3rd October

Ian Holland, Sir Alan Hotham, Sir George Lion and Henry Kay 

Today’s most familiar ‘Birthday Boy’ is Ian Holland who has just completed his finest season for Hampshire.

Most people know he was born in the USA although he learned his cricket in Australia. ‘Down Under’ he won a talent contest which led eventually to a career with Hampshire as an all-rounder who has occasionally opened the batting.

He is approaching 1,000 first-class career runs for Hampshire with a best of 143, plus 56 wickets (best 6-60), while in the 2020 season his T20 record was 161 runs at 32.20 and a bowling economy rate of 7.30. He is also one of Hampshire’s ‘internationals’, having represented the United States of America.

Other Hampshire birthdays today include two very interesting men, who played a few games for the county and in so doing stressed our links with the services. Hampshire are probably unique in having used two services grounds for home matches, Aldershot occasionally and Portsmouth throughout the 20th century. In addition, way back, many service personnel would play for the county, usually as amateurs, and two of the more notable, a pair of Admirals, were born on this day: Admiral Sir Alan Hotham, and Admiral Sir George Lyon.

Scotsman Hotham played one Championship match for Hampshire at Portsmouth in 1901 and Lyon two county matches for Hampshire in 1904; he also represented England at rugby union. Henry Kay born in Bedhampton on this day in 1851 played twice for the county in 1882 but sadly without a run or a wicket.