Born On This Day: 4th October

John Badcock, Mervyn Burden and Alex Morris

We could almost field a full XI from Hampshire cricketers born on this day but two or three are particularly notable.

Big fast bowler John Badcock made an immediate impact in 1906, taking 96 wickets at 24.81. He was not quite so successful in the following year but after a third season in 1908 he had taken 212 wickets at 25.53, with a career best 8-44 v Sussex at Portsmouth. #

Despite this, there were doubts about his fitness, but Hampshire offered him a further contract and a trainer to help. He declined their offer and moved instead to London to manage a cinema.

Southampton-born Mervyn Burden, the nicest of men, joined the staff in 1947 and after National Service converted from bowling at medium-pace to off-breaks.

He was one of the young players who impressed when Hampshire finished third in 1955 and runners-up in 1958 (56 wickets at 22.42). By 1961 he had spin-bowling competition from Alan Wassell as well as Peter Sainsbury but he played a key role in the early matches and took 50 wickets at 22.92 as Hampshire won their first Championship title. He played for two more seasons before retiring although still appeared in 2nd XI matches quite regularly.

Alex Morris was a tall, strong bowling all-rounder who joined Hampshire from Yorkshire in 1998 and while he achieved a first-class career ‘double’ (147 wickets) there was probably much more to come when injury forced him to retire in his mid-twenties after just four full seasons. He was a member of the Hampshire side that won promotion in 2001.