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From The Archive | Episode 9: We've Been Expecting You
From The Archive | Episode 9: We've Been Expecting You
As we celebrate 25 Years of The Bowl, we uncover the stories behind the venue’s journey.
Written by
Dave Allen
Hampshire Cricket Heritage
John Winter
Hampshire Cricket Heritage
2008: We've Been Expecting You
Quiz Question: Who became the youngest player ever to make a first-class hundred for Hampshire, when he finished 100 not out on the last day of the season at Trent Bridge?
‘Dimi’ Mascarenhas was appointed captain, and in May became the first county cricketer to appear in the T20 Indian Premier League. Hampshire finished third again in the Championship, but this was the result of a significant late improvement, after they had lost four and drawn six of the first 11 matches. Even their one victory, in Durham, was by just four runs. Then Tomlinson and Imran Tahir induced a second innings collapse by Yorkshire. Hampshire won, as they did from three of their last four matches, and they rose rapidly away from threatened relegation. By this time Giles White had replaced Paul Terry as Cricket Manager.
Hampshire’s first overseas player of 2008, Shane Bond, took 7-66 v Sussex at the Rose Bowl, the best-ever figures for Hampshire on Championship debut. After he departed, Hampshire signed leg spinner Imran Tahir who equalled that innings record and his match figures of 12-189 were the best-ever on Hampshire debut. Pothas dismissed 10 batsmen in the match v Durham at Chester-le-Street to equal the Hampshire record. On his only Championship appearance for Hampshire over five consecutive seasons, Pietersen scored a century v Somerset at Taunton. Pothas and Brown passed 900 runs, but no one reached four figures. Tomlinson’s 67 wickets were Hampshire’s highest for a first-class season since moving to the Rose Bowl and in seven matches, Imran Tahir took 44 at 16.68. James Tomlinson was the Player of the Season.
Hampshire played well in the Pro40, finishing runners-up to Sussex with two of their eight matches ending as No Result. They failed to qualify in the Friends Provident Trophy while Ian Harvey and M (‘Nantie’) Hayward played as overseas players in the T20, but Hampshire failed to qualify again and their 85 all out v Sussex, was their lowest T20 score at the Rose Bowl. For the first time, T20 Finals Day was held at the Rose Bowl, and won by Middlesex including Shaun Udal and with Richard Scott as a coach. Michael Brown moved to Surrey but not before he captained Hampshire 2nd XI to their Trophy success, beating Essex by 7 runs. James Vince top-scored with 58 and Danny Briggs showed promise with 2-47.
On August 1st ‘Butch’ White passed away, aged seventy-two. A Championship winner with Hampshire in 1961, he made two Test appearances for England against Pakistan the following winter. Overall, he took 1097 wickets for Hampshire at 23.36, with a best of 9-44 at Portsmouth in 1966. ‘Butch’ was the last Hampshire bowler to take two first-class hat-tricks for the club. Both were against Sussex in 1961 and 1962. In late August, with American rock band REM appearing at the Rose Bowl, Hampshire returned to Basingstoke to play Durham. In a great game, Liam Dawson made his highest first-class score to date of 28, late in the final day chase, in a defining partnership with Sean Ervine who finished with 94 not out. Hampshire won by 2 wickets. Durham finished the season as Champions, losing just three of their sixteen matches. Two of those losses were home and away against Hampshire.
On Saturday 13 September, a Hambledon XII met 12 men from Broadhalfpenny Down Association to mark the centenary of the only first-class match on the ground when the commemorative stone was unveiled. Hampshire cricketers Nic Pothas, Michael Brown, Derek Kenway, Will Kendall, John Stephenson, James Bruce, Ian Turner, Raj Maru appeared as did James Fry, the great-grandson of CB Fry and grandson/son of former Hampshire players. JRT
Barclay captained the Broadhalfpenny Down side, and in the evening there was a supper in the Bat & Ball Inn with musical entertainment arranged by David Rayvern Allen and a group of singers.
Havant won the Southern Electric Premier League, with South Wilts runners-up.
Quiz Answer: Liam Dawson was just 18 years and 211 days old when he reached his century on Saturday 27th September 2008. Dimi Mascarenhas duly declared on 449 for 5, with Nic Pothas also unbeaten with 125. Hampshire then bowled Notts out for 238, to win the game by 203 runs.
Throughout 2026, 25 Years of The Bowl will be marked through a series of celebrations reflecting the venue’s history, people and progress.
One of the headline moments of the anniversary year comes on Friday 29 May, as Hampshire Hawks v Surrey brings the Party Like It’s 2001 theme to life with a retro-themed Vitality Blast double header at Utilita Bowl.
Together, these moments will celebrate 25 years of The Bowl - past, present and future.
