On This Day: The Ageas Bowl Hosts Its First Test Match

Hampshire Cricket's historian Dave Allen takes a look back on timely memorable moments in his ‘On This Day’ series.

England v Sri Lanka, 3rd Npower Test, The Ageas Bowl: 16th - 20th June 2011

England v Sri Lanka was the inaugural Test Match at the then Rose Bowl, and the first Test Match ever played in Hampshire.

On this day in 2011, Rod Bransgrove rang the first five-minute bell, Jimmy Anderson bowled the first ball, but sadly the rain was never far away.

There was only time on the first day for Sri Lanka to reach 81-4 with two wickets each for Anderson and Chris Tremlett, by then with Surrey, and enjoying his homecoming.

On the second day the players just managed to start the 23rd over, by which time Sri Lanka were 177-9, and having added seven more runs on the third morning, they were all out, with Tremlett taking 6-48, earning him the Man-of-the Match award.

England declared on day four, at 377-8 and with Sri Lanka 112-3 at the close, still 81 behind, there was a chance of victory.

It was not to be, as captain Sangakkara (119), Samaraweera with 87*, and the heavy rain from tea onwards, ensured the match ended in a draw, with Nigel Gray and his team, perhaps the real heroes.

There were just 260 overs bowled in the five days – almost 200 overs short of the planned total.