On This Day: Cardigan Connor Takes 9-38 Against Gloucestershire

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

Cardigan Connor (9-38) - Hampshire v Gloucestershire, County Championship: 8th - 12th August 1996

Hampshire came home to Southampton having lost their three previous Championship matches and after John Stephenson won the toss and batted both he, and his opening partner Jason Laney were dismissed without scoring.

James, Smith, Kendall and Keech got the score to 153-4 but Courtney Walsh (5-34) finished the innings on just 186.

When the visitors batted, Jim Bovill took the first wicket, then Cardigan Connor three more as Gloucestershire closed on 138-4.

The next morning - 9th August -  ‘Cardie’ was in superb form taking all the remaining wickets to finish with 9-38 as Hampshire led by 22; Connor’s figures were and remain the fifth best in Hampshire’s history.

Four half centuries from the in-form first innings quartet took Hampshire to 356 and while Gloucestershire made a good effort to reach the target (Andrew Symonds 90) spin-twins Udal (5-82) and Maru (3-50) worked their way through the batting.

Oddly ‘Cardie’ failed to add one more for 10-in-the-match and it was not until the penultimate ball that Udal took the winning wicket.