On This Day: Cardigan Connor Takes Five-Fer In Sunday League

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

Cardigan Connor (5-25) - Hampshire v Northamptonshire, Sunday League, 23rd June 1996

Hampshire, having beaten Northants in three days during the Basingstoke week, enjoyed a Saturday off, before returning to meet the same opponents in a Sunday League match on this day in 1996.

Northants batted first and reached 63-1 but while Curran, Caple and Penberthy all reached 30, Capel’s 35 was top score and in 40 overs they posted 169 with Cardigan Connor leading the bowlers with 5-25 in his eight overs.

The target looked modest but in no time, left-armer Taylor had dismissed openers Stephenson and Laney, and Hampshire were 6-2.

Robin Smith then contributed 30 in a partnership of 62 but it was his batting partner who astonished everyone – West Indian pace bowler, Winston Benjamin, plagued by injuries through his brief spell with Hampshire, was playing solely as a batsman and his 104* (with Aymes 23*) took Hampshire to victory by seven wickets with seven-and-a-half overs to spare.

Benjamin played just two Championship matches that year but scored another century, while in all Hampshire matches he bowled little more than 100 overs as his career drifted to a conclusion.