On This Day: Rose Bowl Sees Opening Win

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

Hampshire v Worcestershire, County Championship: 9th - 11th May, 2001

Hampshire’s inaugural first-class and Championship match at the new Rose Bowl, concluded a day early - on 11th May 2001 - with a good victory for the hosts.

Robin Smith won the first toss contested at the then Rose Bowl, batted and at 79-6 must have had second thoughts. His predecessor John Stephenson scored 51, but it was ‘Dimi’ Mascarenhas - with the ground’s first century (104) - who took Hampshire past 300 on the second morning.

In reply to Hampshire’s 309, only the Worcestershire captain Graham Hick could match Mascarenhas; arriving at 8-1 he was eighth out for 120 with 228 scored. Eight runs later, Hampshire were batting again with a lead of 73 (Morris 4-39), although they struggled, Aymes top-scoring with 37*.

Their 159 all out (Sheriyar 4-30) left a target of 233 but that was way beyond Worcestershire, with only Singh and future Hampshire cricketer Andy
Bichel reaching 30.

Alex Morris with 4-27 and Shaun Udal 4-32, bowled out Worcestershire in the 45th over and Hampshire had launched the Championship season and the ground with a victory by 124 runs.