On This Day: Smith Shines On Day One Of B&H Cup Final

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

Hampshire 253-5 (Smith 90) v Kent (6-0) B&H Cup Final Day One, Lord's: 11th July 1992

Hampshire, holders of the Nat West Trophy from the previous September were back at Lord’s for the B&H Final on this day in 1992, with three changes from that side.

Captain Mark Nicholas, injured in 1991 returned, so too Malcolm Marshall in his first county Final after previous semi-final disappointments.

Finally ‘keeper’ Adi Aymes was injured so there was one last ‘big occasion’ for Bobby Parks.

The forecast was poor when Kent won the toss and chose to field. Hampshire’s openers Terry & Middleton took them past 50 before Middleton (27) was lbw to Carl Hooper at 68-1 in 19 overs. That brought Robin Smith to the crease and in his third Cup Final appearance he once again dominated the innings.

In those days Cup matches followed normal timings so there was a lunch interval followed by a couple of hours of rain, after which Robin Smith hit 90 from 109 balls with a six and six fours, with good support from Gower (29), Nicholas (25) and Marshall (29*).

For Kent, Matthew Fleming took two wickets but his eight overs cost 63 runs and his team had to pursue 254 to win – more than any side had managed chasing previously in these 55-over Finals. That evening there was time for just two overs of the Kent innings and they closed on 6-0.