On This Day: Thrilling Tie In Championship Nail-Biter

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

Hampshire v Kent, County Championship: 27th - 30th May 1950

This - 30th May 1950 - was the third and final day of the (then) annual home match v Kent over the Whitsun Bank Holiday and it ended just after lunch with the second (of four) tied Championship matches in our history – and in terms of totals in the four innings, this one could hardly have been closer.

Kent had batted first on the Saturday and spinners Charlie Knott (4-49) and Reg Dare (3-67) were mainly responsible for dismissing them for 162, with England wicketkeeper Godfrey Evans leading the resistance with 71.

Hampshire after a bright start (69-2) struggled also, with England leg-spinner Doug Wright taking 6-91. They were 110-5 overnight and on Monday morning all out for 180, a lead of just 18.

Kent were unlucky to lose Les Ames retired hurt on 55, but after a couple of wickets for Derek Shackleton, Hampshire bowled them out for 170 – the other notable innings played by the amateur RAF officer AC Shirreff (44) who had previously played for Hampshire; who now required 153 to win.

Overnight they were 47-2, having lost McCorkell and Hill, but the next day Rogers and Arnold (52) took them to 60-3 & 90-4, but Shirreff, Wright and Ray Dovey kept taking wickets and at 131-9 with two genuine ‘tail-enders’ in Knott and Vic Cannings together, Kent were the favourites.

At lunch Hampshire still needed 15 to win; there followed singles, four leg-byes, then a slash for two over gully’s head and the scores were level. The next ball from Wright found the edge of Knott’s bat and Hampshire were 152 all out, match tied.

When Hampshire tied again in 1955 v Sussex Vic Cannings was once more a tail-end hero when defeat beckoned!