Its June 2025 when this story begins (because the other odd years have gone and i have no record of them and i am up to here). To get you started and introduced this is a previous match a few years ago, involving Warwickwhire and Hants.
Hampshire(8) vs Warwickshire(2)
Hampshire elected to bat first and send Warwickshire to bowl. The pitch greatly favoured the batsman, sunny conditions and even bounce ensured a total of 220+.
Opening the batting for Hampshire was C.Gray and A.Atkin. C.Gray averaging 32.72 a senoir in the team knew the target of 250 would be ideal for defending. His fellow partner A.Atkin averages 33.93. Opening the bowling for Warwickshire were rookie J Murray and young A Sammels.
Hants went to decent start in the first few overs, exactly what they wanted, 0/60 after 12 overs, having a run rate of 5. The first wicket fell when A.Atkin was plum lbw bowled beautifuly by A.Sammels, just want the captain wanted. New Batsman K.Matthie and C.Gray steadied the ship and continued the run rate, which slowly rose.
The captain was desperate the run rate had crept to 6 and slowly increasing, 1/120 of 20 overs. The bowlers kept the extras low, but the run rate was not dropping and the captain threw the ball around trying to find a wicket and even bowled himself. At the 32nd over the score was reaching the 300 milestone. The fielders were tired and bowlers were weary, Hants had climbed to 370 of 45 overs with loss of only one wicket. Thanks to the brillaint partnership between C.Gray and K.Matthie amassing 290.
The bowling was not to blame, Warwickshire only gave away 4 extras all of them being wides. It was conditions and the explosive batting of Hants batsman. C.Gray finished with a career best of 196* of only 135 balls, smashing 32 fours! K.Matthie provided great support and scored 123* of 85 balls. The only wicket was taken A.Sammel who finished with figures 1/171 which was one of the better bowling figures.
Hants were well on top, 371 of 45 overs requires a run rate of 8.24. D.Sheen upcoming superstar and veteran Test and ODI player T.Brien knew an explosive start was needed to ensure victory. D.Sheen averaging 35.01 and captain T.Brien who averages 43.27 needed to build a partnership. K.Matthie the all-rounder and A.Leaburn opened the bowling looking for an early wicket. But instead the Warwickshire exploded with the 3rd over going for 18 runs of K.Matthie. The early wicket was found in the seventh as T.Brien trying to maintain the runrate was runout after trying to pinch a quick single. In came L.Short ahead of the experienced L.Hunniford, an unsurprising move by the captain. L.Short who is part of the Ashes squad, averages 41.54, with only one century to his name, this was a brillaint oppurtinity. L.Short quickly began his explosive hitting and quick runninh between the wickets to propel the runrate. At 12 overs Warwickshire were already near the 100 mark, 1/94. D.Sheen provided brillaint entertainment was soon found out lbw by Darcy. L.Hunniford came in and knew was what was expect of England's best batsman. Run rate declined slightly as normally occurs after a wicket but that soon changed as Hunniford and Short began hitting all over the park, the Hants failed to take the oppurtinity if some crucial wickets, by bowling without control resulting in extras.
Warwickshire third wicket fell, Hunniford clean bowled Baildon, the score 3/240, Edmonds a rookie, knew a task was ahead of him and oppurtinity to show his youthful skills. Edmonds quickfired 23 before being lbw by Matthie. All rounder Belmont was at the crease, 4/280 after only 30 overs. Run Rate had dramatically reduced to just 6 per over, but Hants still had a chance a couple of wickets could change the match. Alas Len Short was there to ensure stability and the total was reached comfortably with 5 overs to spare. L.Short topscoring with his second century in a league match, score 145 runs of just 85 balls with a strike rate of 170.58, amassing 18 fours and a six. Belmont belmont belted the Hants bowlers with quick 50 of 41 balls ensuring there was little pressure on L.Short.
The Hants bowler had their oppurtinities, but failed to grow on them, a few early wickets had on their favour, but the lack of control ensured Warwickshire batting. Hants finished with 8 extras. C.Gray with his 196 not out was named Man Of the Match.
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Interview
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T.Brien (Capt of Warwicks): The pitch was a batsman's delight, um I would like to do bat first without the pressure, nevertheless our batsman did a brillaint job chasing such a total. Shorty was brillaint! We will need to work on our fielding and perhaps on our bowling. I'd like to congratulate Gray for that marvellous knock.
L.Hunniford (England Test Capt): Yeah it was awesome game for the crowd, and gets the confidence up for Shorty and me for the Ashes.
C.Gray (Capt of Hants and MOTM): Well we batted well and used the conditions, but our bowling needs working. We had a few early wickets that we could have built on, but Warkwicks played outstandily with the bat. Yeah it was great batting the on that pitch, i was getting pretty puffed in heat and batting all day but i enjoyed my innings and well never forget it.
Hampshire vs Warwickshire
Hampshire(8) vs Warwickshire(2)
Hampshire elected to bat first and send Warwickshire to bowl. The pitch greatly favoured the batsman, sunny conditions and even bounce ensured a total of 220+.
Opening the batting for Hampshire was C.Gray and A.Atkin. C.Gray averaging 32.72 a senoir in the team knew the target of 250 would be ideal for defending. His fellow partner A.Atkin averages 33.93. Opening the bowling for Warwickshire were rookie J Murray and young A Sammels.
Hants went to decent start in the first few overs, exactly what they wanted, 0/60 after 12 overs, having a run rate of 5. The first wicket fell when A.Atkin was plum lbw bowled beautifuly by A.Sammels, just want the captain wanted. New Batsman K.Matthie and C.Gray steadied the ship and continued the run rate, which slowly rose.
The captain was desperate the run rate had crept to 6 and slowly increasing, 1/120 of 20 overs. The bowlers kept the extras low, but the run rate was not dropping and the captain threw the ball around trying to find a wicket and even bowled himself. At the 32nd over the score was reaching the 300 milestone. The fielders were tired and bowlers were weary, Hants had climbed to 370 of 45 overs with loss of only one wicket. Thanks to the brillaint partnership between C.Gray and K.Matthie amassing 290.
The bowling was not to blame, Warwickshire only gave away 4 extras all of them being wides. It was conditions and the explosive batting of Hants batsman. C.Gray finished with a career best of 196* of only 135 balls, smashing 32 fours! K.Matthie provided great support and scored 123* of 85 balls. The only wicket was taken A.Sammel who finished with figures 1/171 which was one of the better bowling figures.
Hants were well on top, 371 of 45 overs requires a run rate of 8.24. D.Sheen upcoming superstar and veteran Test and ODI player T.Brien knew an explosive start was needed to ensure victory. D.Sheen averaging 35.01 and captain T.Brien who averages 43.27 needed to build a partnership. K.Matthie the all-rounder and A.Leaburn opened the bowling looking for an early wicket. But instead the Warwickshire exploded with the 3rd over going for 18 runs of K.Matthie. The early wicket was found in the seventh as T.Brien trying to maintain the runrate was runout after trying to pinch a quick single. In came L.Short ahead of the experienced L.Hunniford, an unsurprising move by the captain. L.Short who is part of the Ashes squad, averages 41.54, with only one century to his name, this was a brillaint oppurtinity. L.Short quickly began his explosive hitting and quick runninh between the wickets to propel the runrate. At 12 overs Warwickshire were already near the 100 mark, 1/94. D.Sheen provided brillaint entertainment was soon found out lbw by Darcy. L.Hunniford came in and knew was what was expect of England's best batsman. Run rate declined slightly as normally occurs after a wicket but that soon changed as Hunniford and Short began hitting all over the park, the Hants failed to take the oppurtinity if some crucial wickets, by bowling without control resulting in extras.
Warwickshire third wicket fell, Hunniford clean bowled Baildon, the score 3/240, Edmonds a rookie, knew a task was ahead of him and oppurtinity to show his youthful skills. Edmonds quickfired 23 before being lbw by Matthie. All rounder Belmont was at the crease, 4/280 after only 30 overs. Run Rate had dramatically reduced to just 6 per over, but Hants still had a chance a couple of wickets could change the match. Alas Len Short was there to ensure stability and the total was reached comfortably with 5 overs to spare. L.Short topscoring with his second century in a league match, score 145 runs of just 85 balls with a strike rate of 170.58, amassing 18 fours and a six. Belmont belmont belted the Hants bowlers with quick 50 of 41 balls ensuring there was little pressure on L.Short.
The Hants bowler had their oppurtinities, but failed to grow on them, a few early wickets had on their favour, but the lack of control ensured Warwickshire batting. Hants finished with 8 extras. C.Gray with his 196 not out was named Man Of the Match.
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Interview
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T.Brien (Capt of Warwicks): The pitch was a batsman's delight, um I would like to do bat first without the pressure, nevertheless our batsman did a brillaint job chasing such a total. Shorty was brillaint! We will need to work on our fielding and perhaps on our bowling. I'd like to congratulate Gray for that marvellous knock.
L.Hunniford (England Test Capt): Yeah it was awesome game for the crowd, and gets the confidence up for Shorty and me for the Ashes.
C.Gray (Capt of Hants and MOTM): Well we batted well and used the conditions, but our bowling needs working. We had a few early wickets that we could have built on, but Warkwicks played outstandily with the bat. Yeah it was great batting the on that pitch, i was getting pretty puffed in heat and batting all day but i enjoyed my innings and well never forget it.
