48 2GM Monday January 3 2022 | the times
Sport
History fills the new year air
as cradle of cricket celebrates
Course specialists
Lingfield Park: Trainers W Haggas, 35 winners
from 156 runners, 22.4%; S Pearce, 7 from 38,
18.4%; A Balding, 37 from 215, 17.2%; Michael Bell,
13 from 79, 16.5%. Jockeys Hollie Doyle, 79
winners from 506 rides, 15.6%; R Clutterbuck,
18 from 132, 13.6%; J Watson, 26 from 202, 12.9%.
Musselburgh: Trainers O Murphy, 5 from 15,
33.3%; J McConnell, 3 from 10, 30%; D McCain,
26 from 122, 21.3%; N Alexander, 15 from 77,
19.5%. Jockeys C McCann, 4 from 5, 80%;
B Hughes, 43 from 192, 22.4%; S W Quinlan,
13 from 87, 14.9%.
Southwell: Trainers J Landy, 4 from 9, 44.4%;
N Henderson, 18 from 51, 35.3%; H Fry, 6 from 19,
31.6%; F O'Brien, 18 from 73, 24.7%. Jockeys
A P Heskin, 8 from 27, 29.6%; N De Boinville,
17 from 61, 27.9%; H Skelton, 42 from 151, 27.8%.
Wolverhampton: Trainers R Varian, 33 from 132,
25%; H Palmer, 29 from 119, 24.4%; J Ferguson,
8 from 34, 23.5%; K P De Foy, 7 from 32, 21.9%.
Jockeys H Burns, 6 from 33, 18.2%; J Mason,
7 from 47, 14.9%; M Ghiani, 15 from 104, 14.4%.Southwell
Rob Wright
12.20 Lord Sparky 2.20 Brorson
12.50 Get Your Own 2.50 Blumen Glory
1.20 Mochachocachino 3.20 Lockdown Leader
1.50 Signal Point
Going: good to soft, good in places
Sky Sports Racing
12.20 Handicap Chase
(£3,812: 2m 4f) (11)
164541 RIZZARDO 50 (CD) N Twiston-Davies 10-11-13Mr Finn Lambert (10)
2 0-1P3HAPPY NEWS 34 (T,D) J Groucott 9-11-13 J Nailor (3)
3 1-PPPELKSTONE 44 (W,H,D) Mrs C Bailey 11-11-12Jamie Moore
4 -0314RAFFERTY 55 (H,T) L Morgan 8-11-12 A Wedge
5 -4021LORD SPARKY 29 (B,T,D) Mrs C Bailey 8-11-10 J Quinlan
6 FP-40MASSINI MAN 28 J Groucott 9-11-6 L Edwards
7 -0011BEN BUIE 19 (V) M Keighley 8-11-6 S Bowen
860153 CARO DES FLOS 32 (D) J S Smith 10-11-1 T Bellamy
9 P6/0UWELLS GOLD 22 (P) Sara Ender 11-10-0 H Bannister
10 PP040CUT AND RUN 20 (P) M Keighley 9-10-0 B Godfrey (5)
11 6-P43LESKINFERE 8 (P) J Cornwall 9-10-0 B Poste
9-4 Ben Buie, 4-1 Lord Sparky, 5-1 Rizzardo, 7-1 Rafferty, 8-1 Happy News, Caro
Des Flos, 20-1 Leskinfere, 25-1 Cut And Run, Massini Man, Wells Gold, Elkstone.Musselburgh
Rob Wright
1.00 Diamond State (nb) 2.30 Ultra Violet
1.30 The Big Jetaway 3.00 Elmono
2.00 Kakamora 3.30 Champagnesocialist
Going: good to soft, soft in places Racing TV
1.00 Handicap Hurdle
(£3,976: 2m 4f) (7 runners)
1 100-6PETRASTAR 54 (T,D) D J Jeffreys 7-12-5 K Brogan
2 24-11DIAMOND STATE 28 (CD) L Russell 6-11-12
Conner McCann (10)
3 11-00CELTIC FLAMES 197 (P,CD) L Russell 12-11-10 N Moscrop
413233 ZAFAR 24 (P,D) D McCain 7-11-9 T Gillard (3)
5 5-2FULANTY SLEA 53 N Richards 7-11-5 Mr C Rabbitt (10)
6 1/P-5BLOORIEDOTCOM 29 (C) L Russell 7-11-4 T Willmott
7 0-503SMART LASS 14 I Jardine 7-10-1 A Doyle (5)
15-8 Diamond State, 7-2 Lanty Slea, 9-2 Zafar, 6-1 Smart Lass, 8-1 Petrastar,
12-1 Blooriedotcom, 14-1 Celtic Flames.
Rob Wright’s choice: Diamond State has won his past two
starts here and is unexposed at this trip Danger: Zafar
1.30 Maiden Hurdle (£4,084: 2m 4f) (6)
1 13-DRUMBEAR 260 (T) J McConnell (Ire) 6-11-8S D Torrens (3)
2 0-432GARDE DES CHAMPS 28 (T) K Dalgleish 6-11-8B Hughes
3 32-52SALVINO 48 (T) A M Thomson 6-11-8 R Mania
4 0-34SONGOFTHELARK 28 (T) L Russell 6-11-8 S Mulqueen
5 -PP30THE BIG JETAWAY 22 (W,BF) D McCain 6-11-8T Gillard (5)
6 3100 STARLYTE 29 (P) I Williams 5-11-1 C Todd (3)
15-8 Garde Des Champs, 5-2 Drumbear, 4-1 Salvino, 7-1 Starlyte, 8-1 The Big
Jetaway, 14-1 Songofthelark.
Wright choice: The Big Jetaway has had a breathing
operation since a poor run at Carlisle Danger: Drumbear
2.00 Handicap Chase (£5,882: 2m 4f) (4)
1 211-3KAKAMORA 20 (T) T R George 7-11-8 J J Burke
221553 O CONNELL STREET 37 (P,T,D) K Frost 8-11-5 C Bewley
3 21-30MACKENBERG 44 (W,BF) D McCain 7-11-4 B Hughes
4 3-111BROADWAY JOE 14 (CD) N Alexander 8-10-13 H Brooke
11-10 Broadway Joe, 9-4 Kakamora, 5-1 Mackenberg, 6-1 O Connell Street.
Wright choice: Kakamora was a promising third on his
debut over fences at Wincanton Danger: Broadway Joe
2.30 Handicap Hurdle (£2,877: 2m) (12)
1 30-06JACK YEATS 29 W Coltherd 6-12-1 D R Fox
2 0-332GEMOLOGIST 14 (P,T,BF) L Russell 7-11-12Conner McCann (10)
325255 SARVI 14 (CD) J Goldie 7-11-11 H Reed
4 -0504THE STEWARD 168 (B,D) J Moffatt 11-11-11
Charlotte Jones (5)
5 0/610WILHELM VONVENSTER 41 N Richards 8-11-8M Galligan (7)
660025 MY MACHO MAN 28 (T) M Barnes 5-11-6 T Willmott (5)
752240 COURT JURADO 20 D McCain 8-11-6 B Hughes
850442 LES'S LEGACY 16 S Corbett 5-11-4 S Coltherd
9 303-0SILKSTONE F104 (P) D Brooke 6-11-3 H Brooke
10 43 ULTRA VIOLET 61 (P) N Alexander 4-11-1 C O'Farrell
11 -R600JESS'S CORNER 16 (P) V Thompson 6-10-12 T Dowson
1260500 THAT'S YOUR LOTTIE 22 (H,T) K Scott 7-10-0S Mulqueen
5-2 Gemologist, 5-1 Ultra Violet, 11-2 Les's Legacy, 8-1 Sarvi, The Steward,
10-1 Court Jurado, My Macho Man, 14-1 Wilhelm Vonvenster, Silkstone.
Wright choice: Ultra Violet was a fair third here last time
and looks well treated Dangers: Court Jurado, Gemologist3.00 Handicap Chase (£5,882: 3m) (7)
1 P2212FIRST ACCOUNT 56 (V,C) K Dalgleish 8-11-12 B Hughes
2 11P-1EAGLEHILL 80 (D) O Murphy 8-11-11 A Coleman
3 P-250DINO BOY 29 (D) I Jardine 9-11-9 C O'Farrell
4 63-61BRIAN BORANHA 45 (T,D) P Niven 11-11-8 C Bewley
5 431P0THAT'S A GIVEN 28 (P) N Alexander 8-11-7 Sean Quinlan
6 02-15POOKIE PEKAN 37 W Coltherd 9-11-1 S Coltherd
7 653U4ELMONO 65 (W,T,CD) L Russell 11-11-0 D R Fox
9-4 First Account, 11-4 Eaglehill, 5-1 Brian Boranha, 6-1 Dino Boy, 8-1 That's
A Given, 12-1 Elmono, Pookie Pekan.
Wright choice: Elmono goes well here and has had a
breathing operation since last seen Danger: Eaglehill3.30 NH Flat Race
(£2,723: 2m) (11)
1 0 BIG ARTHUR 25 Mrs H Graham 5-11-0 H Brooke
2 3 DOM BOSCO 28 T R George 5-11-0 J J Burke
3 HARD IRON N Richards 6-11-0 Sean Quinlan
4 4 HOLMES ST GEORGES 223 (BF) S Crawford (Ire) 5-11-0
J Bowen
5 60 OUR SAM 81 (H) J Moffatt 6-11-0 J Hamilton
6 0-5RAYTHEHANDYMAN 70 (T) T Collier 6-11-0N Moscrop (3)
7 ROAN I Jardine 6-11-0 C O'Farrell
8 22-CHAMPAGNESOCIALIST 435 J McConnell (Ire) 6-10-7
S D Torrens (3)
9 0 HEAVENTREE 22 Ewan Whillans 5-10-7 Craig Nichol
10 0-NOTNOWKATE'S 259 (T) L Russell 5-10-7 D R Fox
11 CLOVA HOTEL P Niven 4-10-1 C Bewley
5-2 Champagnesocialist, 11-4 Holmes St Georges, 7-2 Dom Bosco, 13-2 Hard Iron,
7-1 Clova Hotel, 14-1 Roan, 25-1 Raythehandyman, 33-1 Big Arthur, Notnowkate's.
Wright choice: Champagnesocialist was second in a fair
race at Galway Dangers: Holmes St Georges, Dom Bosco12.50 Handicap Chase (£4,084: 3m) (13)
1 P1-42REVELS HILL 23 H Fry 7-11-13 L Murtagh (3)
2 5-210FOUND ON 73 M Keighley 7-11-11 S Bowen
3 32B-PSLIPWAY 54 B Pauling 7-11-11 Luca Morgan (5)
4 /14-4BYZANTIUM LAD 30 C Longsdon 8-11-11 Paul O'Brien
5 4-034GET YOUR OWN 24 A Hales 7-11-10 K Woods
6 21-01AHEAD OF THE FIELD 22 (T,C) E Lavelle 7-11-9T Bellamy
7 0-26UDOCTE DINA 47 N Henderson 8-11-8 N De Boinville
8 53F-5REPUBLICAN 59 O Sherwood 7-11-8 B J Powell
9 360/0VINNIE DEV 32 (P) Noel Williams 8-11-8 T J O'Brien
10 30-32ALPHA CARINAE 34 (T) O Murphy 7-11-8 F Gregory
11 43-13TIMELESS BEAUTY 24 (T) F O'Brien 7-11-4 A P Heskin
12 3-22PLALOCHEZIA 30 Justin Landy 7-11-2 A Cawley
13 P3-24MISS JEANNE MOON 27 (P) N Mulholland 8-11-0
S Twiston-Davies
5-1 Ahead Of The Field, 6-1 Timeless Beauty, 13-2 Revels Hill, 7-1 Found On,
Alpha Carinae, 10-1 Get Your Own, Docte Dina, Miss Jeanne Moon.
1.20 Open Maiden NH Flat Race
(£1,906: 2m) (14)
1 F-31BALLYCAMUS 100 N Twiston-Davies 5-11-6S Twiston-Davies
2 3-32BALLYGLASS 98 (BF) T Lawes 5-11-6 T J O'Brien
3 3 BARNARDS GREEN 22 N Mulholland 6-11-6 S Bowen
4 0 BERTIE BLUE 30 E Lavelle 5-11-6 T Bellamy
5 1/2GRAND KNIGHT 25 S Curran 6-11-6 H Bannister
6 2-ITSO FURY 274 (W,T) Jonjo O'Neill 5-11-6 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
7 MOCHACHOCACHINO D Skelton 5-11-6 H Skelton
8 OHNODONTTAKEMEHOME P G Murphy 5-11-6G Sheehan
9 PHIL THE SOCK B Pauling 5-11-6 K Woods
10 4 POUR ME ANOTHER 22 (BF) A Honeyball 5-11-6 R Dingle
11 60 ROGAN'S FANCY 81 Sara Ender 6-11-6 J Best
12 SYMBOLIC SPIRIT A Murphy 5-10-13 J Quinlan
13 HAAFBACK (H) Mrs E Bishop 4-10-7 H Beswick (5)
14 RTHAT'S THE SPIRIT 23 (B) R Dickin 4-10-7 Jamie Moore
3-1 Itso Fury, 9-2 Ballyglass, 6-1 Mochachocachino, 7-1 Ballycamus, 8-1
Barnards Green, Grand Knight, 12-1 Pour Me Another, 14-1 Symbolic Spirit.1.50 NH Maiden Hurdle
(£4,193: 2m 4f) (8)
1 203-PDIVA'S MIX 236 (H) L Morgan 7-11-2 A Wedge
2 2-10EAVESDROPPING 64 O Murphy 6-11-2 F Gregory
3 F106HAVANELLA 17 (H) O Sherwood 5-11-2 B J Powell
4 4-6LADY STANHOW 43 J G Cann 7-11-2 T J O'Brien
5 10-23MIND SUNDAY 33 N Henderson 6-11-2 N De Boinville
6 1-0OUR BILL'S AUNT 17 A Hales 6-11-2 K Woods
7 0PPREADY TO PLEASE 32 (T) Mrs C Bailey 6-11-2 J Quinlan
8 23-66SIGNAL POINT 29 D Skelton 6-11-2 H Skelton
4-6 Mind Sunday, 4-1 Havanella, 5-1 Signal Point, 12-1 Eavesdropping, 16-1
Our Bill's Aunt, 20-1 Diva's Mix, 50-1 Lady Stanhow, 200-1 Ready To Please.2.20 Handicap Hurdle (£5,664: 3m) (9)
110052 DELL' ARCA 30 (T,V,D) D Pipe 13-11-10 F Gillard (3)
2 1P303FRIARY ROCK 94 (H) L Morgan 7-11-9 A Wedge
3 313/PFINAWN BAWN 48 (P,BF) O Murphy 9-11-7 F Gregory
4 -5266JERSEY WONDER 56 (P,BF) O Sherwood 6-11-6B J Powell
5 123-PLECALE'S ARTICLE 37 (B) N Henderson 8-11-6
N De Boinville
6 11-P4DOMAINE DE L'ISLE 30 (T) S Curran 9-11-4 D Bass
7 601-4AVIEWTOSEA 60 F O'Brien 7-11-4 K Woods
823201 BRORSON 20 M Keighley 6-11-0 S Bowen
9 3-163KAYF HERNANDO 22 (T) D Skelton 6-11-0 H SkeltonLingfield Park
Rob Wright
12.40 Star Of Valour 2.40 Summereyes (nap)
1.10 Al Marmar 3.10 Beowulf
1.40 Pink Crystal 3.40 Strong Power
2.10 Resilience
Going: standard Sky Sports Racing
Draw: no advantage
12.40 Handicap (£3,510: 1m) (12)
1 (9)3645-STAR OF VALOUR 35 (T,D) C Tizzard 7-9-7 H Doyle
2 (12)0500-DIVINE MESSENGER 180 (P,CD) Emma Owen 8-9-7M Dwyer
3 (11)4300-BREGUET BOY 19 (P,D) M Attwater 5-9-7 J Haynes
4 (10)406/HE'S A LATCHICO 425 G L Moore 4-9-6 R Clutterbuck (3)
5 (5)0060-PLYMOUTH ROCK 151 (B,D) L Carter 5-9-6 C Murtagh (3)
6 (2)3550-BAHIA STAR 127 (D) R Guest 4-9-5 D Probert
7 (3)1050-EEVILYNN DREW 17 (V) R Eddery 5-9-5 D Keenan
8 (1)4100-ONE STEP BEYOND 26 R Ingram 5-9-5 M Crehan (3)
9 (4)2300-PRINCE ROCK 51 (CD) S Dow 7-9-4 L Morris
10 (7)6555-SPRING ROMANCE 103 (C) M Appleby 7-9-4J Watson
11 (8)0050-WELOOF 19 (CD) J Butler 8-9-0 Grace McEntee (3)
12 (6)5621-RAINBOW MIRAGE 19 (CD) M Rimell 5-8-11
Laura Pearson (3)
9-4 Rainbow Mirage, 5-1 Star Of Valour, 6-1 Spring Romance, 13-2 He's A
Latchico, 8-1 Bahia Star, 12-1 Eevilynn Drew, Prince Rock, 16-1 One Step Beyond.
1.10 MMaiden Stakes (£3,942: 1m) (9)
1 (6) 40/ZION STAR 489 R Hannon 4-10-0 L Browne (7)
2 (5) 3-RED DWARF 12 P Leech 4-9-9 W Carson
3 (3) ADDINGHAM W Haggas 3-8-8 H Doyle
4 (1) 2-AL MARMAR 34 A Balding 3-8-8 D Probert
5 (7) BY YOUR SIDE E Dunlop 3-8-8 J Watson
6 (2) 00-GEE EIGHT 21 (T) A Murphy 3-8-8 D Keenan
7 (8) MEKBAT R Hannon 3-8-8 H Turner
8 (4) 0-UNKNOWN TERRITORY 21 Alice Haynes 3-8-8K O'Neill
9 (9)002-UMMSUQUAIM 17 J-R Auvray 3-8-3 Jane Elliott
6-4 Al Marmar, 100-30 Addingham, 6-1 Mekbat, 7-1 Ummsuquaim, 8-1 Zion Star,
12-1 By Your Side, 16-1 Red Dwarf, 33-1 Unknown Territory, 150-1 Gee Eight.
1.40 Maiden Stakes (£3,942: 6f) (6)
1 (6) SILVEEANNA (H) P Leech 4-9-9 W Carson
2 (2) CRUSH AND RUN R Hughes 3-8-12 G Rooke (3)
3 (5)0230-JASTAR 134 G Boughey 3-8-12 H Turner
4 (1)052-HOT LEGS LIL 33 (V) J Tuite 3-8-7 H Doyle
5 (3)322-PINK CRYSTAL 16 (BF) W Haggas 3-8-7 D Probert
6 (4) THOUGHTFUL GIFT P Leech 3-8-7 Laura Pearson (3)
4-9 Pink Crystal, 4-1 Hot Legs Lil, 6-1 Jastar, 14-1 Crush And Run, 50-1
Thoughtful Gift, 66-1 Silveeanna.
2.10 Handicap (3-Y-O: £4,995: 6f) (9)
1 (6)010-AMERICAN KESTREL 66 (D) R Hannon 9-7L Browne (7)
2 (5)3321-ANTIPHON 25 (D) A Balding 9-5 D Probert
3 (7)0600-LORD GORGEOUS 18 P Evans 9-4 D Keenan
4 (2)2312-RESILIENCE 18 (D) S Kirk 9-4 C Shepherd
5 (9)0004-LITTLE PRAYER 18 (V,D) R Spencer 9-4 H Doyle
6 (8)1333-BEAUZON 23 (D) D O'Meara 9-4 J Watson
7 (1)5432-ANGLE LAND 18 R Cowell 9-2 L Morris
8 (3)5120-MY BONNIE LASSIE 19 (D) S Woodman 9-1 H Turner
9 (4)0135-NORDIC GLORY 18 (C) M Attwater 8-11 W Carson
5-2 Antiphon, 4-1 Resilience, 5-1 Beauzon, Angle Land, 10-1 American Kestrel,
Little Prayer, 12-1 Nordic Glory, My Bonnie Lassie, 25-1 Lord Gorgeous.7-2 Brorson, 5-1 Kayf Hernando, 6-1 Domaine De L'Isle, Lecale's Article, 13-2
Dell' Arca, 8-1 Friary Rock, 10-1 Jersey Wonder, Finawn Bawn, Aviewtosea.
2.50 Handicap Hurdle (£3,485: 3m) (9)
1 U53WILD WILBUR 21 E Lavelle 6-11-12 T Bellamy
2 0-020CRAWFORD 25 (T) M Bradstock 6-11-10 B R Jones
3 -110PDEBDEN BANK 23 (P) M Keighley 8-11-9 J Best
4 -3436BLUMEN GLORY 24 N Mulholland 6-11-8 T Scudamore
5 12240 GETTHEPOT 30 F O'Brien 7-11-7 P Brennan
6 6-4F2COLONEL MANDERSON 25 D Skelton 6-11-5 H Skelton
7 04-24ON SPRINGS 29 (P) B Pauling 7-11-3 K Woods
8 -P300THE WISE TRAVELLER 33 C Longsdon 6-11-1 D Bass
9 01503 MOSSING 15 (P) H Evans 10-10-2 B Poste
3-1 Colonel Manderson, 5-1 Wild Wilbur, On Springs, Getthepot, 6-1 Debden
Bank, 8-1 Blumen Glory, 12-1 Crawford, 14-1 Mossing, 25-1 The Wise Traveller.3.20 Handicap Hurdle (£2,941: 2m 4f) (16)
1 /22-0HURRICANE MITCH 54 (P,T) H Fry 7-11-12L Murtagh (3)
2 15021 KAZONTHERAZZ 17 M Keighley 6-11-12
Mr Finn Lambert (7)
3 -3FP0SEEMINGLY SO 28 (P) L Morgan 9-11-11 B R Jones
4 -3422INDEPENDENCE 39 B Barr 6-11-11 L Williams
5 005 SUPASUNRISE 32 N Twiston-Davies 6-11-9
S Twiston-Davies
6 P2-06LOCKDOWN LEADER 27 E Williams 6-11-9 A Wedge
7 50654 MAJOR ROBINSON 18 (B,T) D Pipe 6-11-8 T Scudamore
8 -1335THOMAS KERSHAW 91 G Kelleway 7-11-7 Jamie Moore
9 6005PGET SUPREME 62 (T) B Barr 9-11-4 A Cheleda (5)
10 505-5BARRAKHOV 17 (T) F O'Brien 6-11-4 P Brennan
11 000-0RED MAPLE 43 (T) Jonjo O'Neill 6-11-2 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
12 00-P3CRONK Y KNOX 17 (T) A Hales 7-10-12 H Bannister
13 60-05DARE TO BEGIN 24 Mrs Stella Barclay 7-10-10 F Gregory
14 1F/6PDR OAKLEY 17 Henry Oliver 8-10-10 J M Davies
15 25-00POKER MASTER 137 P McBride 5-10-9 R McLernon
16 40-66CLASSIC TUNE 17 (T,CD) C Dyson 12-10-8 C Leonard (5)
4-1 Kazontherazz, 6-1 Independence, Supasunrise, 8-1 Major Robinson, 10-1
Lockdown Leader, Seemingly So, Hurricane Mitch, 12-1 others.John Small was one English cricketer
who could bat. In the inaugural first-
class match in 1772 he made the
highest score, 78, through what the
chroniclers of the time informed us
was a classic technique which once
enabled him to stay at the crease for
three days. It did not go unremarked
when the 250th anniversary
celebrations of this fixture
commenced on New Year’s Day that
the entire England team nowadays
struggle to survive for three sessions.
The Hambledon men, regarded now
as Hampshire, beat All-England by 53
runs. For 30 years until the aristocracy
decided that London and Thomas
Lord’s new ground was better suited as
the epicentre of their gambling,
drinking, dining and cricket, this little
village near Portsmouth was where
cricket was shaped to a form with
which we are familiar today. A third
stump was introduced and the width
of the bat modified. The game “grew
to man’s estate.”
Broadhalfpenny Down, overlooked
by the equally famous Bat and Ball
public house, remains wonderfully
unspoiled. The sweeping view across
chalk fields towards Hambledon can
barely have altered over the past
250 years. The cricketers who turned
out to play at the weekend
(fortunately for them it was the
warmest New Year’s Day on record)
respected tradition. The captains
tossed a 1772 coin and everyone,
including the umpires, was properly
attired.
This was the start of a number of
celebratory events including a fixture
between Hampshire and All-England
starting on June 24, the date when
play commenced in 1772. There is one
slight snag: until the first-class fixture
list appears it will not be possible for
the organisers to know the availability
of players. They are hopeful of
attracting the old stars such as David
Gower, not least as Hambledon
Vineyard are in support, but fresh legs
and imbibers are also needed.
The prize for the winners in June
will not quite compare with the 500
guineas which were on offer in 1772.
No wonder Old John Small, as he was
known, had the wherewithal to
become an expert bat and ball maker.
His greatest contribution to the game,
according to The World of Cricket was
“his development of the basic
technique of straight bat-play as the
only answer to the length-ball
revolution of the bowler’s attack.”
When he finally retired he sold the
tools of his trade, and gave of his
knowledge, to MCC.
As well as the departure of the
aristocracy, the decline of theHambledon Club was hastened by the
departure of cricketers to serve in the
Napoleonic Wars. The Down was a
sheep-growing area and for a while
the ground reverted to that use. It is
now the home of Brigands CC;
Hambledon CC play at another venue
close by. “They are our friends,” Mike
Beardall, chairman of Broadhalfpenny
Down’s preservation trust, said.
Beardall climbed to the top of the
monument opposite the Bat and Ball
to announce the regulations of this
match starting the 250th anniversary
proceedings. It was between Brigands
and Hampshire Huskies, a Twenty20
contest with a pink ball on an artificial
pitch. At the conclusion, it was only to
be expected that the pub would be
drunk dry, as doubtless occurred in
1772 and apparently happened in a
New Year’s Day fixture in 1929. This
match was interrupted by the
Hampshire Hunt traversing the pitch
and was a cold and low-scoring affair.
At the millennium another match
commenced at the stroke of midnight.
Car headlights were turned on to
light up the ground, yet play had to be
called off owing to bad light and did
not resume until daybreak. On the
first day of 2022 there was no hunt,
rain or snow: only a few ramblers and
the odd sightseer were photographed
at the foot of the monument as Kane
Williamson, the captain of New
Zealand, was last summer.
The game, of course, has moved on
since the heyday of the Hambledon
men. Small, the esteemed craftsman,would not recognise the strength of
bats or those who wield them in the
21st century. The Bat and Ball has
been peppered so often that
protective netting will be placed in
front of it. And women play at
Broadhalfpenny Down, only not this
New Year’s Day. “We asked some to
play but they said it would be too cold
— and added, ‘You do know it’s after
New Year’s Eve?’ ”
The players who did turn out did
not appear to be unduly affected by
grog the night before, even though in
the first ten minutes of play three
catches did go down and one batsman
was stumped, his reactions perhaps
not all they might have been.
Hampshire Huskies, who made 123
for seven, beat Brigands, 106 for five,
by 17 runs. Huw Turbervill, the editor
of The Cricketer, won the man-of-the-
match award for taking two wickets
and making an unbeaten 12 in a
partnership of 22 with his son, Ben.
Needless to say that the outfield was
on the sluggish side: perhaps sheep
still have their place in mid-winter.
Would the same post-match ale be
served in the Bat and Ball as in 1772?
“I hope not,” Beardall said. Here,
where the der-doings on this great
ground had long been recorded, an
orderly past was celebrated and
happenings down under soon
forgotten. After all, the participants
could remind themselves, first-class
cricket was played at Broadhalfpenny
Down before the first penal colony in
Australia had even been founded.Match with pink ball
on plastic pitch marks
250th anniversary of
first first-class fixture,
writes Ivo Tennant
A mild New Year’s Day meant BrigandsDAVE BODYMORE/SOLENT NEWS