Hampshire County Cricket Club played their cricket in Division One of both the County Championship and the National League in 2005. They started the season at 10–1 odds to win the Championship. With the first eleven including seven players who had represented their country at Test or ODIs at the end of the season, they nearly won the County Championship, beating eventual County Champions Nottinghamshire both home and away, and ended with the same win–loss record as Notts. However, with two bonus points less and half a point deducted due to a slow over rate against Sussex in July, they finished behind – something that had been apparent the week before the Championship ended. They did win the C&G Trophy, defeating three League Division Two sides and a minor county on the way to the title, in addition to Glamorgan from Division One, but their other limited-overs forays ended in relegation (in the League) and elimination due to head-to-head results in the Twenty20 Cup.
Hampshire played 16 first class games in 2005, winning nine, drawing four and losing three. They also played 22 List A games, winning ten, losing ten and abandoning two, while eight Twenty20 games ended in three wins, two losses, two no results and one abandoned match.
Players Simon Katich James Adams Chris Benham Michael Brown James Bruce Tom Burrows John Crawley Sean Ervine David Griffiths Derek Kenway Greg Lamb Kevin Latouf Richard Logan Dimitri Mascarenhas Jono McLean Alan Mullally Kevin Pietersen Nic Pothas Lawrence Prittipaul Billy Taylor James Tomlinson Chris Tremlett Shaun Udal Alan Mullally Tables
Championship + 2005 County Championship – Division One Pos Team Pld W D L Pen BP Pts 1 Nottinghamshire 16 9 4 3 0 94 236 2 Hampshire 16 9 4 3 0.5 92 233.5 3 Sussex 16 7 6 3 0 102 224 4 Warwickshire 16 8 3 5 0.5 86 209.5 5 Kent 16 6 7 3 8.5 99 202.5 6 Middlesex 16 4 7 5 0.5 98 181.5 7 Surrey 16 4 9 3 8.5 97 180.5 8 Gloucestershire 16 1 5 10 2 72 104 9 Glamorgan 16 1 1 14 0 71 88.5
totesport League + 2005 totesport League – Division One Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts 1 Essex Eagles 16 13 1 2 56 2 Middlesex Crusaders 16 10 5 1 42 3 Northamptonshire Steelbacks 16 7 7 2 32 4 Glamorgan Dragons 16 6 6 4 32 5 Nottinghamshire Outlaws 16 6 7 3 30 6 Lancashire Lightning 16 6 9 1 26 7 Gloucestershire Gladiators 16 6 9 1 26 8 Worcestershire Royals 16 5 10 1 22 9 Hampshire Hawks 16 5 10 1 22
Twenty20 Cup Group Stage (South) + 2005 Twenty20 Cup – South DivisionTeamMWLNRPtsNRRSurrey Lions853010+0.64Middlesex Crusaders84319+0.16Sussex Sharks83239+0.13Hampshire Hawks83239+0.20Essex Eagles83328−0.06Kent Spitfires81613−1.02
Match details
April The first game in the Championship was a narrow 48 run victory against Gloucestershire. This was followed by a rain-affected defeat against Essex in the Sunday League. The second Championship game was a close draw against Sussex – the sort of game where Championships are won. However, surprisingly, with 29 needed off 34 balls with 2 wickets remaining, captain Shane Warne put up shop, securing the 4 points, but giving up the opportunity of 14. They then easily defeated the students of Cardiff UCCE.
County Championship: Hampshire v Gloucestershire (13–16 April) Hampshire (17pts) beat Gloucestershire (4pts) by 48 runs
Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat. There were 1,200 at the Rose Bowl to watch Simon Katich flawless 72 not out, as he was the only one able to cope with the conditions as Hampshire were all out for 197 before tea. Katich's innings was one of defence coupled with the odd drive, hook and pull. Hampshire's meagre total suggests they miss Kevin Pietersen, who performed so well for England in the one-dayers against Zimbabwe and South Africa over the winter. Pietersen said of his foot injury, "If I got a ball on my foot or I slipped I could be out for six to eight weeks. It's a bit tender and it's just a case of biding my time", he said. However, they did have to face good, fast-medium-pace bowling from Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire fared well in reply, and Shane Warne brought himself into the attack after only 18 overs. He took Craig Spearman's wicket when Spearman tried to sweep him, but Gloucestershire were sitting pretty at close on 118 for 2, 79 behind with 8 first innings wickets remaining.
On the second day, Hampshire's bowlers, led by Warne, battled hard to get them back into the game. Except for Jon Lewis, who scored 40 off 61 balls batting at number ten, no-one after the first three Gloucester batsmen scored more than ten. Their first innings ended for 221, just 24 ahead. Hampshire also struggled, and scored only 94 for their first 6 wickets. Warne and Sean Ervine survived the last six overs to push the score to 111 for 6 at close.
The third day saw yet another change in fortunes, which just about left Hampshire on top. The bowlers dominated the first two days, but the start of the third day was dominated by Hampshire's bowlers batting. Warne increased his score to 62, Chris Tremlett got 64 and Richard Logan 28 through aggressive batting as Hampshire closed their second innings on 275. This left Gloucestershire a challenging target of 252. Spearman and Phil Weston then put on 129 for the first wicket, only for five wickets to fall in quick succession before bad light stopped play, with the visitors on 149 for 5, needing 103 for victory.
It took only 18.4 overs on the fourth day for the match to be settled. With Billy Taylor finishing on 6 for 45 as Gloucester were all out for 203. After the game Hampshire's captain, Shane Warne, said, "We believe we can win from any position and it's so important to win your first few games. It was a tremendous team effort and everyone pulled their weight. This is the type of game you never forget. We found ourselves behind the eight ball at the start of every day but I always felt we were in with a chance if we could remove their openers." Cricinfo scorecard
National League: Hampshire v Essex (17 April) Essex (4pts) beat Hampshire (0pts) by 16 runs (D/L method)
At the Rose Bowl, Hampshire Hawks batted first, scoring 175 for 9, as Tim Phillips took 3 for 31. It was a good day for spin, with Grant Flower also taking 2 wickets. In reply, Essex Eagles' Will Jefferson was 44 not out, and Essex 69 for 2 off 16 overs when rain put an end to play, leaving Essex the winners on the Duckworth–Lewis method. England's star one-day player of the winter, Kevin Pietersen, managed only 5 off 14 balls for Hampshire before being bowled. (BBC scorecard)
County Championship: Sussex v Hampshire (20–23 April) Sussex (9pts) drew with Hampshire (9pts)
Hampshire finished the first day on top at Hove. Sussex, despite a century from Michael Yardy, were all out for 252, with Chris Tremlett taking 6 for 44. In reply, the visitors reached 67 for 1. Only for the position to be reversed on the second day, as they were dismissed for 280, with James Kirtley claiming 4 and Robin Martin-Jenkins 3 wickets. Sussex finished on 101 for 2.
The game remained evenly poised on the third day, but with Sussex slightly in the lead, with rain predicted for the fourth. Sussex took their score on to 312, thereby setting a target of 285. Hampshire were on 89 for 3 at the end of day three. With rain predicted on the fourth day, the game could have gone any one of four ways. Kevin Pietersen (61), assisted by Sean Ervine (57), took the challenge to Sussex – and the game was always in the balance. When the eighth wicket fell, the score was on 256 for 8. And with 29 required off 34 balls, the game looked set for one of those exciting finishes that only the longer form of the game can provide. Disappointingly for the crowd, Hampshire captain Shane Warne ordered his batsmen to shut up shop. Sussex were unable to take the final two wickets, and on 267 for 8, the game was drawn. Hampshire finished the day second behind Warwickshire, but the ten points given up here had crucial repercussions later on in the season. (Cricinfo scorecard)
MCC University Match: Hampshire v Cardiff UCCE (27–29 April) Hampshire beat Cardiff UCCE by 95 runs
On the first, rain-affected day Hampshire progressed to 299 for 4 off 76 overs, with Michael Brown putting on 93 at the Rose Bowl. On day 2, Hampshire declared on their overnight score and bowled out Cardiff UCCE. Cardiff UCCE's Christopher Salmons scored 84 not out, an innings that included six fours and five sixes, which made up nearly half of the students' total of 169. Hampshire were 80 for 3, 210 runs ahead, at close. On the third and final day Hampshire declared on 146 for 6, setting a target of 277. Wickets fell at regular intervals, and there was just enough time for Cardiff UCCE to be bowled out for a second time for 181. (BBC scorecard)
May On the Sunday after, however, they were thrashed by the Northamptonshire Steelbacks. The next day, they lost heavily to the Gloucestershire Gladiators. On 4 May Hampshire eased past Shropshire to progress to Round Two of the C&G Trophy. They then drew over 4 days against Kent, missing their chance of going top of the table by 1 wicket. Their first win in the Sunday League came on 15 May, beating Middlesex at Lord's, and they carried their good one-day form into the midweek, beating Glamorgan by six wickets. They then won a rain-affected match against the same team by nine wickets in the Championship, before going down to Warwickshire by ten wickets inside two days. This meant they finished May second in the Championship table.
National League: Northamptonshire v Hampshire (1 May) Northamptonshire (4pts) beat Hampshire (0pts) by 98 runs
At Northampton, Northamptonshire Steelbacks' Bilal Shafayat struck a career-best 74 from 82 balls as Northants stormed to 266 for 9. Shafayat was dropped on 11 and 56, but congratulated by Hampshire captain, Shane Warne, who was taken for 53 in nine overs. Hampshire fell to 44 for 4 in reply and, despite 42 from Shaun Udal batting number eight, were never in the game as the Hawks were all out for 168. Northamptonshire seamer Ben Phillips took his second List A four-wicket-haul, removing Kevin Pietersen, John Crawley, Warne and Chris Tremlett on his way to four for 48. (BBC scorecard)
National League: Hampshire v Gloucestershire (2 May) Gloucestershire (4pts) beat Hampshire (0pts) by 60 runs
Jon Lewis won the game for Gloucestershire Gladiators with 40 runs off 28 balls with the bat, and then taking out the Hampshire Hawks top order by taking 5 for 19 with the ball. Lewis had come in as a pinch hitter at number four after Matt Windows retired hurt. It was the Gladiators won the toss at the Rose Bowl, Southampton and, thanks to Lewis and 63 from Phil Weston, they scored 210 for 9. Hampshire's innings was stopped by Lewis, and despite a 55-run partnership between John Crawley and Nic Pothas, it was never enough, and they finished on 150 all out. (BBC scorecard)
C&G Trophy Round One: Shropshire v Hampshire (4 May) Hampshire beat Shropshire by 7 wickets to progress to Round Two of the C&G Trophy
Shropshire batted first at Whitchurch, making only 132 as Shane Warne and Richard Logan took 3 wickets each. This was never a big enough target to hold off Hampshire. The crowd were treated to a powerful innings by England's new star one-day performer, Kevin Pietersen, who had been promoted to No. 1 in the batting order. He scored 76 off 49 balls in an innings that included six sixes and seven fours as Hampshire racked up 133 for 3 off 21.1 overs. (Cricinfo scorecard)
County Championship: Hampshire v Middlesex (6–9 May) Hampshire (19pts) beat Middlesex (5pts) by 64 runs