Recent Match Report – Hampshire vs Northants 2023

Northamptonshire 95 for five (Cobb 28*, McManus 8*) path Hampshire 482 for 8 dec (Vince 186, Gubbins 125, Brown 55) by 387 runs

Heavy in a single day rain with a forecast of extra to return, a soggy outfield and a chill easterly wind. All of it contributed to a skinny crowd at Wantage Street. Maybe Northants loyalists additionally had an inkling about what lay in retailer as a result of, if the climate holds, Hampshire are making fast strides in the direction of a convincing victory.

Then, after dropping a wicket to the primary ball of their reply, Northants faltered once more by dropping three wickets in 5 balls beneath the lights to totter to 95 for five by the shut. Hampshire’s seam assault is formidable when there may be good carry and slightly motion and up-and-down bounce available.

It was the type of day then for a Northamptonshire supporter to mark themselves absent, take within the commentary on occasion and get some odd jobs carried out. However which commentary?

Those that selected a now-established behavior and adopted the sport on the county’s reside stream might need been disconcerted as a result of change is afoot. Northants have change into the most recent county to finish their hyperlink with BBC radio (a hyperlink that, so far as the common county supporter is anxious, has solely been going 5 minutes) and as an alternative flip to their very own in-house commentary group. Against this, Hampshire nonetheless use the BBC commentary, and can presumably count on ECB funding for it to stay in place. To lose this audio service due to altering occasions can be insane.

The BBC link-up has helped deliver county cricket to the most important audiences in its historical past – some 27 million views throughout all codecs in 2022, and that’s earlier than you depend the BBC’s personal audio figures – however some counties hanker after the type of promoting income that any relationship with the Beeb precludes. On the time of its biggest triumph, county cricket’s monetary ambitions will both improve its alternative to re-enter the mainstream or undermine it.

As Vince undertook his particular model of chic destruction after lunch, the brand new Northants commentary group fielded a query as as to whether their very own protection was, ahem, unavoidably one-eyed. To their credit score, they gave it a thought of reply. On the BBC, the mellifluous tones of BBC Northampton’s Andrew Radd (an ever-present on the county circuit since 1984, and co-writer of the Northamptonshire historical past) had been joined by the revered Hampshire commentator, and former participant, Kevan James. It was a extra balanced, analytical providing; a extra impartial one, too, though in some counties that independence can really feel considerably compromised.

As ordinary county cricket is muddling by means of, some counties going in a single route, some getting in one other. Surrey, Somerset and Lancashire are main the best way with good high quality in-house merchandise. Not simply due to potential monetary returns, however due to the conviction that TV footage and radio commentary are uneasy bedfellows.

As Northants be a part of the chase for that promoting income, they won’t be promoting the breakdown of county reside video streams on this 12 months’s Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. Northants had the bottom common among the many 18 counties in 2022 – with 24,000 common day by day views, starting from 13,000 within the Championship to round 5 occasions as many within the T20 Blast – the format the place adoption of a extra ramped-up, partial, in-house commentary appears most persuasive. Lancashire and Surrey, essentially the most watched counties, appeal to 3 times as many viewers as Northants.

Clearly then, there may be progress to be made, however dangerous days like this are usually not about to boost the viewing figures. So as to add to their issues, the Australian fast, Lance Morris, has withdrawn from a short-term deal due to a again grievance. Chris Tremain, the present incumbent, for some motive is unable to increase his visa. A search is underway for an answer.

Rob Keogh’s insecure keep ended to Ben Brown’s catch on the wicket. Brown later dropped Lewis McManus, the person he changed within the Hampshire facet, a low, one-handed catch to his proper off Fuller. In regular circumstances, McManus might need secretly thought “I would have caught that,” however he had simply wanted extended remedy on a hand harm so he in all probability will not be supremely assured of catching a lot in any respect for the remainder of the match.

There was a little bit of a suspicion as chilly bought into the bones that one umpire fairly fancied stepping into the nice and cozy, whereas the opposite was a little bit of stickler. Play was referred to as off at 7pm on the pretext of dangerous mild, the floodlights taking on from pure mild and all that jazz, with seven overs left.

Sympathies of this observer had been firmly with the umpire who fancied a pint. No person desires these interminably lengthy days. And judging by the truth that a skinny crowd had disappeared to nearly nought, that view was shared by many. When will the sport get up to its duties? Its timings are so irrelevant that even TransPennine Categorical might do higher.