100 Greats - Bill Ricquier, Dave Allen, Neil Jenkinson

Hampshire cricket has abounded in characters from Harry Baldwin (of vast waist measurements), the irascible Captain Wynyard (who, when captain of the club in 1897, played only three matches for the county) and Major Poore (whose average in 1899 was 116 but who was then virtually lost to the game) through to Phil Mead (who was not interested in the spectators, nor in batting statistics, but only in making runs), the Hon. Lionel Tennyson (hard hitting, enthusiastic, but raffish) as well as the long serving, eternally bowling Kennedy and Newman and Johnnie Arnold – one of the last double internationals.

After the Second World War, it was Derek Shackleton who, with Jim Bailey, Neville Rogers and Vic Cannings, carried the side on his shoulders before the advent of a long and distinguished succession of players from overseas – Roy Marshall, Barry Richards, Andy Roberts, Gordon Greenidge, Chris and Robin Smith, the late and great Malcolm Marshall (arguably the finest of fast bowlers), and current or new current heroes, Shane Warne and Essex born Alan Mullally. The careers of all these, together with home-grown players such as Peter Sainsburys, Jimmy Gray, Trevor Jesty and Mark Nicholas, are detailed in this prolifically illustrated book.