Roll up, Roll up...

Ah yes, the familiar sounds of a county ground, the rustling of food wrappers, the distant voices of players on the field, the thwack of the ball as it shudders off the bat, the sound of bumper cars...WHAT!

I shouldn't complain really, it was family day at The Rose Bowl, but I still can't see there being room for bumper cars at a county cricket ground. Still that wasn't as annoying as those blow up sticks they give out now, to be incessantly banged together at any given time, I wouldn't mind if it was for a 4, 6 or a wicket, but kids just sat there randomly smacking them together. I did have a good day though, especially as Hampshire sealed an unlikely win.

Hampshire in all fairness were lucky the rain interrupted the break between innings, I don't think they would have made the 351 needed to beat Gloucestershire. And so as the rain lashed down in stepped Duckworth Lewis with his large wellies and comforting arm around the Hawks, reducing the target to 240 in 30 overs.

Hampshire started their chase well with Carberry and Lumb putting on 52 before Lumb was run out on 30. KP came to the crease and you could feel the expectation swell around the crowd (I use the tern crowd in it's most loosest of senses, why? Well during the rain break pretty much everyone left, fearing it would be abandoned, Ha! the fools) and he did play some good shots, as well as some wild swinging around shots and was eventually caught for 23 playing a long lofted drive which fell just short of the boundary and into the welcoming hands of Taylor.

Ervine didn't fair much better , again caught for 15, which not long after brought about the demise of Carberry for a fighting 60. That left Hampshire on 135 - 4 and a run rate creeping up around the 10 - 11 mark. I admit I began to fear the worst and thought in envy of those clever enough to have already made an exit. But Hampshire have to thank Pothas (who I had the misfortune to see in just wicket keeping gloves as a result of the 'Naked Hawks' calender in the shop) and Benham, who made a fine stand and put on 97 between them. Pothas fell just before the end but Hampshire ended up winning by 5 wickets. Jolly good.

On my way out I realised I had parked my car next to Nick Knight and Paul Allot, who followed me out of the car park in his nice shiny BMW, only to disappear into a tiny dot on the landscape once we reached the motorway. Damn this 1.2 Fiesta.