Hampshire cricket: James Vince "desperate" to end Hampshire's 51 year County Championship wait

The heavy downpours of rain and fierce winds can mean only one thing, the cricket season is just around the corner. However, a rainy late March morning has not dampened spirits amongst a group of players who have shown they have what it takes to challenge in red and white ball cricket. Hampshire Cricket Club captain, James Vince, is eager to get started as he looks to lift a trophy which has eluded the club for 51 years.

Vince is starting his ninth season as captain for Hampshire, a period which has seen success in the shorter formats including winning the T20 Blast in 2022. The 2023 season came close to being historic, however they finished third in the County Championship and were losing finalists in the T20 Blast and One Day Cup. Having come so close last year, the team are confident of going further this year.

Vince said: "It is good to be back, there is plenty of optimism around the group. The guys that have been here have put in a lot of hard work in the winter to be as prepared as we can be for next Friday. We spoke at the end of last season about a couple of areas we thought we could improve that might give us an extra couple of per cent when we need it throughout the summer. Fitness is one of those, and the guys have worked really hard."

Vince is aiming to stop it becoming a hat trick of County Championship titles for Surrey, with the expectation that it will come down to the fine margins if they are to succeed. The 33-year-old batsman said: "They have shown their strength in depth over the last couple of years, along with the first 11 they put out, it's extremely strong. It can come down to one or two moments in games, we have been poor away at The Oval, and with Surrey being at the top, the points almost count double. Getting off to a strong start and not playing catch up and relying on other results would be nice.

"In previous years we have won a lot of games and lost a couple, we are looking to make up 20 or 30 points. That just comes down to one or two games where you turn a loss into a win, or a draw, and you are kind of there or there abouts. It is small margins and I think we have done a lot of stuff right. I have the belief in the group that we can go that one better and beat them to the title this year."

The players are very aware of the fact that Hampshire have not won the County Championship title since 1973, and it is being used as motivation. Vince said: "This group really enjoys a challenge and we haven't won the County Championship for 51 years as a club so it's a strong motivator. For the guys coming to the backend of their career it is something we are desperate to achieve as a group. You can certainly feel the hunger and desire to do that and we can't wait to get started. We want to be the group of players that stops that rot and wins the trophy."

While the County Championship is a focus for the team, it is by no means the only one, with the shorter formats also a priority. Vince said: "We have been strong across all formats. We didn't have much to show for it last year but certainly from a club point of view, to see teams competitive in all three formats is great. We do have some players that play one format only, but we don't have a huge squad here so I think the results we are producing is fantastic and shows the club is in a good place. We obviously want a trophy to show for it."

The first Vitality County Championship game starts on Friday, April 5 away to Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside stadium. While the teams first home game at the newly named Utilita Bowl, takes place between Friday, April 12 and Monday, April 15 as they take on Lancashire. Tickets are available via the website.

The white ball season kicks off with the Vitality Blast on Thursday, May 30 with a home game against Surrey. Further information and ticket sales can be found here. The Metro Bank One Day Cup starts on Friday, July 26 when Hampshire will take on Northants at the Utilita Bowl.