We don’t always bask in Warwickshire’s victories.
Regular readers should recount the infamous 1922 fixture, where Hampshire, bowled out for 15 in the second innings, followed on and won by 155 runs. Brian Halford tells it beautifully.
Therefore we’ll revisit a game that sticks out for all the wrong reasons.
The Bears arrived at the Ageas Bowl - named Rose Bowl at the time - with nine wins from 15 matches and within touching distance of their first County Championship title since 2004.
Having beaten Notts by an innings and 114 weeks a week prior, Jim Troughton’s side needed to beat the already relegated Hampshire to guarantee the title or hope Lancashire don’t win at Somerset if things don’t go their way.
Sounds easy. It wasn’t.
The South Coast, bathed in sun, became a run fest. Electing to bat, Varun Chopra’s 109 (270 balls, 10 fours) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s - arriving late in the year to add impetus to the title charge - 171 (295 balls, 23 fours, three sixes) helped Warwickshire reach 493.
In reply, Liam Dawson’s 152 (267 balls, 10 balls) thwarted any attempt of a rollover. The hosts scored 324 and were asked to follow on, leaving any prepared champagne on ice.
Warwickshire still fancied their chances, after all a seam attack of Rikki Clarke, Boyd Rankin, Chris Wright and Chris Woakes, can exuberate positivity.
But it wasn’t to be. That champagne would be locked away or drank perhaps by the Hampshire dressing room, which showed a fight they perhaps lacked earlier in the campaign.
Michael Carberry struck 111 (168 balls, 16 fours, one six) and Neil McKenzie added 115* (233 balls, 14 fours) as the hosts shook hands at 5 pm on day four on 327 for seven.
The Bears had thrown everything at them. The Sky Studio, who screened the game in preparation for a Championship celebration, were in shock.
Lancashire meanwhile had set themselves 210 to win after dismissing Somerset for 380 and 310 respectively. They cruised it. Champions once more.
But there is a happy ending. Dismayed at the time, Troughton recounts the message in the dressing room post-game ‘we’ll go and win it next year’.
They did with the disappointment as a springboard. 12 months later the trophy came to Edgbaston for a seventh time following a season of batting dominance, proving sorrow can eventually bring joy.
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