Parley product Tom Barber [left] has agreed a new one-year deal with Nottinghamshire.
The Christchurch-based left-arm quick – who appeared in three of Notts’ five Bob Willis Trophy games this season, taking seven wickets – has confirmed that he’ll spend a second season at Trent Bridge having joined the club as a winter recruit ahead of the 2020 campaign. 
“From the moment I arrived at Notts, I felt very much at home, and I’m very happy to have extended my stay at Trent Bridge,” he said.
"I feel the work I’ve done with the likes of Pete (Moores, Head Coach) and Shiney (Kevin Shine, Assistant Coach) will make me a better bowler, and I’m looking forward to continuing to improve under their guidance.
"“We were all immensely frustrated not to get over the line with a win in the Bob Willis Trophy, but I think we can all be proud of the strides we made. We’ll stay totally committed over the winter and will aim to be in great shape ahead of next summer.”
Barber, who has played in the ECB Southern Premier League for the Hampshire Academy and Bashley (Rydal), signed an initial one-year deal with Notts last winter having impressed on trial following his departure from Middlesex. The 6ft3ins paceman had previously worked with Assistant Coach, Shine, on the ECB’s pace programme.
“When we signed Tom, we knew his best ball was really dangerous, and that his combination of pace and a left-arm angle had the potential to cause problems for batsmen,” said Head Coach Peter Moores.
“What we’ve seen over the course of this summer is him starting to get to grips with the demands of being a First-Class cricketer, and the consistency that playing regular red-ball games demands.
“Those good balls are starting to come more and more often, and we believe he’ll head into next season much stronger for the experience he’s gained with us so far.”

​Teenage South Wilts all-round talent Matt Falconer has been named Wiltshire Under-14s Cricketer of the Year.
A top order left-hand batsman and right-arm swing bowler, Falconer took 15 wickets in Wiltshire’s five county matches this summer, figures that included a remarkable return of seven wickets for eight runs in a six-over spell against Dorset.
Falconer, who lives in Amesbury, joined South Wilts as a nine-year old and has so far rattled off two centuries, alongside several fifty-plus scores in Bemerton junior cricket.
He dipped his toes into senior cricket this past summer and made his Southern Premier League Cup debut for South Wilts seconds in September.

Alan Rayment, Hampshire’s oldest surviving county cricketer, passed away this morning after a short illness.
Aged 92 years, he had been admitted to Lymington hospital on Monday with fluid on his lungs and was his usual positive self, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to beat the problem. 
He joined Hampshire in 1948 (having impressed Arthur Holt in a Second XI match for Middlesex - he ran the Coach out with a direct hit !) at a salary of £5 per week, made his county debut on 7 May 1949, and played (for Hampshire) in 198 first-class matches over ten seasons, scoring 6,333 runs at 20.36, with four centuries, 23 half-centuries - and 19 wickets. 
He completed 1,000 runs in a season on two occasions, in 1952 and 1956 and he was a member of the side that finished third in 1955 and runners-up in 1958 – both best performances by Hampshire at that time. 
As a batsman, he was enterprising at the crease, and when fielding superbly in the covers, quick on his feet; helped no doubt because with his wife he ran a dancing school in Southampton. They often performed together. 
After retiring in 1958, he coached at Lord’s and occasionally captained Hampshire’s side in the new 2nd XI competition. He led a fascinating and varied life after that and on his death in Lymington, on 27 October 2020, he was Hampshire’s ‘senior pro’ – the longest-serving of all their former professional players. In later life he wrote and published a fascinating social and historical account of his early life called Punchy Through the Covers, 1928-1949. 
Alan’s life was not always straight-forward but he ‘danced’ through much of it with a twinkle in his eye and a smile of gratitude for the many opportunities it presented. In 2018 he was entertained to a surprise 90th party by his friends in the Dorset Cricket Society and he was always engaging and entertaining at the reunions of former players, or when watching Hampshire.  He frequently watched Lymington play at the Sports Ground.
The picture above was taken on the occasion of Alan’s 90th birthday lunch, a memory of happier times.

​The Cricketer is delighted to unveil Voneus Broadband as the headline sponsor of the National Village Cup for the next two years, which will be known as the Voneus Village Cup for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Voneus is one of the largest wireless internet providers in the UK, specialising in the delivery of connectivity services into homes and businesses in remote and challenging locations.
Sue Barnes, Voneus Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As the UK’s fastest-growing rural broadband supplier, this sponsorship is a natural fit for us; allowing us to engage with such a passionate audience. This fantastic competition provides villages from across the UK a chance to play in a dream final at Lord’s. Becoming headline sponsor will allow us to align with broadband challenged communities, supporting their need for high-speed internet. We can’t wait to see how the tournament unfolds.”
Next year will be the 50th edition of this summer-long knockout tournament, which has been run by The Cricketer since its inception, with Hursley Park and Longparish among the past winners, and Liphook & Ripsley and Rowledge both Lord's finalists. 
The Cricketer magazine Editor Simon Hughes said: “This really is fantastic news and speaks volumes of the competition’s appeal to attract a headline sponsor of the calibre of Voneus Broadband. Ensuring rural communities stay connected has never been more important and we look forward to promoting Voneus across our print and digital channels.”
The Voneus Village Cup starts in April 2021 with more than 300 village cricket clubs from England, Scotland and Wales competing in 32 regional groups. The group winners enter a national draw that culminates in a final at the Home of Cricket in September.

The 2021 County Championship will be contested for across three divisions for the first time after a revolutionary new format was unveiled by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
For the first stage of the competition, the eighteen first-class counties have been split across three groups.
Hampshire are paired with Somerset, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Middlesex, and Leicestershire in Group 2.
After each has played one another home and away, the top two from each pool progresses to Division One.
The side who remains top after every team has played all outstanding opponents will then be crowed the county champions and awarded the Lord's Taveners’ trophy.
In addition, the champions and runners-up in Division One will face-off in a five-day match at Lord's with the Bob Willis Trophy on the line.
Essex, current holders of both pieces of silverware, will therefore have the chance to defend both titles in 2021.
Groups have been determined based on performances in the last two seasons of red-ball cricket. Derbies such as Lancashire v Yorkshire, and Middlesex and Surrey have been preserved.
The new format is currently only in place for next season and consultation will take place next year with a view to deciding on the long-term format.
The two-divisional structure, with 10 sides in Division One and eight in Division Two remains the default position.
"I am delighted that the counties have been able to reach this agreement less than three weeks after Essex won the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord’s," said ECB chairman Ian Watmore.
                                                                                     Fixtures
"The success of that competition provides reassurance that this structure can help safeguard against any impact the global pandemic may have on next season while also ensuring the integrity of the County Championship."
The ECB hope to announce the fixtures for the entire 2021 campaign in November. It has been reported that the Bob Willis Trophy final could be staged as late as October 2.
A shortened red-ball season was introduction this year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the County Championship was not up for grabs.
It saw teams split into three regional groups, with teams playing their five group rivals once. The top two ranked group winners then progressed to the Bob Willis Trophy final at the home of cricket.
Somerset and Essex played out an entertaining final, with the latter taking home the trophy having led after both teams had batted once.
The Championship has been contested over two divisions since 2000 when it was split from one league to include promotion and relegation.

​Alton plan to have South African Thando Ntini, the 20-year old son of Proteas legend Makhaya Ntini, opening the bowling for them in the ECB Southern Premier League next summer.
Ntini has played at both provincial and franchise level for Western Province and the Cape Cobras since representing South Africa in the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup and has been picked by the Centurion-based Multiply Titans for the upcoming season.
In 26 domestic matches to date, Ntini has taken 43 wickets, to include best bowling figures of 4-36 on his Momentum One Day Cup debut for the Cobras against the Warriors in February 2020 
He had a brief spell with Kent Premier League club Canterbury in 2019, but played only four times.
​Subject to COVID, Ntini will arrive at Alton next April.

South Wilts have announced the appointment of Andy Stagg as their new chairman, with effect from November 1.
A product of Bishops Wordsworth School, Andy is a regular face among fellow vice-presidents at Lower Bemerton on match days, having captained the Salisbury club’s second team from 1992 to 1995. 
He played much of his early local cricket with Farley before joining South Wilts in 1988, and then moving to work in North London and playing at weekends in Hertfordshire.
Mr Stagg’s appointment as chairman coincides with his pending retirement from a senior managerial position within Salisbury District Hospital. 

Hampshire Cricket have awarded promising youngsters Scott Currie, Ajeet Dale and Tom Scriven extended Rookie contracts.
The trio, who all enjoyed breakthrough campaigns with competition debuts in 2020, have put pen-to-paper on new deals, keeping them at the club until at least the end of 2021.
Poole Town raised all-rounder Scott Currie, now with Bashley (Rydal), made his Hampshire debut in the Club’s 2020 Vitality Blast campaign, whilst also going on to feature in the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy, where he claimed three wickets on debut against Kent.
Currie also became the latest Hampshire youth player to go on to represent England’s Under 19 side in last winter's ICC Youth World Cup, having impressed as part of the triumphant Hampshire Second XI Championship side in 2019.
Fellow seamer Ajeet Dale is a graduate of Hampshire’s Academy and made his First-Class debut for Hampshire against Sussex in 2020’s Bob Willis Trophy. Dale, who possesses impressive pace, finished claimed four wickets in his two matches, ending his opening season with a handy first-class bowling average of 18.
Also a graduate of Hampshire’s youth system, Berkshire based Tom Scriven made his First-Class debut during this summer’s Bob Willis Trophy against Surrey, following his first appearance for the Club in a T20 fixture in 2018.
The all-rounder demonstrated his potential with both bat and ball during the competition, taking three wickets and striking his maiden half-century in the short campaign.
Giles White, Hampshire Director of Cricket, said: “Ajeet, Scott and Tom are three really exciting prospects for the future and they’ve all shown their potential this summer. This extension of their Rookie Contracts will aid their development, allowing them to continue their hard work over the next 12 months.”

Fraser Hay, who spent three recent seasons playing for Portsmouth in the Southern Premier League, hit an unbeaten opening day century for Gosnells in the WACA First Grade competition against South Perth at Richardson Park.
He cleared the boundary rope three times and scored 11 boundaries in an unbeaten 101 which helped Gosnells pass South Perth's 211-8 with time to spare.  Ryan Duffield, who has an champions medal from his season with South Wilts, made 39 not out in the unbeaten match winning partnership.

​Hampshire Cricket have announced that batsmen Harry Came and Oli Soames have departed the Club. 
It was agreed the duo would be released to pursue opportunities elsewhere at the end of the 2020 season, following the conclusion of their contracts.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with both Harry and Oli and they have been a credit to themselves and the Club during their time at the Ageas Bowl,” said Director of Cricket Giles White.
“We felt that now was the right moment to allow them to pursue other opportunities elsewhere - we wish them well for the future.”
Came, 22, who recently helped St Cross Symondians ‘seconds’ win the Southern Premier League Cup, made only five first team appearances for Hampshire, scoring 72 runs.  He originally signed at the Ageas Bowl after a prolific 2018 season with Kent Second XI for whom he made four centuries.
Soames made 238 runs in his 12 matches for Hampshire, the 24-year old Loughborough University graduate's highest score of 62 coming in May 2019 setting up the County Championship win over Nottinghamshire at Newclose.

The Hampshire Academy played – and won – the 30th match of a truncated season when they beat Surrey YC’s by 39 runs in a two-innings affair at Totton & Eling’s Southern Gardens.
The dry, bowler friendly surface created a low scoring but nonetheless intriguing affair with Hampshire enjoying a slender ten-run first innings advantage and eventually running out winners having set Surrey a 177-run target.
Harry Broderick and George Metzger worked hard for their runs in both innings, while Charlie Mumford (42) and Dubbs Wood (25) pulled Hampshire out of a second innings pickle at 100-6 to set up a Surrey run chase.  Broderick and James Trodd shared six Surrey second innings scalps, while left-arm seamers, Eton College’s bustling Finn Catherwood-Smith and South Wilts’ Josh Croom caught the eye earlier.
Scores:
Hampshire Academy 120 (Broderick 29, Metzger 26) and 166-8 dec (Mumford 42, Metzger 28, Broderick 27, Wood 25) Surrey YCs 110 (Catherwood-Smith 2-7, Croom 2-8) and 138 (Broderick 3-14, Trodd 3-31).

​Joe Weatherley has called on his generation at Hampshire to turn around the county’s disappointing recent Vitality Blast record.
Hampshire won just two matches in the T20 competition this year to finish rock bottom of the South Group, having failed to qualify for the knockout stages in 2016, 2018 and 2019, writes Alex Smith.
It has been a far cry from the all-conquering side which won the tournament in 2010 and 2012 and reached Finals Day in seven out of eight years between 2010 and 2017.
And batsman Weatherley reckons Mason Crane, Tom Alsop, Lewis McManus and Aneurin Donald need to start influencing matches similarly to how James Vince, Chris Wood, Danny Briggs and Liam Dawson did at their age in the glory years.
“The T20 campaign was particularly disappointing and is something we have lost our way at slightly,” 23-year-old St Cross Symondians raised Weatherley said.
“We had those years of success at what feels like a long time ago now and I feel like we have been slightly left behind in that format.
“You think back to those years of success and you knew when Briggs, Dawson, Carberry, Adams and Vince were going to bat and all knew their roles.
“They were ahead of the game domestically and our challenge is to drastically improve and get ahead of that curve again.
“It is a tough one because we are known as a successful white-ball team and our challenge recently has been to compete in the Championship – that is still a key goal of ours.”
Hampshire have slowly turned the focus to the County Championship in recent season, with 47 years progressing since they were red ball champions.
                                                                                   Multiple formats
But Essex’s Championship and Blast double last season proved to Weatherley that it doesn’t need to be one or the other.
“If you look at a team like Essex they have done it the right way,” Weatherley said. “They have built from within. They have developed young players and added in outstanding overseas and Kolpak players, and I think that is the template.
“When you look at our team, the likes of myself Mason, Donald and Alsop can progress in a similar way to some of the Somerset and Essex players then we have the star overseas to supplement them.
“It is no doubt tough to compete across multiple formats due to the relentless nature of the schedule; and for a lot of guys their game plan can change quite a lot between format.”
A winter where fewer players will jet out the country to play and train overseas is likely to mean more time as a group at the Ageas Bowl.
And Weatherley believes that could benefit team spirit and Hampshire’s fortunes in the long term.
“It does look like a long and bleak winter, especially if we can’t go away,” Weatherley said.
“But I think once the guys have got their heads around this year and had some time off we will have no option but to really gel together and get better.
“We have got a lot of learnings and a lot of places to get better from the season.
“It is a really good chance to settle in with the coaches and the playing group and look inwardly at how we get better both individually and as a group.”

NEW Milton’s Charlotte Taylor produced the performance of her life, taking six wickets to lead the Southern Vipers to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Women’s title at Edgbaston.
The former Arnewood School pupil’s performance, which is the best return from any bowler in the competition, ensured the Vipers defended 232 to beat Northern Diamonds by 38 runs to become the competition’s inaugural champions.
Charlotte, who has an unconventional style and is able to spin the ball the other ay with what her team-mates have described as an ‘accidental doosra’. is the daughter of New Milton chairman and left-arm spin bowler Steve Taylor and niece of Neil Taylor, the Bashley (Rydal) and Hampshire 50s all-rounder.
The Diamonds’ run chase got off to a decent start with them well-placed on 74-1 in the 15th over. However, off-spinner Taylor’s brilliant spell cut them down to 96-6 by the 23rd.
She ripped through the heart of the Diamonds batting order. Using a whole raft of variations, Taylor bamboozled her opponents, who struggled to work out which way the ball was turning.
The Southern Vipers made it seven wins out of seven in a perfect season with the Diamonds bowled out for 193 with seven overs spare.
Havant's Emily Windsor, who made an important 37 after the Vipers had slipped to 165-5, and Charlie Dean (daughter of retired Havant and Minor Counties opener Steve Dean), who took 1-35 off her ten overs, played fine support roles in the victory.
The 26-year-old’s remarkable performance may have taken many by surprise considering she did not make the initial squad but was drafted in after the competition began.
Taylor, who also claimed the player of the match award, said: “That’s the best I’ve ever bowled. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Obviously a few weeks ago I got drafted into the competition. I never expected to play, but I’m proving to myself week in and week out that I can play at this level.
“They got off to a good start, but we took wickets at key times, and I’m so happy I was able to contribute. Lots of people wouldn’t have seen me play too much cricket, and I think that works to my advantage, especially with my bowling.
“For us to win seven games out of seven with such a young side, it’s really impressive and bodes well for the future."
Taylor first played at New Milton in the U9 boys team, later joining Hursley Park CC as a 14-year-old.  She played regularly for the men’s team at Fernhill in 2015, taking 15 Hampshire League wickets, including a 4-27 return against Bransgore.
The cricketing Taylor family were unable to attend the Edgbaston final due to Covid-19 regulations, but Charlotte’s dad, Steve said: “The immediate family were all at home watching the final on Sky Sports. It was great to watch as the wickets came – we weren’t surprised at all because we know how good she is.
“She does the basics really well; she consistently puts the ball on the spot and makes the batsmen work every ball. Her success comes from that consistency.”
In 2017, Taylor’s rise was curtailed after tearing her cruciate ligament. After completing a rigorous rehab programme, she was recalled by Hursley Park before Vipers coach and former England captain Charlotte Edwards called her up.
Steve added: “It was great to watch her perform at such a high level. It really is testament to all the hard work she’s put in over the last three years.
“When I think about the time Charlotte lost with the injury, I couldn’t help but wonder about where and who she might be playing for. I knew she had the drive and determination, but I honestly wasn’t sure if she’d get back to this level. She deserves all the praise she’s getting.”

The Isle of Wight Cricket Board host Herefordshire in two representative matches this weekend, with the sides going head-to-head at Newclose on Saturday and then Ryde's Hardings Shute ground on Sunday.
The IWCB has chosen a squad of 13 for Saturday's match, with changes to be made for Sunday to take account of the eagerly awaited Ryde-Ventnor Island Cup final showdown at Newclose on Sunday, 1pm.
IWCB squad: Henry Edwards, Ali Wheble, Ben Duggan, Ben Attrill, Oscar Vandecasteele, Dan Cox, Ross Whyte, Tim Turney, Fred Gurney, Z Wells, George Willis, Stuart Robertson, Will Robbins.

Hampshire Academy pair Fletcha Middleton and Tom Prest have been selected for the second phase of England Under-19 North v South regional matches at Loughborough University this weekend.
The duo produced encouraging batting performances in the second innings of a two-day match last weekend, Middleton’s half-century providing the platform for a successful South run chase. Prest hit 44.  The matches on Saturday and Sunday are 50-over affairs.
Even though the weather has turned distinctly autumnal, the Academy are playing for a final time this weekend, with Surrey YCs the visitors to Totton & Eling’s Southern Gardens for 10.30am starts on Saturday and Sunday.   Shaun Lilley and Paul Sparshott will officiate.
Academy: George Metzger, Wilf Fontaine-Jackson, Harry Broderick, Tom South, Charlie Mumford, Abhay Gonella, James Barker, Dubbs Wood, James Trodd, Josh Croom, Finn Catherwood-Smith. 

Talented Harry Trussler will swap his cricket bat for his hockey stick on Saturday when Winchester launch their South Premier League challenge against Trojans at Stoneham Lane, 1.30pm.
The teenager has enjoyed a successful albeit truncated cricket season with St Cross Symondians, celebrating a maiden Southern League Cup century against Andover and a fifty in the win over Lymington.
Now he switches roles from run scorer to potential goal scorer for Winchester’s hockey team, who look to make a positive start against their arch local rivals.

St Cross Symondians ‘second team’ won the Southern Premier League Cup – the 40-over competition introduced when the government gave the go-ahead for recreational cricket to resume after lockdown – by beating Bournemouth by ten runs in the final at the Green Jackets Ground.
Their success owed much to former Hampshire opener Jason Laney, whose half-century provided a solid platform for St Cross to post 188-7. 

​Laney’s steady 51, supported by Hampshire pair Harry Came (29) and Felix Organ (21), and subsequently Ed Ellis (20), pointed a nimbler and younger St Cross towards a competitive total, Jake Hurley returning 3-33, his victims including Organ and Ellis, plus the dangerous Harry Foyle.

Nick Park (26) and Sam Collins (19) provided Bournemouth with a 56-run cushion, but when three wickets fell for five runs the visitors effectively had to start again.
Luke Matthews (42) and Simon Woodruff (34) added 73, but the fourth wicket pair were both out to fine catches in the deep at a stage when Bournemouth were arguably in a position to push on.
Woodruff was well caught by the running Simon Beetham at wide mid-off off the impressive 16-year old George O’Connor (2-30) and Matthews fell to a stunning catch in the deep by Laney who had earlier made a brilliant stop on the boundary to prevent a straight six - fine margins ! 

​Bournemouth possibly missed a trick by not elevating big hitting Robbie Pack up the order and with none of the middle-order able to ‘go big’ on a predictably low autumnal surface against the spin of county pair Organ (2-24) or Came (2-36) – they shared the church end of the ground- the required run rate became too great and the Dorset side fell short at 178-7.
O’Connor, who had key Bournemouth batsman Adam Davies caught behind, certainly caught the eye, bowling a tight and controlled line at pressure stages. 
He joined St Cross from Odiham & Greywell this season and with the highly respected Andy Wagner his watchful tutor at Radley College, George could be a name to remember for the future.

​George Wilson hit an undefeated half-century as Bashley (Rydal) II hauled themselves out of trouble for a second time to beat Portsmouth & Southsea by three wickets and win the Southern Premier League Cup Division 2/3 Grand Final.
The New Forest club, who lifted the Southern Premier League Division 3 title last season, were in a perilous state at 62-6 chasing down Portsmouth & Southsea’s 149-7 when seam all-rounder Wilson joined 16-year old Will Tripcony at the St James’s Park crease.
Together the seventh-wicket pair retrieved the situation – caused in the main by the P & S seam attack - almost doubling the Bashley total to 120-7 before Tripcony was bowled by left-arm spinner Kieron Dunstan (2-27) for a well made 23.
Earlier, Jake Peach (2-33), Jon Willey (2-38) and Wales bound Chris Turrell (1-27) had ripped through the Bashley top order, which sagged at 32-4 before Tom Jacques (23) hit a six and three fours in an important knock.
                                                                                       Problems
Dunstan (who knocked over both Jacques and Tripcony) and new skipper Ben Saunders were causing the Bashley batsmen plenty of problems on a spin friendly surface.
But once their respective spells had finished, Wilson took complete charge, opening up to crack a six and seven fours in an undefeated 58, scoring all but two of the next 30 runs Bashley needed to lift the trophy.

​Portsmouth & Southsea’s 149-7 had largely been built around openers Matt Benfield (52) and Jack Davies (33), who put on 77 before Bashley’s own spinners got into the act.
The openers fell to the spin of Simon Watkins (2-30) and the emerging Jacob Gordon (2-11 off eight) as P & S dropped to 94-4 when Benfield became the first of two smart stumpings by Bashley skipper Patrick Lewis.
Dean Lee (22) and Tom Benfield (19) added 42 before both fell victim to Simon Ridley (2-26) as P & S saw their last three wickets go for 12 runs.  

Tom Morton chalked up his 25th century in South Wilts' colours when he struck a typically boundary strewn 109 as his side racked up 326-8 against a Hampshire Academy XI in an autumn 40-over friendly at Bemerton.
Morton, whose first South Wilts hundred was made against St Cross Symondians back in 2007, hit four sixes and 14 fours, while Raff Hussey (62) and Peter Rowe (94) also enjoyed themselves.
George Metzger (43) and James Barker (39) top scored in the Academy's 174 all out.  South Wilts won by 152 runs.

Portsmouth umpire Andy Anthony is set to step out at a near deserted Lord’s in the National Village Cup final tomorrow, but considers it a ‘very, very proud honour’ to be donning the white coat on such an occasion. 
The 41-year-old has been selected as one of the two umpires for the National Village Cup final at headquarters between Colwall and Redbourn.   He is only the third local south coast panel umpire to get such an appointment behind Dave Bull and Paul Sparshott.
Redbourn, from Hertfordshire, are taking part in the competition for the first time in 2020 while their opponents hail from Worcestershire. Redbourn knocked out holders Reed - the team who had beaten Sarisbury Athletic at the semi-final stage last year - en route to Lord’s.
‘I’m extremely fortunate to get this chance,’ said Anthony.  ‘It’s a bit like refereeing the FA Cup final - you only get the chance to do it once unless there’s extreme circumstances.  ‘It’s a very, very proud honour – I’m really looking forward to it.’
Anthony, originally from Fareham, has only been umpiring for seven years, starting out at the lowest level of the Southern Premier League before working his way up to Premier standard.
He only took up umpiring after a knee injury sustained on a cricket tour of Barbados ended his playing days.
He played for Gosport colts in the early 1990s, and progressed to be a regular 3rd team player by 1995.
Anthony stepped up to the 2nd XI in 1996, and won their bowling award in 1997 after changing from 'pace' to off-spin.
                                                                                    Overton umpire
In 1999 he joined Rowner, and was regularly playing in their 1st XI before moving to Curdridge where his dad, John, was groundsman, and they were about to join the Hampshire league.
After he started on the umpiring route full-time, he did play occasionally for Denmead where his improved batting was very valuable.
Cricket is certainly in his family’s blood - dad John played for Rowner for many years as a prolific left-hand opening bat/wicket-keeper.
Andy’s 2020 National Village Cup campaign started when he was the solitary umpire at Overton’s first round game against Ventnor.
It will finish at Lord’s, but sadly due to the pandemic none of his family and friends are allowed inside the world famous stadium to watch.
The same applies to the players of the two competing teams, though the match is being live streamed.
Anthony has umpired at Lord’s once before. Due to his job in the Portsmouth Dockyard, he was an umpire at the Navy’s game against Cross Arrows on the Nursery Ground in 2016.
‘This is a far more prestigious game,’ he said.
Asked what his umpiring ambitions were, Anthony replied: ‘When I started out my goal was to do well in the Southern League.  A realistic goal now is getting onto the Minor Counties panel. Covid has shut down that avenue this year, but that’s my goal for next year.’

Hampshire Academy pair Fletcha Middleton and Tom Prest emerged victorious in the England Lions South/North Under-19 trial at Loughborough, where 22 wickets fell on day one. 
Sussex YCs Jamie Atkins (5-35) and Surrey left-armer Sean Hunt (3-13) ran amok as the North were dismissed for 126.   But wickets continued to fall, with Prest (15) and skipper Middleton (4) dismissed with the South 76-6 before Middlesex prospect Ben Cullen hit 70 to lift their score to 213. 
The North posted 342-9 in the second innings, but a patient 52 by Middleton and 44 from Prest helped the South chase down a 255-run target to win by three wickets.
The Academy pair hope to play in the follow-up 50-over matches against the North at Loughborough next weekend.

Bournemouth will be anxious to avoid anything like a repeat of their last visit to Winchester’s tree lined Green Jackets ground when they face St Cross Symondians II in the Southern Premier League Cup Grand Final tomorrow, 12.30.
Back on July 18 in the opening round of West group league cup matches, they were on the receiving end of a Tom Foyle century amid a 275-4 run mauling from St Cross Symondians, the captain blazing 103 before Bournemouth limped home, tails between legs from a 127-run beating.
“We were rusty,” commented opening batsman Nick Park post match.
Since then, Bournemouth have strung together six straight wins to top a strong group containing Bashley (Rydal), South Wilts and St Cross themselves.
They clinched the ‘title’ with a five-wicket win over Bashley (Rydal) last week.
St Cross Symondians’, having used a ‘squad rotation’ system, topped the East group using 20 players in their six matches, five of which they won before losing to Portsmouth a fortnight ago.
Their potentially tougher matches against Havant and the Hampshire Academy were rained off.
There is ample car parking at the Green Jackets, where SD will be strictly enforced to comply with government guidelines.

Portsmouth & Southsea and Bashley (Rydal) II will both be at full strength for tomorrow’s Southern Premier League Cup East/West 2/3 Grand Final at St James’s Park, off Locksway Road, Portsmouth.
Seamer Chris Turrell [pictured by The News] is likely to be playing his farewell game for P & S prior to a work related move out of Portsea and will hope big guns Matt Benfield and Jack Davies fire at the top of the order for the unbeaten East winners.
Bashley have tweaked their side in recent weeks to give more youngsters experience, but field a pukka second team at the SJP.
They have real experience in all-rounders Simon Ridley, Neil Taylor and Simon Watkins, alongside six teenagers, two of whom are only in their GCSE years at Dorset schools.
Portsmouth & Southsea: Davies, M Benfield, Kanavan, Davidson, T Benfield, Lee, Saunders, Peach, Wiley, Turrell, Dunstan. 
Bashley (Rydal): James Turner, Will Tripcony, Patrick Lewis, Jacob Gordon, Simon Watkins, Saif Achakzai, George Wilson, Josh Parsons, Simon Ridley, Neil Taylor, Ethan Baker.

St Cross Symondians will be delighted to welcome spectators to the Green Jackets Ground for Saturday’s Southern Premier League Cup Grand Final against Bournemouth (12.30 start), but remind everyone attending that strict Covid restrictions will be in force.
Chairman Andy Burgess explains: “Anyone entering the pavilion and/or the bar/ BBQ area will be obliged to leave their name and contact details on the list provided.
“We want everyone to have a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, but people will absolutely have to remain in clear and distinct groups of maximum 6 people either within the pavilion or on the deck.
“This is to comply with the new Covid restrictions together with the track and trace requirements
“This is not “optional” and if not adhered to we will have no option but to close the bar and BBQ facilities.   Please remember the well documented social distancing rules.  We thank everyone in advance for their understanding and compliance.”
Ample car parking is available around the boundary, ideal for picnics in the early autumn, but spectators should bring their own fold-up chairs.  The licensed bar will be open.