In the absence of any recreational cricket for the time being, ‘the crease’ website will be taking a journey down Memory Lane all summer, initially featuring the inaugural 2000 season of the ECB Southern Premier League, with a week-by-week highlights review of results and performances.
That summer the Southern League became a standard bearer for other ECB accredited Premier Leagues across the country by adopting a split format of 50-over and all-day ‘time’ cricket, subsequently adopted by most other leagues across the UK.
It saw the launch of Southern Electric’s long and fruitful sponsorship partnership with Hampshire recreational cricket, the SPL itself embracing a Premier Division of ten clubs, a Second Division (10) and an 18-strong Division 3. In 50-over games in SPLs 2 and 3, there was a bowling maximum of 12 overs.
Here’s the make-up of the 2000 Southern Electric Premier League –
• ECB Premier Division
Andover, Bashley (Rydal), BAT Sports, Bournemouth, Burridge, Calmore Sports, Cove, Havant, Hungerford, South Wilts.
• Division 2
Alton, Hambledon, Hursley Park, Liphook & Ripsley, Lymington, Old Tauntonians & Romsey, Portsmouth, Trojans, United Services, Winchester KS.
• Division 3
Bashley (Rydal) II, Eastleigh, Easton & Martyr Worthy, Gosport Borough, Hook & Newnham Basics, Leckford, Lymington II, New Milton, Old Basing, Old Tauntonians & Romsey II, Paultons, Portsmouth II, Purbrook, Rowledge, St Cross Symondians, Sparsholt, Waterlooville, Wellow & Plaitford.
• If any club has team or action photographs from 2000, can they email them to vimpscricket@gmail.com ?
That summer the Southern League became a standard bearer for other ECB accredited Premier Leagues across the country by adopting a split format of 50-over and all-day ‘time’ cricket, subsequently adopted by most other leagues across the UK.
It saw the launch of Southern Electric’s long and fruitful sponsorship partnership with Hampshire recreational cricket, the SPL itself embracing a Premier Division of ten clubs, a Second Division (10) and an 18-strong Division 3. In 50-over games in SPLs 2 and 3, there was a bowling maximum of 12 overs.
Here’s the make-up of the 2000 Southern Electric Premier League –
• ECB Premier Division
Andover, Bashley (Rydal), BAT Sports, Bournemouth, Burridge, Calmore Sports, Cove, Havant, Hungerford, South Wilts.
• Division 2
Alton, Hambledon, Hursley Park, Liphook & Ripsley, Lymington, Old Tauntonians & Romsey, Portsmouth, Trojans, United Services, Winchester KS.
• Division 3
Bashley (Rydal) II, Eastleigh, Easton & Martyr Worthy, Gosport Borough, Hook & Newnham Basics, Leckford, Lymington II, New Milton, Old Basing, Old Tauntonians & Romsey II, Paultons, Portsmouth II, Purbrook, Rowledge, St Cross Symondians, Sparsholt, Waterlooville, Wellow & Plaitford.
• If any club has team or action photographs from 2000, can they email them to vimpscricket@gmail.com ?