Hampshire homeless for four-day competition

HAMPSHIRE are set to play all five of their County Championship matches away from home because the ECB have taken control of the Ageas Bowl for the duration of the international season.

Sportsmail can reveal that Hampshire’s inability to secure a home ground was one of the main reasons the club opposed playing in a four-day competition this summer, which led to a stand-off with other counties that was resolved last Friday with confirmation that the Bob Willis Trophy will feature all 18 counties next month. England will return to the Ageas Bowl for three one-day internationals against Ireland and two Tests against Pakistan next month after yesterday’s thrilling match at the ground against West Indies, an arrangement that has left Hampshire temporarily homeless. Unlike many counties, the club do not regularly use out-grounds — the players have been based at Arundel in Sussex since returning to training earlier this month — which will leave them in the unfortunate position of playing away from home. Hampshire played a Championship game on the Isle of Wight last year for the first time since 1962 as the Ageas Bowl was being used for the World Cup, but given the need to meet strict Covid-19 protocols, a return is not practical, and neither is using former out-grounds such as Basingstoke. The cost of away matches was one of the main reasons several other counties voted against playing red-ball cricket this summer, and Hampshire’s situation is particularly hapless given they have done so much to help the ECB.