John Hampshire
England batsman who scored a century on his Test debut at Lords but did not enjoy the experience
JOHN HAMPSHIRE, who has died aged 76, was the first England batsman to score a century on a Test debut at Lord’s; his long career with Yorkshire, however, was eventually blighted by conflict with Geoffrey Boycott. Hampshire’s selection for the second Test against the West Indies in 1969 was something of a surprise, since in the previous seven summers with Yorkshire he had scored only nine centuries, while his best seasonal average, in 1965, was a mere 32.19.
When he went into bat at Lord’s at the end of the second day, England were 37 for four, in reply to the West Indies first innings of 380. He managed, however, to survive an inspired spell by Garry Sobers, and the next day, supported by Alan Knott and Ray Illingworth, took his score to 107, and England’s to 249, before falling to a questionable lbw decision.
“He excelled in forcing the ball off his legs,” reported Wisden, “and driving straight and to the off-side off his back foot.” In later years, however, Hampshire would give a less flattering description of his effort. “I nicked my way to a hundred over four hours. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. God, it was terrible.”
Having been run out for five in the second innings, and mustering only one and 22 in the next Test at Headingley, Hampshire was summarily dropped, just a month after his first selection. He was, however, chosen for England’s tour of Australia in 1970-71, and after a poor patch found his form with an innings of 156 not out against Tasmania. Called up for the penultimate Test at Adelaide in February, he scored 55 in the first innings; and he was in the England side which regained the Ashes with victory in the final Test at Sydney.
Going on to New Zealand, Hampshire did well in the Test at Christchurch, with innings of 40 and 51. There was no place for him, however, in the England side that summer. Recalled for the fifth Test against Australia at the Oval in 1972, he did well enough in a losing cause, with innings of 42 and 20. He would play in one more Test, again against the Australians, at Headingley in 1975, but made no mark.
In his eight Tests, Hampshire had scored 403 runs at an average of 26.86. “I didn’t enjoy playing for England, and that was it,” he later reflected. “I never thought I was good enough. Still don’t.”
The eldest of three brothers, John (he hated “Jack”, inflicted upon him by Yorkshire supporters) Harry Hampshire was born at Thurnscoe, near Rotherham, on February 10 1941. His father, a colliery blacksmith, had gained release from the pits through his sporting prowess, playing football for Manchester City, and winning a Yorkshire Second XI cap as a fast bowler.
At Badsley Moor Lane Junior School John’s own sporting talents came under the notice of Charlie Lee, later a stalwart of Derbyshire cricket, who recommended the boy for nets at Headingley. John actually preferred football to cricket, and was offered trials with Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster Rovers.
He chose to concentrate on cricket under the impression that it would be more remunerative, while serving a printing apprenticeship by way of insurance. At first, he starred as a legbreak bowler, but increasingly concentrated on batting, playing for Yorkshire Boys and Rotherham.
Hampshire made his debut for Yorkshire at Leicester in 1961, scoring 61 in the second innings. By 1963 he was a regular in the side, and generally regarded in the county as a more likely prospect than the dour and dedicated Geoffrey Boycott. He was certainly more affable, in particular enjoying his role as chauffeur to Fred Trueman, whom he worshipped, and who would regale his disciple with stories of his own triumphs, set against the fallibilities of other cricket legends.
In May 1963, however, Hampshire was felled by a bouncer bowled – or thrown – by the fearsome West Indian Charlie Griffith. He believed that this mishap had a profound influence on the remainder of his career, affecting his ability to concentrate and afflicting him with insomnia.
Yet in July 1963 he scored his first century for Yorkshire, against Surrey at Bramall Lane, Sheffield. That day he opened the batting with Boycott, who was out for a duck.
Hampshire remained an established member of the great Yorkshire side of that era, when the county won the championship seven times between 1959 and 1968. From 1963 the team was held together by the captaincy of Brian Close, who possessed the personality to weld contentious egos into a formidable unit. “There were some terrible rows,” Hampshire remembered, “but they were cricket rows” – short-lived flares rather than permanently seething hostilities.
In the 1970s, however, under the captaincy of Boycott, the atmosphere degenerated into unrelieved rancour as the county slid down the championship table, to 14th in 1974. To some extent the decline was inevitable, as stars of the 1960s slipped away. It is also true that results improved from 1975.
Nevertheless, the conviction grew that the captain was more interested in maintaining his own extraordinary batting average, than in sacrificing himself in quest of victory, fostering team sprit or encouraging younger players.
For many years Hampshire had got on perfectly well with Boycott, exploring the beaches of Bermuda with him in 1964, and rooming with him on the tour of Australia in 1970-71. In the mid-1970s, as vice-captain, he resisted attempts to force a change of captaincy, and did what he could to hold the team together. One player, Kevin Sharp, found him tough, forthright and independent: “He always kept me in my place because I was always a cheeky little sod.”
In May 1978, however, Hampshire was informed by manager Ray Illingworth that the captain considered him untrustworthy. Furious, he demanded an explanation from Boycott, but remained unsatisfied. Hampshire’s position was strengthened because that summer he enjoyed the best batting form of his career; moreover, in Boycott’s absence with a broken finger he captained Yorkshire with considerable success. By July the county was third in the championship.
Matters came to a head that month when, in a match at Northampton, Boycott laboured over 113 in 90 overs. The feeling had grown in the Yorkshire team that it was unfair that other batsman should be obliged to lose their wickets hitting out after the captain had shored up his average through tedious accumulation.
At Northampton, Hampshire could suddenly bear it no longer. Though normally an aggressive player, he deliberately blocked while scoring seven runs in 18 overs, ordering his partner, Colin Johnson, to do likewise. “We’ve watched slow batting for so long,” he told himself. “Now I’m going to see what it’s like.”
Of course this sudden brainstorm was indefensible, particularly as Yorkshire lost a batting point. The feeling against Boycott was strong, however, and Hampshire made it known that, unless he was made captain for the next season, he would take up an offer from Derbyshire.
In the upshot he had his way, disastrously. His two years as captain as Yorkshire, 1979 and 1980, were the unhappiest of his life, as he was constantly abused by fans of Boycott. His children were bullied at school; his wife insulted in the supermarket. Though Yorkshire finished seventh in 1979 and sixth the next year, in 1982 he was glad to escape to Derbyshire for his last three years in cricket.
In all, he played in 577 first-class matches and scored 28,059 runs at an average of 34.55. His highest score was 183 not out, against Sussex at Hove in 1971. A fine fielder, he took 444 catches. His aggressive style brought him success in one-day cricket, in which he averaged 31.12, and played three games for England.
Hampshire also enjoyed one great triumph with his leg breaks, taking seven for 52 in a championship game against Glamorgan in 1963. His career bowling average, however, was less impressive: 30 wickets at 54.56 apiece.
He eagerly seized opportunities to play and coach abroad, especially in Tasmania, helping the team gain entry into the Sheffield Shield in 1977. Though terrified of snakes, he also coached in Zimbabwe, helping with that country’s entry into Test cricket in 1992. Hampshire umpired in first-class cricket between 1985 and 2005, standing in a total of 349 games, including 21 Test matches between 1989 and 2002.
In his later years, all passion spent, he was able to resume conversation with Boycott. All the same, he informed questioners, “my time is short upon this earth, and I do not want to waste it talking about that”. In 2016 he was appointed president of Yorkshire cricket club.
John Hampshire married his wife Judy Jennings in 1964; they had two sons. After her death in 2002, he married Alison, previously the wife of his Yorkshire team-mate Chris Old.
John Hampshire, born February 10 1941, died March 1 2017