Second XI Championship

Championship matches for the Second XI are played over three days meaning they tend to involve exciting, attacking declarations. Add to that the fact that the Second XI is often the first port of call for established players on their return to form as well as youngsters trying to catch the attention of the First XI coach, this can be an excellent way for serious fans of the team to know who will is up-and-coming!

As in the First XI Championship, 16 points are awarded for a win with three for a draw and eight for the unlikely event of a tie. Batting and bowling bonus points are also up for grabs. Unlike First XI cricket, substitutions are permitted to allow for full squad call-ups mid-way through a game.

Each team plays each group opponent only once with half of their fixtures at home and half away. Split into a North and South group, the winners of each division play each other in a Second XI Championship Final to decide the overall winner.

All Second XI fixtures at The Ageas Bowl are played on the club’s Nursery Ground and are free to attend.

Hampshire’s Record:

Hampshire are five-time winners of the competition, triumphing in 1967, 1971, 1981, 1995 and 2001.

In 2012 they will be hoping to build on a respectable 2011 Championship campaign which saw them finish fourth out of 10 with an even number of wins and losses.

2012 Opposition:

Hampshire compete in the South Division alongside Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Marylebone Cricket Club Young Cricketers (MCC YC’s), Middlesex, Somerset, Surrey and Sussex.