Born On This Day: 24th March

Pace bowler Cardigan Connor was born in Anguilla in 1961, but by 1984, hewas living and playing league cricket in the London area and in Minor Counties for Buckinghamshire, when Hampshire’s reserve wicketkeeper, Chris Goldie, recommended him to the Cricket Chairman Charlie Knott. Knott, concerned with loss of a number of pace bowlers in recent years, and the absence of Malcolm Marshall on tour, believed Hampshire needed immediate reinforcements.

Connor played on trial for the 2nd XI, was signed, and on first-class debut v Somerset at Bournemouth, took three wickets as their opponents were reduced to 25-5. In that first season, he took 62 wickets at just over 30 each, with 7-37 v Kent at Bournemouth, although he was not so successful again until 1989, when he took 59 wickets at 21.27, with 7-31 v Gloucestershire at Portsmouth.

By 1989, he had played with Hampshire’s third Sunday League Champions (1986) and their first Lord’s Cup winners, and he was one of a small number who appeared in the first three Lord’s Finals of 1988, 1991 & 1992. His batting was generally unremarkable, albeit as cheerful as his general disposition, although he did score two half-centuries with a best of 59 at the Oval in 1993.

In 1996, he became one of Hampshire’s (then) twelve bowlers to take nine wickets in an innings – 9-38 v Gloucestershire at Southampton. Surprisingly he failed to add the one wicket required for 10 in the match, but it was Hampshire’s record analysis at their old headquarters. By the end of his career he had played in 300 limited-overs matches for Hampshire as well as 200 in the Championship.

He stands 15th in the county’s all-time first-class wicket-takers, and only Marshall and Udal of those who played in the past 40 years have more than his 614 first-class wickets. In addition, his 411 limited-overs wickets are more than any other Hampshire cricketer, and it was his final over at the Oval in 1986 that brought that last Sunday League title.

Cardigan Connor was a delightfully happy cricketer, and hugely popular with Hampshire’s supporters. He is now Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism in Anguilla.

Also today: Chris Benham, Leslie Gay, Herbert Ward