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English actor Rory Kinnear who has played Bill Tanner in the Bond franchise will be a part of England XI which will play a friendly match against Hampshire XI to celebrate 250 years of first-class cricket in the country. The team will have diverse names from Kinnear to former Hampshire and England bowler Chris Tremlett and England women’s legend Charlotte Edwards. Notably, the two teams will square off in a friendly at Broadhalfpenny Down, the home of the world-famous Hambledon club, this Friday (1.30 pm).
While the England XI have some interesting names, the Hampshire XI will also feature wide range of names. The team will be led by Mark Nicholas, who led the county to three one-day trophies in the 1980s and 1990s. Former Hampshire first-teamers Jason Laney, James Hamblin, James Bruce, and Raj Maru will also feature in the Hampshire XI along with two members of the Southern Vipers’ women’s team - Georgia Adams and Charlotte Taylor.
Zimbabwean Neil Johnson who was a part of Hampshire in 2001 and has represented his country in 13 games will add an international flavor to the eleven. Notably, the two teams will be playing to mark 250 years of first-class cricket that started with a match between these two teams way back in 1772.
Back in June 1772, the Hampshire XI - featuring the splendidly-named William Hogsflesh, born in Hambledon - defeated England by 53 runs in a two-day two innings fixture. The venue, famously known as ‘Cradle of Cricket’ then went on to host a further 14 first-class games, the last of which saw Hampshire face an England XI in 1908.
Hampshire XI: Mark Nicholas, Jason Laney, Georgia Adams, Neil Johnson, James Hamblin, James Bruce, Mark Garaway, James Bovill, Raj Maru, Darren Flint, David Griffiths, Charlotte Taylor.
England XI: Elgan Alderman, Maia Bouchier, Jamie Cox, Charlotte Edwards, Rob Franks, Rory Kinnear, Dru Patel, Yasin Patel, Suman Shrestha, Chris Tremlett, Jim Wallace, David Henderson (12th man).