Hampshire coach Birrell salutes county’s promising youngsters after Bob Willis Trophy loss at Kent

With numerous experienced players injured or unavailable, the county fielded youthful XIs in the five-game Trophy campaign.

None more so than in the last game against Kent at Canterbury, where a century from England’s Zac Crawley helped the hosts to a seven-wicket success.

Hampshire fielded one of their least experienced bowling attacks in living memory, including Scott Currie, 19, Ajeet Dale 20, Tom Scriven, 21, Mason Crane, 23, and Brad Wheal, 24.

Currie was making his first class debut while Dale and Scriven had only played one first class each prior to the Canterbury game.

Wheal, meanwhile, played three Willis Trophy games - his first games in the longer format of the sport since May 2018 due to two serious back injuries.

Hampshire only fielded three players aged over 24 at Kent - skipper Sam Northeast (30), Ian Holland (29) and Lewis McManus (25).

‘We’ve learned a lot about some of our younger lads,’ Birrell said.

‘Brad Wheal had a decent start to his career but has been injured for a long time.

‘I think he spent 800 days between first-class games, so we’re thrilled to have him back.

‘He had to take time to build his belief that his body could be resilient again.’

Scriven and Currie, in addition to taking wickets, also showed they can bat.

Currie was second top scorer in Hampshire’s first innings with 38, while Scriven, batting at No 7, was top scorer in the second with 68 in only his third first class innings.

Scriven is certainly no mug with the bat. He has scored three centuries for Hampshire in the 2nd XI Championship and in 2016, while skippering Hampshire under-17s, hammered 288 against Devon.

‘This was Tom’s second game and, walking in at 23 for five, he and (Lewis) McManus showed a lot of guts and mettle to put on an 85-run partnership,’ said Birrell.

‘He showed he can play at this level.

‘As for Scott Currie, he really excites me. He’s an England Under-19 international.

‘He batted really well for 38 when we were struggling on the first day and shaped up like a top-order batter.

‘His match highlight was getting Crawley leg before early on day two.

He’s made his debut now in both formats and will take a lot out of this performance.’

Hampshire were today due to play their first competitive game at The Ageas Bowl in 2020.

With the ground having finished hosting England internationals, the county host Sussex in their fifth T20 Blast match (6.30pm).

Hampshire return to T20 action having lost their last game, a rain-wrecked encounter at Surrey last Thursday, by nine wickets.

That match saw the debut of Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who conceded 30 runs off his three overs.

Sussex have already beaten Hampshire once in the T20 Blast, skipper Luke Wright belting 82 in a six-wicket win at Hove at the end of August.