Wicket-keeper/batsman Ben Brown only new face as Hampshire set to be at full strength for this week’s County Championship opener

Hampshire have a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of Thursday’s County Championship opener.
Cameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoonCameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoon
Cameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoon

Wicket-keeper/batsman Ben Brown will be the only debutant in the side that lifts the curtain on the 2022 season against Somerset at The Ageas Bowl.

The seventh highest runscorer in last season’s Championship, he is likely to complete a top six comprising openers Joe Weatherley and Ian Holland, Nick Gubbins, skipper James Vince and Liam Dawson.

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The four-pronged pace attack that served the county so well last year - Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas, Keith Barker and Brad Wheal - are all expected to face Somerset.

Cameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoonCameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoon
Cameras roll under grey skies at The Ageas Bowl for Hampshire's press day earlier this afternoon

That leaves Felix Organ and Mason Crane competing for one place and providing a slow bowling option alongside Dawson.

Hampshire go into the game having had seven days of pre-season action at The Ageas Bowl - two-day friendlies against Worcestershire and Gloucestershire and a three-dayer against Loughborough UCCE.

All the first team squad took part in at least one of those games apart from Pakistan international seamer Abbas.

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He only arrived in England at the weekend ahead of his second season with Hampshire.

Vince will again hope Abbas can form a potent new-ball attack with Abbott - Hampshire again filling both their allocated overseas signing slots with seam bowlers.

In 2021 Hampshire came within one wicket of winning the Championship for the first time since 1973.

In a heartbreaking finale, they suffered a one-wicket loss to Lancashire at Liverpool.

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Their four-day success was built around the seam attack of Abbott (46), Abbas (41) and Barker (41) sharing 128 Championship wickets.

Only two of the other 17 counties - Nottinghamshire and Essex - had two bowlers with 40 or more wickets. In addition, Wheal enjoyed his best ever first class season with 34 victims.

Abbott and Abbas will resume new ball duties having had a decent rest during the English winter.

Both bowlers only played four first class games in their native countries - Abbott for Paarl in South Africa and Abbas for Southern Punjab in Pakistan. Both took seven wickets in those fixtures.

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Though Brown is Hampshire’s sole close season arrival - having penned a two-year deal on leaving Sussex - Aneurin Donald is like a new arrival. The ex-Glamorgan batsman has not played since 2019 following surgery on an ACL injury.

Donald batted in Hampshire’s opening two friendlies but director of cricket Giles White said he will begin the 2022 competitive season in the 2nds.

Two of last season’s regular Championship XI, meanwhile, have been sent out on loan.

Top order batsman Tom Alsop - one of only two ever presents in the four-day game in 2021 alongside Holland - has joined south coast neighbours Sussex on a season-long loan. He remains contracted to Hampshire until the end of the 2023 campaign.

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Elsewhere, wicket-keeper Liam McManus has joined Northamptonshire on a month’s loan after Hampshire decided Brown would start his debut season as first-choice glovesman.

This year, the Championship reverts back to a two-division format for the first time since 2019, the year Hampshire finished third.

As has become the norm, a good chunk of the first class fixture list is played in the opening two months.

Thursday’s game is the first of six Championship games for Hampshire in April and May.

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There are two scheduled for both June and July, none in August - The Hundred and the 50-over Royal London Cup take over then - before September contains the final three Championship fixtures.

The T20 Blast starts at the end of May with the group stages finishing in early July. The final will be held, as usual, at Edgbaston - but in mid-July rather than a normal August/September date.