FOLLOWING the huge success of Newclose hosting first-class county cricket for the first time in 57 years, when Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire, the County Press looks back at a long forgotten match in the archive between the two sides on the Isle of Wight.

The match between the two sides a few short weeks ago was something special and drew big crowds in each day, as internationals took the field of play.

It was no different between Saturday, June 22, and Tuesday, June 25, 1957, at the former J.Samuel White Sports Ground, Cowes — now, the Isle of Wight Community Club — when Hampshire hosted their Midlands rivals in the County Championship.

A decent crowd lined the ground to enjoy — just as Hampshire did at Newclose — a thrilling win for the home side in what was only the second post-war county cricket fixture held on the Island.

Unlike the Newclose match, played over four days, Hampshire won their game in the allotted three days, despite at least four lengthy interruptions for rain.

In a match of lively, interesting cricket, Hampshire’s stars with the bat were classy West Indian opener, Roy Marshall (107), and Henry Horton (114 not out), who helped the side reach 286-5 declared in the first innings.

Isle of Wight County Press: Hampshire batsmen Henry Horton and West Indies player Roy Marshall celebrate their centuries in the first innings against Nottinghamshire at the former J.S. White ground, Cowes, on Tuesday, June 24, 1957. FILEHampshire batsmen Henry Horton and West Indies player Roy Marshall celebrate their centuries in the first innings against Nottinghamshire at the former J.S. White ground, Cowes, on Tuesday, June 24, 1957. FILE

Notts replied with 259 all out in their first innings, with England test bowler Derek Shackleton taking 7-81.

The modest lead pleased at least one bunch of supporters — a group of children went around the perimeter of the ground in a haywain, happily cheering and waving as the Hampshire players went off to pad up again for their second innings.

Hampshire, looking to try to force a win inside three days, despite the stoppages, scored 167-5 declared to set Notts a relatively modest total of 195 to win on the final day’s play.

It was an innings of swashbuckling batting from the home side and superb bowling and fielding by the visitors, with the decent-sized crowd royally entertained.

At the time, a local report described events as follows: “All this frantic activity had the crowd at fever pitch and, had it not been one day past Midsummer’s Day, the Hampshire players would have been accused of midsummer madness!”

Isle of Wight County Press: A snippet of the County Press report of June 29, 1957, which extensively covered each day’s play as it happened between June 22-25 that week. A snippet of the County Press report of June 29, 1957, which extensively covered each day’s play as it happened between June 22-25 that week.

But it was that man Shackleton again who did the damage with the ball, returning 6-54 — five of this wickets coming in a 20-minute spell after lunch — as Hampshire skittled Notts out for a paltry 114, to win by 81 runs.

It may have looked comfortable on paper, but the last man came in with about 50 minutes left on the final day and, with the crowd getting increasingly fraught as the last two batsmen doggedly blocked Hampshire's bowlers, the home crowd gave a rousing cheer of relief as they wrapped it up with just nine minute’s play remaining.

“It was tremendous for the Islanders, as they had seen the best of Marshall and the best of Shackleton, two of Hampshire’s greatest ever players, in the same match,” the report concluded.

(Thanks to cricket historian Mike Payne for supplying the aerial shot and much of the match details)