Hampshire to play floodlit fixture at New Ground

Hampshire's open their new ground at West End, Southampton with a Benson & Hedges Cup Qualifying match against Essex, and play their first Championship (First-Class) match at The Rose bowl against Worcestershire starting on Wednesday 9th May.

The club will be holding their first ever floodlit match, when they take on neighbours Sussex, in a National League Second Division match on Wednesday evening 4th July. This is Hampshire first ever HOME floodlit match, and the clubs single event in 2001 could be the forerunner if successful to more permanent floodlights in the future.

Shane Warne will be looking forward to a return to the county as Hampshire host the visiting Australians in a a three day match starting on 28th July.

The whole season gets underway with a Championship match at Edgbaston with old friends Warwickshire, and in an attempt to give the county more time to prepare, are on the road for eleven days before they see the new headquarters.

Hampshire's provisional fixtures can be seen in the 2001 Season area in the Hampshire Web Site.