Peter Sainsbury

Very sorry to read about Peter Sainsbury's death.
He played in the first match I ever went to and every Hampshire game thereafter until the mid-70's.
Quintessential County Cricketer, very approachable and charming man.
Had assumed he'd live forever.
Sad day for lovers of the old County game and Hampshire supporters everywhere.

Nice tribute, Kwini. I thought of you when I heard this sad news yesterday.

Worth flagging for younger posters that Hants have won the Championship twice in their history ('61 and '73) and that Peter Sainsbury was the only person to play in both sides. The '61 team was before my (watching) time but I recall the one of twelve years later with awe and respect.

As the above suggests, Sainsbury was an absolute stalwart of the county game when far more importance was attached to it. Included by John Arlott no less in his All Time England XI of those never to win a Test cap.

RIP Peter Sainsbury. A Hampshire legend   

We've lost a few good ones from the unsung club recently, what with David Allen, Phil Sharpe, Peter S and probably plenty more that my local VT paper hasn't mentioned.

A surprising number of that 1961 team still around, astonished that the always fit and spritely Sainsbury would have left us comparitively early.
Leo Harrison, now 92.
Jimmy Gray, 88
Dennis Baldry, 82
Malcolm Heath, 80
Mike Barnard, 80 (also PUP!)
Alan Wassell, 74

Plus Vic Cannings (95) who retired a couple of years before.

Stalwarts, then and hopefully now.

So many of the familiar - and in my youth - seemingly ever present names from county cricket have gone through the small white wicker gate into the pavilion. Allen, Cartwright, Sainsbury... the list goes on..

I was a staunch HCC supporter for years. There is a photo of the crowd invading the ground at Dean Park, Bournemouth, when we won the Championship in 1961 and if you look closely enough you'll see a little girl with a Jack Russell terrier on a lead - that's me! Sadly I rather lost touch when I moved to London and then "big business" took over the running of things, including the move to Hedge End, but glad to see so many of the "old stagers" are still going strong. Listening to John Holder on TMS this lunch time brought back more memories.

John Holder was/is also a very nice guy, another social visitor to The Star!
Great that he enjoyed such a good career as umpire.

That Hampshire 1961 championship-winning side had a charismatic captain in Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie. He would insist on the players being in bed by 9.30. 9.30am that is!
The 1973 side had, arguably, the most-destructive opening pairing in county cricket - Gordon Greenidge and Barry Richards. They would have won the championship again in 1974 but for a rain-ruined final match. Peter Sainsbury played alongside some great players.