Some of the game's greats have played in Hampshire's colours and this is a team blessed with sublime batting skills, sheer pace, nagging accuracy, the mystery of spin and a wicketkeeper who could bowl a bit. I would fancy their chances against anyone.

1. Barry Richards: One of the most gifted players to lift a bat, averaging more than 50 for the county between 1968-78. Politics forced this South African out of the Test arena where he would surely have matched any of the greats.

2. Gordon Greenidge: Influenced by Richards, Barbados-born Greenidge developed into a magnificent West Indies opener scoring 7,558 Test runs. A great servant to the county, for whom he plundered almost 20,000 first-class runs.

3. Phil Mead: The backbone of Hampshire's batting for some 30 years, this left-hander compiled a record 48,892 runs between 1905-36. He scored more than 2,000 runs in a season ten times and averaged almost 50 for England in his 17 Tests.

4. Roy Marshall: Gave up his burgeoning West Indies career at 21 to play for Hampshire and became the county's second-highest scorer (behind Mead) with 30, 303 first-class runs, including 60 centuries, between 1953-72.

5. Robin Smith: Reminded the England selectors that Hampshire players were eligible for the national team in the late 1980s, Smith was a hard-hitting batsman who could destroy attacks in all forms of the game. Between 1981-2003 amassed more than 26,000 runs and 61 centuries in first-class cricket .

6. George Brown (wicketkeeper): A true all-rounder, Brown not only took 530 dismissals for the county but scored 22,959 runs (third highest) and claimed 602 wickets with his medium-pace bowling during a distinguished career from 1908-33. Played all seven of his Tests as a keeper and has his ashes scattered over the county ground at Southampton.

7. Peter Sainsbury: Another great servant with more than 20 years at the club (1954-76), this slow left-armer took 1,245 wickets and scored 19,576 runs. Born in the county, Sainsbury was also a fine fielder and took a record 56 catches in 1957.

8. Shane Warne (captain): One of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, this no-nonsense leg spinner is possibly the greatest bowler ever to launch a ball 22 yards. You can't leave a player with 708 Test wickets out of your side and with these riches at his disposal, his inventive captaincy would blossom.

9. Malcolm Marshall: Hampshire have been well blessed by their overseas players and Marshall was no exception between 1979-93. Lightning pace from a whippy action, he took 826 wickets for the county despite his Test exploits for the West Indies, which claimed 376 victims. Useful lower-order batsman.

10. Derek Shackleton: A model professional, Shack took more than 100 wickets in a season 20 times consecutively and became the county's most prolific bowler with 2,669 scalps between 1948-69. A tireless, right-arm medium-pacer, he would bowl 1,500 overs a season and won seven England caps.

11. Andy Roberts: At his peak one of the most feared fast bowlers in the world and Hampshire benefited from his phlegmatic presence between 1973-78. The first Antiguan to play Test cricket, he took 202 wickets for West Indies.

My favourite XI

It has often been said that playing for Hampshire is a bit of a name game and that the number of initials you have is a key consideration. Here's a team that might lack a bit of quality but would certainly cut a dash on any scorecard.

1. Hon Lionel Hallam Tennyson, 3rd Baron Tennyson (captain): Led Hampshire from 1919-33 and even then was a figure from another age - the county's wicketkeeper Walter Livsey was his butler. Grandson of the poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

2. Walter Livsey (wicketkeeper): A bit common, I know, but you don't expect the Lord to turn up without his butler.

3. Lothian George Bonham-Carter: Built and farmed the Manor House at Buriton where pheasant shoots were popular. Nothing spectacular about his eight-match county career (1880-1885) but led a team made entirely of Bonham-Carters to victory over Petersfield in the early 1900s.

4. Arthur Henry Delme-Radcliffe: Managed only 190 runs in 13 outings for the county between 1896-1900, but his son Peter did marry Alathea Rachel Constance Talbot-Ponsonby in 1944.

5. Hesketh Vernon Hesketh-Prichard: Same name twice is a good start, born in India is great and he could bowl a bit - 339 first-class wickets between 1900-1913.

6. Alexander Colin David Ingleby-Mackenzie: Led Hampshire to their first County Championship in 1961 on a diet of "wine, women and song". Played with the same spirit of enterprise and was always a fan of the sporting declaration.

7. Frederick Archibald Gresham Leveson-Gower: Born in Titsey Place, Surrey, his brother - Sir Henry Dudley Gresham - knighted for his services to the game, played for England and became chairman of selectors.

8. Hamilton Augustus Haigh-Smith: Bowled a few leggies between 1909-14, but was more of a rugger man, instrumental in founding the Barbarians club and being part of the the Lions management team in 1935.

9. Gilbert Joshua Spencer-Smith and

10.Orlando Spencer-Smith: No team could be complete without the Spencer-Smith twins, Eton schoolboys, who played lone matches for Gentlemen of Hampshire in the 1864 and 1866 respectively .

11. Edward Whalley-Tooker: Top score of seven for the county, but in 1925 brought cricket back to the Broad Halfpenny ground in Hambledon.