HAVING finished five off the bottom of the championship last season, Hampshire's motto this summer should be something along the lines of onwards and upwards. Positive thinking is the key and in that department, the county are hardly short of the necessary.
An Essex man for nearly 10 years, John Stephenson served his apprenticeship at a base where thinking positively produced rich collective rewards. Now in his second term as Hampshire captain and the shaking-down process behind him, Stephenson is looking forward with enthusiasm to the forthcoming challenge.
A product of Felsted School and Durham University, that northern outpost of sporting prowess, Stephenson has all the qualifications to head Hampshire in the right direction. At 30, he also has the experience to command respect and get the best out of the club's resources.
These, admittedly, appeared thin on the ground last summer, but there was a late-season clutch of wickets for the medium-quick Dmitri Mascarenhas, then 18, and a best of six for 88 and 16 victims in two matches rocketed him to the top of the county's bowling averages. Mascarenhas - English-born of Sri Lankan stock who arrived via Perth in Australia - has been smartly signed up on a full time basis.
Cardigan Connor, meanwhile, who was going so well last season until struck by injury, returns to his familiar role as the hard-working stock bowler. Connor has just met his team-mates on his home island of Anguilla, where pre-season preparations are under way. And there will surely be no lack of incentive when he arrives back with the squad. Connor is the beneficiary and few cricketers come more deserving than this loyal servant.
If the bowling shows more consistency (and Hampshire supporters will trust the off-spinner Shaun Udal recaptures form) the onus will be on the run-makers to provide targets.
Robin Smith, with three centuries and just over 1,300 runs, left the majority of colleagues trailing in his wake last time around. The exceptions were the talented Jason Laney (932 at 35.85), who has just earned selection for The Rest XI to play England A at Edgbaston later this month, and the wicketkeeper Adrian Aymes (770 at 42.78).
These three need support from Matthew Keech, Giles White and Will Kendall, all in their early 20s, and Stephenson himself. The batting bonus will be Matthew Hayden, the Queensland opener, though Hampshire are awaiting news from Australia in that quarter.
Stephenson said: ``It's a bit touch and go with Hayden at the moment but we've made contingency plans.'' Darren Lehmann, another Australian, has been mentioned as a possible second choice. As for the captain himself, he is fit and raring to go.
``At the end of last season I was hit on the arm at Canterbury and broke the bit that goes into the wrist. But I've had an operation and it's OK now. I've spent the last month or so in the nets and it's getting better and better and I'm fine for the start.
``Obviously last season was difficult but there were some pretty positive aspects, not least the introduction of a lot of young players who probably weren't expecting to get such a chance. It was forced upon us mainly through injury but actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we saw the advancement of several batsman - Laney, Keech and Kendall especially.
``On the bowling front there were one or two successful youngsters such as Mascarenhas and Jimmy Bovill, who is definitely looking good for this year. We're now expecting those young players to come on and give us that essential balance between youth and experience.''
And the prospects? ``We're a good enough side to be looking at finishing in the top half of the championship. As for the one-day competitions, we've got a young fielding side and whereas the batting let us down when chasing scores, this time we can make real progress.
``Last year there were only three or four on the staff who didn't play in the first team. So the flip side of that season was that we gave a lot of people exposure and this means we can now call on anyone to slot in.''
That's Stephenson, speaking positively. Ever onwards and upwards.