The England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb was full of enthusiasm for The Rose Bowl after visiting during the Warwickshire match last week as a guest of Chairman Rod Bransgrove.

His first visit since the opening of the Pavilion, he was very impressed with "this fantastic set up" and was certain that The Rose Bowl had a great future ahead of it.

Speaking about the One-Day International status afforded to the ground, he stated that it would probably be a neutral match between West Indies and New Zealand in the Nat West Series 2004, to begin with.

"There are some formalities to be adhered in staging One-Day International" said Mr.Lamb, "One would be an inspection by the ICC, but I cannot envisage any problems there".

He did point out however, that with three extra One-Day Internationals against Pakistan, to be staged on top of the Nat West Series in 2003, there was a possibility of Hampshire being allocated one of those matches.

"Who knows, Hampshire may be lucky, Chairman Rod Bransgrove is knocking hard on our door, laying a claim" said a smiling Tim Lamb.

© Hampshire Cricket