Hampshire's Second Ground Plans Gather Pace

This could all change in the coming years.

The Hawk understands that River Park is Hampshire's favoured venue as the county look to establish a second home away from the Utilita Bowl.Hampshire's Nursery Ground has been home to the club's academy and second XI for two decades.

But if plans for a new performance centre come to fruition, then it's unclear what the future holds in store for it.

The sheer volume of cricket played on the main square over the course of the season has made Hampshire's search for an alternative playing location ever more urgent.

The increasing number of matches played by both the county's men's and women's sides, combined with the demands of being both an international venue and a Hundred host, has placed unprecedented demands on the ground and the staff whose job it is to prepare pitches from April to September.

The Hawk understands that Hampshire are in talks with Winchester City Council and a range of other stakeholders on securing the River Park facility.

Although the clock is ticking on bringing the pitch and square up to scratch over the course of the next 12 months.

A source familiar with the discussions has said that Hampshire would probably have to commit to any plan by the close of the year in order for the work to begin next summer - and for those clubs who use the ground to find an alternative venue for their matches.

"I think there would be broad support for these plans but there also needs to be a sense of realism," says the source.

A new pavilion opened at River Park earlier this year, providing another boost to a ground that was home to Winchester Cricket Club during their time in the Southern League but looked in danger of falling into disrepair not too long ago.

Some issues would still clearly need addressing.

Not least, the fact that the ground is a very public place, which brings with it security concerns and raises questions over how facilities would be protected against vandalism - a problem familiar to a range of SPCL sides.

But there does look to be momentum behind these plans, with Winchester City Council reported to be keen on playing host to Hampshire.

If the stars align, there's a real chance that Winchester could be Hampshire's home-from-home in the not too distant future.