Hampshire County Cricket Club begun on Hampshire's long-awaited new ground. The realisation of this move almost led the club to financial ruin, as encouragement from financial partners Sport England and the hiring of architect Sir Michael Hopkins had led the then part-time voluntary committee running the club to lose control of the budget. In 2000 Australian great Shane Warne was signed as the club's overseas player. The 2000 County Championship was to be the last season that Hampshire would play at the County Ground Southampton before they moved in 2001 to the new Rose Bowl ground just outside Southampton. 2001 also saw current club
Tom Warne Tom Warne Tom Warne (13 January 1870 – 7 July 1944) was an Australian cricketer. He played 46 first-class cricket matches for Victoria between 1895 and 1912. He toured New Zealand with the Australian team in 1909–10 but did not play Test cricket. Warne's top score for Victoria was 153 against Tasmania in 1911–12, in the second innings of his last first-class match, when he captained Victoria. In 1901–02 he carried his bat for 61 not out when A. C. MacLaren's XI dismissed Victoria for 129. His best bowling figures were 6 for 50 against New South Wales in 1906–07.