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
Shane Warne Richard Hadlee. He has taken 37 Test fifers and single ODI fifer, along with 10 Test ten-wicket hauls. Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (born 13 September 1969) is an Australian former international cricketer, and a former ODI captain of the Australian national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game, Warne was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1994 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. He was the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 1997 (Notional Winner). He was named Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2004