Warne and Co banking on it coming up Roses

There's a strong case for nominating Shane Warne as Hampshire's most important signing of the last few years, though maybe the equally colourful Kevin Pietersen will become an even bigger favourite with the south coast county.

But while Hampshire prepare, amid mounting anticipation, for what could be the most exciting season in their 140-year history it is well worth remembering a bit of business done a few winters ago.

Warne's return to the Rose Bowl, at least until Ashes duty calls in July, Pietersen's arrival as the hottest new property in world cricket, a First Division championship programme following last September's promotion and, above all perhaps, the hosting of England's maiden Twenty20 international, against Australia, makes the summer term of 2005 look full of promise.

Easy to forget, then, that less than five years ago Hampshire County Cricket Club were in danger of going out of business. In fact, that is more or less what did happen. Strictly speaking, HCCC no longer exist. But their replacement, born in the spring of 2001 and christened Hampshire Cricket Ltd, are alive, kicking and, if one man has his way, will be standing on their own two feet any month now.

Rod Bransgrove was, at various times, a member of Surrey, Kent and Sussex. But the 54-year-old has made his greatest contribution as Hampshire's chairman, underwriting an alarmingly large debt, then guiding them to today's position where profits are forecast - or demanded - and the expectation is for a stream of oneday internationals at the Rose Bowl, leading eventually to Test cricket.

Bransgrove, who made his millions in the pharmaceutical industry, moved to Hampshire in the mid-1980s and soon became a fan. It was when the switch from their homely, but higgledypiggledy, Northlands Road ground in Southampton to former farmland a few miles down the M27 at West End ran into serious financial problems that he, and his money, really supported Hampshire.

"I think effectively it was out of business," said Bransgrove. "At the time of the insolvency they had spent, or committed, probably £ 17million. The problem was they only had £14m or £15m.

"It was in a very parlous state. What I proposed to members was that if they were prepared to make it a properly constituted plc I would underwrite the difference. I thought that difference was between about £1.25m and £1.4m. It turned out to be more than double that. We came up with a plan to try to recapitalise, at least to the point where we could finish the ground to be able to play cricket on it and save the club."