FOR the first time in 48 years, Hampshire's limited-overs season is over at the beginning of August.

Not since the likes of Barry Richards and Derek Shackleton lost at the quarter-final stage of the 1968 Gillette Cup, in the sixth season of county cricket's inaugural limited-overs competition, have Hampshire only had first-class cricket left to play this early in the season.

Since the first one-day league began in 1969, Hampshire have had limited-overs games throughout the season.

Until now.

Their group exits in the Natwest T20 Blast and the Royal London One-Day Cup have made this their worst season of white-ball cricket since 2002.

England's one-day international against Pakistan on August 24 and the Southern Vipers' remaining group games in the Kia Super League (August 8 and 14) are the only white-ball games guaranteed to be played on the Ageas Bowl's main ground between now and the end of the season.

The big consolation has been the rise of Lewis McManus, Brad Wheal, Tom Alsop and Joe Weatherley to name just four.

And there are still 12 days of Specsavers County Championship cricket left at The Ageas Bowl this season - starting against Lancashire tomorrow.

Hampshire are without Sean Ervine - after the all-rounder became the county's latest injury victim.

Ervine 'did a Fidel Edwards' when he pulled a calf during a game of football before last Friday's T20 match against Somerset.

Thankfully his injury is not as severe as that which ruled the West Indies star out for the season back in May. But he will be a big miss as Hampshire bid to bounce back from their torrid defeat against Surrey.

The good news is that Liam Dawson is available after missing the innings-and-13-run humiliation against the Brown Caps while on England Lions duty.

Dawson's return means Ryan McLaren will drop back down the order. Tino Best, fresh from an appearance for Lashings last weekend, and Joe Weatherley have also been added to the team that lost to Surrey.

That defeat means Hampshire will start the next round of games 13 points adrift of Nottinghamshire at the foot of division one and a further ten behind Surrey, who occupy the nearest safety spot.

The consolation for Hampshire is that they have a game in hand on their nearest rivals and were in a worse position this time last year.

Surrey have a tough encounter against Middlesex at Lord's, while Notts have a week off ahead of Hampshire's visit to Trent Bridge a week on Saturday.

Hampshire (from): Adams, Smith, Alsop, Dawson, Wheater, McLaren, McManus, Berg, Andrew, Crane, Wheal, Best, Weatherley.