A HAMPSHIRE batsman and "outstanding fielder" from Lymington has died aged 92.

Alan Rayment who played for the county from 1949-1958 was the last surviving Hampshire player from the 1940s and their last capped professional whose career was entirely in first-class cricket.

Alan, known to team-mates and friends as ‘Punchy’, was born in Finchley and played cricket in the London area and with Middlesex 2nd XI.

He later joined Hampshire after impressing against them in a match at Bournemouth.

Alan's career record in 198 first-class matches for Hampshire consisted of 6,333 runs at 20.36, with four centuries and 23 half-centuries. He played when pitches were not covered, when counties used many outgrounds, and when England’s bowlers would return from a Test Match to the next county game.

In a late season match at Bournemouth in 1950, aged just 22, Alan scored 58 and 94 as Gloucestershire’s England bowlers Goddard and Cook spun Hampshire to an innings defeat.

His batting brought the highest praise from John Arlott who described them as "the two best innings" he saw by "a young cricketer" that year, adding "he never played a reckless stroke at a good ball and "never failed to punish a bad ball."

To add to his abundance of success, Alan completed 1,000 runs in one season on two occasions, in 1952 and 1956, and he was also a member of the Hampshire side that finished third in 1955 and runners-up in 1958 – both best performances by at that time.

Among Alan's centuries was a remarkable innings at Weston-Super-Mare in 1955 when his 104 came out of a Hampshire score of 245-7 which was declared after Somerset had been bowled out for just 37.

The pitch was treacherous, so Alan typically decided to attack and trust to luck, and Hampshire won easily.

Alan was helped as a batsman and cover fielder with quick feet, no doubt attributable in part to his dancing skills.

Along with being skilled in cricket, Alan ran a dancing school with his wife Betty and they often performed at exhibition events.

After retiring, he played some games in the 2nd XI, coached at Lord’s and led a rich and varied life.

Alan retained his love of the game, watching Hampshire when he could, and attending their Player Reunions every year where he was always delightful company.