HOWZAT! It's a job that would bowl over both fans of the cricket field and golf course.

Hampshire County Cricket Club is on the verge of a sporting first by delivering a job with a difference at the Rose Bowl.

Crisp snow might have been covering Hampshire County Cricket's green green grass of home.

But cricket chiefs are warming up for the new season by launching a search for the nation's first double handed groundsman.

He or she would work on both the first class and nursery grounds and the County Golf Club's nine-hole and 18-hole courses at the 150-acre leisure complex.

In between rolling the cricket pitch there would be a chance to see the king of spin Shane Warne in action.

To have a groundsman looking after both the cricket and golf greens really would be a sporting double.

Nigel Gray, the Rose Bowl's grounds manager, said: "We understand that there is no other venue in the United Kingdom that offers the opportunity to be spiking a green in the morning and mowing a pitch in the afternoon, all on the same site !

"This is a job that would be ideal for anyone with a real interest in sport who also likes the outdoor life."

It's also an ideal job for a cricketing stargazer. For there will be no shortage of cricket celebs with the Rose Bowl's fixture list including one-day internationals, the fast and furious Twenty20 matches and the day/night games.

A greenkeeping qualification from a college would be an advantage but Nigel said that training would be given.

You also need to be prepared to be up at the crack of dawn to make sure the greens are in top form before the golfers tee-off.

Nigel says the main requirements for the job are fitness, enthusiasm, the ability to work as part of a team, and relevant experience.

QUESTIONS THAT COULD BE POSED TO A POTENTIAL GROUNDSMAN:

1. Would a lost ball at the Rose Bowl cause the scorer to tear up his book? Answer: No, they would replace it with a new ball.

2. What is an albatross?

Answer: A golfing term for three shots under par.

3. How many miles would a batsman have to run between the wickets if he scored a century in singles?

Answer: One and a quarter miles.

4. If you ran round the Rose Bowl boundary, what distance would you cover?

Answer: About 550 metres.

5. Where do they get the sand for the bunkers?

Answer: Generally specialist sand from a quarry.

6. How many clubs is a golfer allowed to carry in his bag.

Answer: The maximum is 14.The successful candidate would become the tenth member of the ground maintenance team.

Currently there are no women in the team but applications would be welcomed.

Anyone interested in the job should write to Nigel Gray at the Rose Bowl, Botley Road, West End, Hants SO30 3XH or phone 023 8047 2002.