Tom Gates [Terry Nash]
With four weeks of the season remaining, it’s developing into a three-horse race for the Hampshire League, County Division 1 title – with Hythe & Dibden looking favourites as they turn into the home straight.
The Waterside club enjoys a 20-point lead over fast rising Parley and 21 over Fareham & Crofton, whom they beat by five wickets a fortnight ago.
All three won their round 13 matches, with individual centuries dominating each of the victories.
Tom Gates led the way with an unbeaten 187 as Hythe ran up a massive 332-3 against relegation threatened Rowledge II at Jones Lane.
The former Fawley and Bashley (Rydal) opener struck 20 fours and nine sixes in a career-best knock and shared a 156-run stand with Matt Howe (53).
Wayne Royan (4-47) and Andy Wakely (3-34) combined to dismiss Rowledge for 191.
The Waterside club enjoys a 20-point lead over fast rising Parley and 21 over Fareham & Crofton, whom they beat by five wickets a fortnight ago.
All three won their round 13 matches, with individual centuries dominating each of the victories.
Tom Gates led the way with an unbeaten 187 as Hythe ran up a massive 332-3 against relegation threatened Rowledge II at Jones Lane.
The former Fawley and Bashley (Rydal) opener struck 20 fours and nine sixes in a career-best knock and shared a 156-run stand with Matt Howe (53).
Wayne Royan (4-47) and Andy Wakely (3-34) combined to dismiss Rowledge for 191.
When Parley lost four of their opening five matches, a battle to avoid relegation looked more probable than a title push.
But putting that poor start firmly behind them, Parley have swept to eight successive victories – the latest win at the Green Jackets Ground, where a third wicket stand of 195 between Alex Nippard, pictured left, (133) and Roshan Embalagama (77) pointed them to 316 all out against St Cross Symondians III.
Ollie Green’s 5-32 return sent St Cross tumbling to 125 all out.
But putting that poor start firmly behind them, Parley have swept to eight successive victories – the latest win at the Green Jackets Ground, where a third wicket stand of 195 between Alex Nippard, pictured left, (133) and Roshan Embalagama (77) pointed them to 316 all out against St Cross Symondians III.
Ollie Green’s 5-32 return sent St Cross tumbling to 125 all out.
Queenslander James Heiniger (pictured above by Chris de Cani) was the hero of Fareham & Crofton’s hefty run chase at Longparish, where the hosts’ 262 all out was trimmed to a manageable 244 by rain.
Fareham’s bowling went around the park as Michael Taplin (64), Dan Bearpark 49) and Ben Gardner (68) put 202-2 on the electronic scoreboard before the innings collapsed.
Longparish had no answer to Fareham’s Australian Heiniger, who oozed class as he hit 18 fours in his match winning 130 not out.
Ropley (119) appear in freefall after a ten-wicket thrashing by Burridge, for whom Chris Blake made 89 not out.
Despite only managing a modest 162 (Paul Marks 46), Hursley Park looked likely winners against Andover II – until Ali Hooper emerged from The Quarters pavilion to turn the game on its head with a key 60. Andover won by one wicket to boost their prospects of survival.
OTs & Romsey II are just off the pace after a 112-run win over Shrewton, who sit uneasily on the lip of the three-down drop zone.
Australian Matt Giumelli hit an unbeaten 117 as Easton & Martyr Worthy racked up 342-3 at Ryde, who came back with 186, Stuart Robertson making 71. Adam Kite, with 53 and 3-21, was Easton’s key man.
Ben Allnutt (60) top scored as Hook & Newnham Basics II totalled 205-9 to out-score Alton II (149), the promising Kevin Light taking three Brewers' wickets.
Winless United Services are down after a 60-run defeat by Bishops Waltham, who won their fourth successive game.
Fareham’s bowling went around the park as Michael Taplin (64), Dan Bearpark 49) and Ben Gardner (68) put 202-2 on the electronic scoreboard before the innings collapsed.
Longparish had no answer to Fareham’s Australian Heiniger, who oozed class as he hit 18 fours in his match winning 130 not out.
Ropley (119) appear in freefall after a ten-wicket thrashing by Burridge, for whom Chris Blake made 89 not out.
Despite only managing a modest 162 (Paul Marks 46), Hursley Park looked likely winners against Andover II – until Ali Hooper emerged from The Quarters pavilion to turn the game on its head with a key 60. Andover won by one wicket to boost their prospects of survival.
OTs & Romsey II are just off the pace after a 112-run win over Shrewton, who sit uneasily on the lip of the three-down drop zone.
Australian Matt Giumelli hit an unbeaten 117 as Easton & Martyr Worthy racked up 342-3 at Ryde, who came back with 186, Stuart Robertson making 71. Adam Kite, with 53 and 3-21, was Easton’s key man.
Ben Allnutt (60) top scored as Hook & Newnham Basics II totalled 205-9 to out-score Alton II (149), the promising Kevin Light taking three Brewers' wickets.
Winless United Services are down after a 60-run defeat by Bishops Waltham, who won their fourth successive game.
