They have only completed THREE matches all season and, if tomorrow’s threatened thunderstorms and heavy rain materialize and Hursley Park is called off, they will chalk up a staggering EIGHTH unplayed Division 1 game.
It feels a long time ago (it was June 12) that Fareham last played and were heavily beaten by Sway. Since then, their visit to Parley was abandoned by rain and the last two games against Longparish and Compton & Chandler’s Ford were called off due to covid self-isolation in the opposition camps.
Fareham won two of the three games they have played, so boasted a healthy 16.67 points per match average since mid-June and lie fifth in the log.
They have trained religiously twice a week since early April, but seldom seem to put their whites on.
Realistically, it’s a three-way shoot-out between top two Parley and Sway and third placed Havant II for the two promotion places – the first of the three matches between the clubs set for the Park and Havant’s duel with Sway tomorrow, 12.30.
Parley recorded their seventh win on the trot when a double century stand between Shane Green (108) and Alex Nippard (72) pointed them towards 244-5 against a seriously weakened St Cross Symondians, who rolled over for 122.
Sway six hitter Dan Bailey smashed Portsmouth II to pieces (see separate story) while Faizan Tahsin (93) top scored in Havant’s 255-6 against Andover, who were dismissed for 183 (Max Souter 77).
If only he could play more regularly, Ollie Shrubsole (pictured above) might be knocking quietly on Chris Park’s door asking for a Bournemouth first team game.
Ollie’s made 62 and 77 in Bournemouth IIs last two HL matches, but has to combine cricket with selling exclusive homes at Sandbanks on the shores of Poole Harbour, which he does once every three weeks.
Shrubsole, still tip-toeing back from serious knee surgery, and Tom West (69) top scored in lions’ 217 against Alton, who sank to 77-6 before Mike Salmon (39) and Dan Scott (32) added an air of respectability to their 148 all out.
Winton, who copped a 21-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player in a recent match, lost by four wickets to Hursley Park after being bowled out for 130 (Tom James 4-38).
Nick Willcock (89) raised his season’s run tally to 464 with top score in Old Basing’s 237-8, which proved too many for relegation threatened Easton & Martyr Worthy, who went under for 126.
It’s looking very dodgy for Easton and Lymington (beaten by seven wickets by a Will de Cani inspired Longparish) at the bottom, though Andover II have yet to win a game …