 Kieran Earl |  James Turner [Terry Nash]] |
Fawley spent the bulk of last summer glancing anxiously over their shoulders in a tense Southern Premier League relegation scrap which eventually saw Gosport Borough and Havant seconds plummet through the trap door into County Division 1.
In complete contrast, this season sees Fawley in second place and vying for promotion – a situation they enhanced with a six-wicket win over long time leaders and title favourites Bashley (Rydal) II.
With six games left, they are effectively 24 points adrift of Bashley, but significantly 20 ahead of Purbrook, whose visit to Waterside on August 10 could be season defining.
Winning a vital toss in a delayed 46-over affair at the BCG and reducing Bashley to 76-6 (Bailey Parratt 2-26) proved crucial, with Nikhil Kadyan (3-27) prompting a middle-order clatter before opener James Turner (51) and Sam Stroud (50 not out) rectified affairs.
Bashley got up to 171-8, but an unbeaten 66 by Kieran Earl, top left, aided by ex-Old Woking all-rounder Kadyan (31), carried Fawley to what could be a very important win indeed.
A 137-run opening partnership between John Moller (67) and Martin Lee (65) set up third placed Purbrook’s 47-run win over weakened Fareham & Crofton at The Heath.
Faerham’s sole means of halting the onslaught was to toss the ball to club chairman Charlie Stubbs, who seized the moment with a SPL PB 5-48, his best figures since 2008 when he mowed down Fair Oak fourths in Regional 3 South.
Lee, pressing strongly for SPL3 Player of the Month contention, then returned 4-24. Chris Davey (38), Sam Stoddart (33), Dan Weeble (32) and later Morgan Frost (38 not out) did their best for Fareham, who closed 172 all out, 47 runs behind Purbrook’s 219-7.
Syed Mahmood, with an SPL maiden 116, and Oli Kelly (57) put together a hefty 226-4 to set up a 27-run win for Trojans over Hambledon, who threatened at 111-1 (Alex Willoughby 48) but fell away to a losing 199-8.
Tom Gates (74), Tom Richards (54) and Zach Millar (38) led the way as Hythe & Dibden eased any jitters with an emphatic 135-run victory over Portsmouth & Southsea, who are in serious strife at the bottom.
They even wheeled out Muhammad Ali to give themselves a bit more punch at St James’s Park, but they were 69-8 against Mike Bowman (5-46) before he stepped into the ring to catch the eye of the judges with a brave 39.
Lymington IIs will be all but mathematically relegated if they lose at Fareham on Saturday.
Despite Adie Hunt’s 4-25, Tichborne Park posted 171-9 against them last week.
But then followed dressing room calamity as Queenslander Lachan Jess took 6-12 and reduced Lymington to 17-7 in the process. Asa Drodge (33) and Ed Freeman (31) rallied to 98 all out.
In complete contrast, this season sees Fawley in second place and vying for promotion – a situation they enhanced with a six-wicket win over long time leaders and title favourites Bashley (Rydal) II.
With six games left, they are effectively 24 points adrift of Bashley, but significantly 20 ahead of Purbrook, whose visit to Waterside on August 10 could be season defining.
Winning a vital toss in a delayed 46-over affair at the BCG and reducing Bashley to 76-6 (Bailey Parratt 2-26) proved crucial, with Nikhil Kadyan (3-27) prompting a middle-order clatter before opener James Turner (51) and Sam Stroud (50 not out) rectified affairs.
Bashley got up to 171-8, but an unbeaten 66 by Kieran Earl, top left, aided by ex-Old Woking all-rounder Kadyan (31), carried Fawley to what could be a very important win indeed.
A 137-run opening partnership between John Moller (67) and Martin Lee (65) set up third placed Purbrook’s 47-run win over weakened Fareham & Crofton at The Heath.
Faerham’s sole means of halting the onslaught was to toss the ball to club chairman Charlie Stubbs, who seized the moment with a SPL PB 5-48, his best figures since 2008 when he mowed down Fair Oak fourths in Regional 3 South.
Lee, pressing strongly for SPL3 Player of the Month contention, then returned 4-24. Chris Davey (38), Sam Stoddart (33), Dan Weeble (32) and later Morgan Frost (38 not out) did their best for Fareham, who closed 172 all out, 47 runs behind Purbrook’s 219-7.
Syed Mahmood, with an SPL maiden 116, and Oli Kelly (57) put together a hefty 226-4 to set up a 27-run win for Trojans over Hambledon, who threatened at 111-1 (Alex Willoughby 48) but fell away to a losing 199-8.
Tom Gates (74), Tom Richards (54) and Zach Millar (38) led the way as Hythe & Dibden eased any jitters with an emphatic 135-run victory over Portsmouth & Southsea, who are in serious strife at the bottom.
They even wheeled out Muhammad Ali to give themselves a bit more punch at St James’s Park, but they were 69-8 against Mike Bowman (5-46) before he stepped into the ring to catch the eye of the judges with a brave 39.
Lymington IIs will be all but mathematically relegated if they lose at Fareham on Saturday.
Despite Adie Hunt’s 4-25, Tichborne Park posted 171-9 against them last week.
But then followed dressing room calamity as Queenslander Lachan Jess took 6-12 and reduced Lymington to 17-7 in the process. Asa Drodge (33) and Ed Freeman (31) rallied to 98 all out.
Hunting wickets. Adie Hunt was deemed a 'pub bowler' (unfairly according to a few) last season, but he's pictured here sniffing a fifth Tichborne Park scalp. Ed Freeman is spotted prowling at mid-off. Lymington Times.
