Fair Oak's Gregor McKenzie hit out [Roy Honeybone]
Bottom of the pile Fawley were eying their first Southern Premier League victory of the season when they reduced Division 3 table toppers Fair Oak to 107-8 at Holbury.
But in an astonishing final hour of the afternoon session, Oak’s ninth wicket pair Gregor McKenzie and Richard Featherstone turned the match on its head with an astonishing partnership.
Fawley’s bowling was literally taken to the cleaners as the pair put on an amazing 142 to take Fair Oak to an out-of-sight 249-9.
Left-arm all-rounder McKenzie launched an amazing assault, hitting seven sixes and four fours, striking 98 off only 51 balls.
He was eventually stumped by Kieran Earl off stand-in skipper Wayne Smith (3-73)
Still celebrating a century of wicket-keeping dismissals from the previous week, Featherstone was content to play the support role, scoring a tidy 53 while mayhem reigned at the other end.
“Gregor just made it look like a different track. It was a sensational innings, brilliantly supported by Rich Featherstone.
“There's no bowling to G-Mac when he plays like that,” reflected Fair Oak captain Ed Kemp.
The 142-run stand was the second highest Southern Premier League ninth-wicket partnership, seven runs short of emulating the record (149) set by Trojans pair Nigel le Bas and Paul Douglas against Purbrook in 2005.
It completely demoralised Fawley, who slid to 134 all out (Bradley Parratt 31), left-arm spinner Charlie Gwynn taking 5-19.
Bashley (Rydal) seconds rebooted their SPL3 challenge with an emphatic eight-wicket win over their Lymington counterparts, who suffered a fourth successive defeat.
Skipper Ollie Kelly (55) and Joel Sutherland (38) top scored for Lymington, who dropped from 121-3 to 178 all out, Simon Ridley taking 4-32.
Phil Morris (47) and Chris Vaughan (42) eased Bashley to victory after Sam Kennett (32) had made a sound start on debut since his switch from Sparsholt.
Joe Cranch has top scored for both South Wilts’ first and second teams in the past two weeks, having made 78 in the Premier Division defeat at Alton.
Back on familiar second team soil at Bemerton, he notched an unbeaten 84 as South Wilts II posted 198-9 (Tom Berzins 37) before bowling Gosport Borough out for 136, James Wade 3-19.
But in an astonishing final hour of the afternoon session, Oak’s ninth wicket pair Gregor McKenzie and Richard Featherstone turned the match on its head with an astonishing partnership.
Fawley’s bowling was literally taken to the cleaners as the pair put on an amazing 142 to take Fair Oak to an out-of-sight 249-9.
Left-arm all-rounder McKenzie launched an amazing assault, hitting seven sixes and four fours, striking 98 off only 51 balls.
He was eventually stumped by Kieran Earl off stand-in skipper Wayne Smith (3-73)
Still celebrating a century of wicket-keeping dismissals from the previous week, Featherstone was content to play the support role, scoring a tidy 53 while mayhem reigned at the other end.
“Gregor just made it look like a different track. It was a sensational innings, brilliantly supported by Rich Featherstone.
“There's no bowling to G-Mac when he plays like that,” reflected Fair Oak captain Ed Kemp.
The 142-run stand was the second highest Southern Premier League ninth-wicket partnership, seven runs short of emulating the record (149) set by Trojans pair Nigel le Bas and Paul Douglas against Purbrook in 2005.
It completely demoralised Fawley, who slid to 134 all out (Bradley Parratt 31), left-arm spinner Charlie Gwynn taking 5-19.
Bashley (Rydal) seconds rebooted their SPL3 challenge with an emphatic eight-wicket win over their Lymington counterparts, who suffered a fourth successive defeat.
Skipper Ollie Kelly (55) and Joel Sutherland (38) top scored for Lymington, who dropped from 121-3 to 178 all out, Simon Ridley taking 4-32.
Phil Morris (47) and Chris Vaughan (42) eased Bashley to victory after Sam Kennett (32) had made a sound start on debut since his switch from Sparsholt.
Joe Cranch has top scored for both South Wilts’ first and second teams in the past two weeks, having made 78 in the Premier Division defeat at Alton.
Back on familiar second team soil at Bemerton, he notched an unbeaten 84 as South Wilts II posted 198-9 (Tom Berzins 37) before bowling Gosport Borough out for 136, James Wade 3-19.
