Gregor McKenzie struck an amazing six-strewn 141 off 81 balls as Fair Oak clinched the Southern Premier League Division 3 championship with a 117-run win over relegation troubled Gosport Borough.
The tall former King Edward VI left-hander, who heads to Oxford Brookes next month to study applied physics, blazed sixes all around the spacious Lapstone Park.
He hit 11 in all (plus six fours) mainly between long-on and square-leg, with two outlandish ‘ramp’ shots over fine leg.
Chasing a victory to secure the title, Fair Oak weren’t in the best shape when McKenzie arrived at the crease.
A healthy 65-0 (Tom South 45) became 99-5 after young spinner Jack Richards (4-26) and Charlie Pennicott had created inroads.
And at 133-6, the situation wasn’t a great deal better.
Enter McKenzie. Cue mayhem !
The young Creal brothers, Charlie and Ollie, Lee Harrop and Gavin King, in particular, came under fire as McKenzie, dropped twice before he had reached 50, smashed the bowling everywhere.
McKenzie brought up his 100 off 59 balls and, much to Gosport’s relief, was eventually caught for 141, having dominated a century partnership with Charlie Gwynn (39).
His stunning knock propelled Fair Oak to 323-9 – a total Gosport had little hope of matching.
They simply batted for precious batting bonus points and closed at 206-5, with King hitting an unbeaten 59, .
Charlie Gwynn’s 4-41 return took his season’s tally to 35, comfortably the highest in Division 3.
Purbrook are favourites to finish runners-up after defending 152-9 (Brad Mengham 37) and beating Bashley (Rydal) by nine runs.
Aaron Dean (4-31) and Josh McCoy (3-24) combined to bowl Bashley out for 143 (Steve Morris 30).
Lymington seconds put their immediate Southern Premier League futures on the line in this Saturday's Division 3 relegation shoot-out against Gosport Borough at Privett Park.
The pair occupy the bottom two places in SPL3 and whoever loses is almost certain to drop down to the Hampshire League next season.
Lymington boosted their survival prospects with a 53-run win over South Wilts II, whose promotion prospects are fading. Tommy Barton's 90 enabled Lymington to post 228-9 (Tom Pearce 4-42).
Lacking substance in their top order, South Wilts dipped to 85-8 before lower order trio Jayden Atkinson (47), Sam Pittman (36) and Matt Burton (23) gave their eventual 173 an air of respectability.
The tall former King Edward VI left-hander, who heads to Oxford Brookes next month to study applied physics, blazed sixes all around the spacious Lapstone Park.
He hit 11 in all (plus six fours) mainly between long-on and square-leg, with two outlandish ‘ramp’ shots over fine leg.
Chasing a victory to secure the title, Fair Oak weren’t in the best shape when McKenzie arrived at the crease.
A healthy 65-0 (Tom South 45) became 99-5 after young spinner Jack Richards (4-26) and Charlie Pennicott had created inroads.
And at 133-6, the situation wasn’t a great deal better.
Enter McKenzie. Cue mayhem !
The young Creal brothers, Charlie and Ollie, Lee Harrop and Gavin King, in particular, came under fire as McKenzie, dropped twice before he had reached 50, smashed the bowling everywhere.
McKenzie brought up his 100 off 59 balls and, much to Gosport’s relief, was eventually caught for 141, having dominated a century partnership with Charlie Gwynn (39).
His stunning knock propelled Fair Oak to 323-9 – a total Gosport had little hope of matching.
They simply batted for precious batting bonus points and closed at 206-5, with King hitting an unbeaten 59, .
Charlie Gwynn’s 4-41 return took his season’s tally to 35, comfortably the highest in Division 3.
Purbrook are favourites to finish runners-up after defending 152-9 (Brad Mengham 37) and beating Bashley (Rydal) by nine runs.
Aaron Dean (4-31) and Josh McCoy (3-24) combined to bowl Bashley out for 143 (Steve Morris 30).
Lymington seconds put their immediate Southern Premier League futures on the line in this Saturday's Division 3 relegation shoot-out against Gosport Borough at Privett Park.
The pair occupy the bottom two places in SPL3 and whoever loses is almost certain to drop down to the Hampshire League next season.
Lymington boosted their survival prospects with a 53-run win over South Wilts II, whose promotion prospects are fading. Tommy Barton's 90 enabled Lymington to post 228-9 (Tom Pearce 4-42).
Lacking substance in their top order, South Wilts dipped to 85-8 before lower order trio Jayden Atkinson (47), Sam Pittman (36) and Matt Burton (23) gave their eventual 173 an air of respectability.