Gregory McKenzie and Joe McNeeney hit half-centuries before Ben Smith celebrated his second five-wicket haul of the season – the trio the lead players as Fair Oak ended Andover’s short stay at the Southern Premier Division 2 summit with a 17-run win at London Road.
Openers McKenzie (58) and Harry Reed (38) got the Fair Oak innings off to a positive start, captain McKenzie biffing 56 of the first 59 runs on the board before being castled by former Zimbabwe Test off-spinner John Nyumbu (2-37).
Reed then went through the gears, making 38 in all, while Joe McNeeney hit 60 not out and shared in three fruitful partnerships with Reed, Monty McKenzie (22) and Asad Abbas (20). McKenzie and Abbas were both caught off Babu Veetil, who finished with 2-52. Oaks totalled 245-6.
Andover batted consistently in spite of two wickets for 23 by first change bowler Gregor McKenzie; Hampshire U15 prospect Sam Ashman hit 28, Martin Roberts 25 and Charlie Ayers 43.
Veetil and Matt Knight took the hosts within sight of victory at 185-5, but young paceman Ben Smith then made the key contribution. Veetil was caught by Rhys Oxley off Smith for 39, Knight fell in identical fashion for 29, and suddenly Fair Oak were firmly in control. Smith finished with 5-56 as the Andover last wicket pair held out at 228-9 at the close.
Sufian Munir struck a boundary strewn 88 of the first 100 runs Fawley scored as they set off in response to St Cross Symondians’ 178-9 at Holbury.
When he was bowled by Cameron Baans (2-33), Fawley suffered a massive collapse, losing seven wickets for 35 runs, three of them to George O’Connor (3-43) and two to Dave Orchard.
But ninth-wicket pair Brendan Streather (28) and Callum Earl (22) raised the Fawley score from 135-8 to 180-8, enough to secure a two-wicket win and leave St Cross bottom of SPL2 after five successive defeats.
Earlier, St Cross lurched to 78-5 (Mike Haworth 28) before late middle-order trio Rory Acheson-Gray (33), Charlie Harden (27) and Dylan Clarke (26) revived their fortunes. Munir took 3-30.
Openers McKenzie (58) and Harry Reed (38) got the Fair Oak innings off to a positive start, captain McKenzie biffing 56 of the first 59 runs on the board before being castled by former Zimbabwe Test off-spinner John Nyumbu (2-37).
Reed then went through the gears, making 38 in all, while Joe McNeeney hit 60 not out and shared in three fruitful partnerships with Reed, Monty McKenzie (22) and Asad Abbas (20). McKenzie and Abbas were both caught off Babu Veetil, who finished with 2-52. Oaks totalled 245-6.
Andover batted consistently in spite of two wickets for 23 by first change bowler Gregor McKenzie; Hampshire U15 prospect Sam Ashman hit 28, Martin Roberts 25 and Charlie Ayers 43.
Veetil and Matt Knight took the hosts within sight of victory at 185-5, but young paceman Ben Smith then made the key contribution. Veetil was caught by Rhys Oxley off Smith for 39, Knight fell in identical fashion for 29, and suddenly Fair Oak were firmly in control. Smith finished with 5-56 as the Andover last wicket pair held out at 228-9 at the close.
Sufian Munir struck a boundary strewn 88 of the first 100 runs Fawley scored as they set off in response to St Cross Symondians’ 178-9 at Holbury.
When he was bowled by Cameron Baans (2-33), Fawley suffered a massive collapse, losing seven wickets for 35 runs, three of them to George O’Connor (3-43) and two to Dave Orchard.
But ninth-wicket pair Brendan Streather (28) and Callum Earl (22) raised the Fawley score from 135-8 to 180-8, enough to secure a two-wicket win and leave St Cross bottom of SPL2 after five successive defeats.
Earlier, St Cross lurched to 78-5 (Mike Haworth 28) before late middle-order trio Rory Acheson-Gray (33), Charlie Harden (27) and Dylan Clarke (26) revived their fortunes. Munir took 3-30.
