The battle for the potential runners-up spot in Southern Premier Division 2 between Langley Manor and Portsmouth & Southsea is down to a mere three points.
With the home straight in sight, the Manor nipped ahead with a 74-run win over Hartley Wintney, which coincided with Fair Oak beating P & S by 76 runs.
Langley wobbled at 58-4 before being revived by Nick Doubell (69) and Steve Harris (44) who provided the basis of their 193-9. Hugo Hammond (54) responded by Sussex prospect Jack Campbell (3-14) led an impressive Manor spin attack. Hartley were 119 all out.
Tom Clark continued his run of good form with 94 against Portsmouth & Southsea, while left-arm spinner Lewis Goodyear (4-6) went on to play an equal part with the ball.
Oaks’ Under-18 prodigy Clark LEFT followed up scores of 60 and 49 in the last two games from a precarious position. Oaks were in trouble at 9-3 when he joined Monty McKenzie 41) . The top three had all fallen to Jonathan Willey, who finished with 5-33.
Their 75-run stand eased Oaks to 213. The P&S reply never really got off the ground. Eight of their wickets fell to spin, McKenzie and Rhys Oxley backing up Goodyear, Lower-order batters Max Goddard hit 28 and Ben Saunders 23 not out, but the Portsmouth side could only muster 137 all out.
New Milton could still feature, but they'll need to beat both Hambledon and Langley Manor. With South African Thakoor Davids making 67, they made 176 and bowled Liphook & Ripsley out for 119, despite teen George Zadowa's 53.
Aussie Ollie Lunt once again starred for Gosport Borough, scoring 99 in the six-wicket win over relegated St Cross Symondians II. He hit five sixes and 12 fours having earlier taken 3-24. His season's run tally is 818, with two hundreds and six fifties.
Below: Get ready to duck as prolific St Cross Symondians batsman Steve Hirst tries to launch the ball into orbit; alas, not quite ... The News
With the home straight in sight, the Manor nipped ahead with a 74-run win over Hartley Wintney, which coincided with Fair Oak beating P & S by 76 runs.
Langley wobbled at 58-4 before being revived by Nick Doubell (69) and Steve Harris (44) who provided the basis of their 193-9. Hugo Hammond (54) responded by Sussex prospect Jack Campbell (3-14) led an impressive Manor spin attack. Hartley were 119 all out.
Tom Clark continued his run of good form with 94 against Portsmouth & Southsea, while left-arm spinner Lewis Goodyear (4-6) went on to play an equal part with the ball.
Oaks’ Under-18 prodigy Clark LEFT followed up scores of 60 and 49 in the last two games from a precarious position. Oaks were in trouble at 9-3 when he joined Monty McKenzie 41) . The top three had all fallen to Jonathan Willey, who finished with 5-33.
Their 75-run stand eased Oaks to 213. The P&S reply never really got off the ground. Eight of their wickets fell to spin, McKenzie and Rhys Oxley backing up Goodyear, Lower-order batters Max Goddard hit 28 and Ben Saunders 23 not out, but the Portsmouth side could only muster 137 all out.
New Milton could still feature, but they'll need to beat both Hambledon and Langley Manor. With South African Thakoor Davids making 67, they made 176 and bowled Liphook & Ripsley out for 119, despite teen George Zadowa's 53.
Aussie Ollie Lunt once again starred for Gosport Borough, scoring 99 in the six-wicket win over relegated St Cross Symondians II. He hit five sixes and 12 fours having earlier taken 3-24. His season's run tally is 818, with two hundreds and six fifties.
Below: Get ready to duck as prolific St Cross Symondians batsman Steve Hirst tries to launch the ball into orbit; alas, not quite ... The News
