Promising Academy raised all-rounder Tom Prest has signed his first professional contract with Hampshire Cricket.
The 18 year old top order batsman and off-spinner from Canford School made his first-team breakthrough this summer and signs for Hampshire on a deal until the end of the 2024 season. 
Prest showed maturity beyond his years in only his third senior appearance in July to hit an unbeaten 59 in the Vitality Blast. This came after his remarkable unbeaten triple century in Hampshire's Second XI Championship match against Sussex, an innings he played after sitting an A-level Geography examination at breakfast time. 
The Dorset-based all-rounder also contributed a vital 44 in the Vitality Blast quarter-final against Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge to help Hampshire Hawks reach an eighth Vitality Blast Finals Day. 
Hampshire Director of Cricket Giles White said: “Tom is a talented all-rounder and he will be hoping to build on a promising start to push for a place across all formats. 
“He’s impressed everyone in a short space of time and if he’s able to continue to develop he has an exciting future ahead of him.”
                                                                                 Pivotal
Tom Prest said: “It’s something I always dreamed of growing up. It’s a really exciting time at Hampshire right now and it makes it an extra special feeling to sign a contract for your home club.
“Charlie (Freeston), Tony (Middleton) & Jimmy (Adams) have been pivotal in my development and I’m just really grateful for all they’ve done. To gain some first-team experience this season has been valuable and it was really pleasing to put in a couple of good performances in the Vitality Blast. Hopefully over time I can become more consistent at that level and contribute in all formats.”
Prest, from Wimborne, came through the Hampshire age-group system and has featured heavily for the Club over a number of seasons in CAG, Academy and 2nd XI cricket. In 2019, he gained selection for the National Super 4’s competition a year young and played a major role in all the teams he represented. 
2020 saw Prest finish the season as Hampshire Academy’s leading run-scorer with seven fifties and two centuries as a 17 year old in the ECB Southern Premier Cricket League.
Prest made 16 first-team appearances this season and most recently he was named in the England Men's Young Lions (U19) squad for their tour to Sri Lanka later this month. He hopes to play for England in the 2022 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

SWAY have been given the green light for promotion into Southern Premier League Division 3 in 2022 having finished runners-up to Havant II in Hampshire League Division 1 this past summer.
The ambitious New Forest club, which won 13 of its 14 matches in 2021, is required to add separate umpire's changing facilities at the Jubilee Ground in order to achieve the necessary accreditation.
Havant II and Sway will replace relegated pair Hythe & Dibden and Tichborne Park in SPL3 next summer. 
Sway's amazing climb of the HL pyramid began 12 years ago when they were Regional 4 South West champions. The ensuing years saw seven promotions, the foundations for the past season's success largely being based on a maiden fourth-place finish in CD1 in 2019.  Sway second team's Division 4 West title triumph put the icing on the cake of a wonderful season for the village club, population little over 3,000 and with a junior section to be admired.​

Hampshire Academy product Tom Prest has been given an opportunity to stake his claim for a place in England's ICC Under-19 World Cup squad through his selection for a five-match Young Lions ODI Series against Sri Lanka in Colombo later this month. 
The 18-year old from Wimborne played in the ODI Series against the West Indies in September, captaining the side on several occasions, but managed only 33 runs with the bat. He did, though, underline his spin bowling credentials with separate spells of 5-18 and 3-36. 
​The U19 World Cup starts on January 16 with England paired against defending champions Bangladesh. They later play Canada and the UAE, all three games to be played in St Kitts on January 16, 18 and 20 January 2022. The knockout phase of the tournament is in Antigua.

​ADVERTISEMENT - SOUTH WILTS - VACANCY FOR SENIOR HEAD COACH 2022 SEASON ONWARDS 

ECB Southern Premier League champions South Wilts invite applications for the position of Senior Head Coach, full details of which are listed below.   

Role – Senior Head Coach.  Reports to: Director of Cricket

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Responsible for the organising and the conducting of senior Pre-Season Training (4 x 2/hr sessions) in consultation with the head of Senior Cricket.
• Responsible for the organising and the conducting of Senior In-Season Training in consultation with the head of Senior Cricket (Thursday evenings 20 weeks 6-8.30pm).
• Ensure Senior Training is of a high standard that both provides quality outcomes for the players as well as methods that are in line with the Club’s values and ethic, and provides an enjoyable environment for players to participate in.
• Attend Saturday matches (20 matches) and carry out pre-game preparations through to debrief at the end of game.
• Assist in identifying potential future leaders for the Club, both internally and externally.
• Duties are expected to be performed in line with the values of South Wilts Cricket Club.
• Work with the Junior Co-Ordinator/Coaches and Women’s Co-Ordinator/Coach where required to aid development and ensure all 3 sections are aligned in their approach.

SKILLS REQUIRED
. Excellent organisation and planning skills
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Be Approachable and flexible
• Minimum Level 2 Coaching Accreditation (Mandatory) or equivalent coaching badge from overseas. All necessary insurance, Valid DBS & First Aid.
• Playing/Coaching experienced at Premier League level required (Player Coaches will also be considered).

RENUMERATION 

• £ DOE
• All expenses covered.

Written applications, attaching a CV, should be emailed to James.hayward@hotmail.co.uk

Applications close: 30th November 2021.

Fawley and New Forest CCA stalwart Alan Sturgess has died after a long illness.  A playing member and president at Holbury for 63 or more years, Alan worked for many years enhancing the pitches at Long Lane, the Waterside club being named SPL Ground of the Year in 2014. Alan was long time secretary of the New Forest CCA.   
​In a tribute, Fawley chairman John Church said: "We we have lost our leader, mentor and a friend. Alan simply was Mr Fawley CC.  
"As a player Alan was a competitive and talented all rounder. Alan always gave 100 per cent and loved winning; however he always played the game in the right way, enjoying a pint with the opposition afterwards. 
"He loved to encourage and support younger players as they made their way in the game. Our annual club tours and spending time with Alan each year was something we all greatly enjoyed and looked forward to. 
"Off the field, Alan held most positions within the club. He was our club treasurer for over 20 years and since retiring from work has been our head groundsman. He has for many years been the club president. When the club’s actual existence was in doubt following the collapse of the social club, it was Alan who galvanised us as a committee to not give up.  
"His love for cricket took him all the way to Australia a few winters when he went to support the England team in an Ashes series. I for one loved watching his tour round Oz via FB during a cold winter here in the UK. Some wonderful memories for all involved in that trip. 
"The work he and his grounds team put in ensured we always have had one of the very best grounds in the County. I know how rightly proud he was when Fawley was named the best ground in the whole Southern League back in 2014.  Del, Reg and Shaun who work on the ground with Alan will I know miss him greatly. 
"He also took on roles to support the wider cricket community. He was part of the HCL disciplinary committee for a number of years and until very recently was the NFCA secretary. I know the whole local cricket community will be saddened by this news. 
"The club will never be the same again that is for sure. Alan once said to me that if we as a club stand still we will, in effect, go backwards. I know we will  not be letting that happen with our current Chairman Chris and committee, we owe it to Alan to keep trying to improve.
"Alan had very many other interests and passions outside cricket. How he found the time for it all I will never know ? RIP Alan, you will be missed by us all at Fawley."
Speaking on behalf of the New Forest CCA, association chairman Nick Gossip said: "Alan was an exemplary Secretary of NFCCA, serving, we believe, in excess of ten years on the committee and in this post.
"His exceptional organisational skills proved invaluable in arranging the Stone Cup and Presidents Cup competitions which are open to all New Forest cricket clubs, at all levels.
"Alan took a great interest in all clubs participation, and was thrilled when his own club, Fawley, won the Presidents Cup against Bashley (Rydal) this season. Sadly, he was not well enough to attend the final match.
"The NFCCA committee are proposing  to award a new trophy in Alan’s honour for the coming season."

Academy captain Toby Albert, opening pace bowler Harry Petrie and South African quick John Turner have been awarded rookie contracts by Hampshire Cricket.
Rookie contracts are the stepping stone between the Academy and the senior squad with the players training and interacting with the first team.
Albert, 19, was recently named Southern Premier League Young Cricketer of the Year after topping the batting charts with over 700 runs this past season. Newbury-based, Albert played a lead role as Berkshire won the National County 50-over Cup and went on to make his Hampshire debut in both the Royal London Cup and the Vitality Blast T20 finals at Edgbaston. 
Hampshire Cricket Head of Player Development, Charlie Freeston said: “Toby’s had a great season with us to gain his contract. He suffered a knee injury at U17 level which kept him out for a long time so it’s really pleasing to see how well he has done on his return. He has particularly impressed in the Hampshire 2nd XI this year and he is a really exciting player across all formats.”
Seam bowler Harry Petrie, from Wellington College, played regularly for the Hampshire 2nd XI and Academy in 2021 and was recently named in the England U19 squad against the West Indies. 
Freeston said: “Harry has been with us since a very young age and this season he has exceeded expectations with his performances and really earned this contract. He has been relentless in every side he has played for this year and we want to invest in him for the long term.”
South African born fast-bowler John Turner hails from Hilton College, where he was head boy in his final academic year. His first victim in the Royal London Cup was former England legend Sir Alistair Cook. The 20 year old, who is currently studying at Exeter University, finished as Hampshire’s joint second leading wicket taker in the competition. 
Freeston said: “He’s got a great attitude - he made his full debut this year and there’s a lot more to come from him. I fully expect him to be pushing for first team spots moving forwards.”

Winning the Southern Premier Division 2 bowling award almost put the icing on the proverbial cake for talented Wickham-based Fair Oak left-arm all-rounder Charlie Gwynn, pictured TOP LEFT after receiving his prize at the league’s presentation ceremony.
​The left-arm spin bowler, who recently graduated from Oxford Brookes University, took 33 wickets and scored 407 runs, making him Division 2’s stand-out player. 
“The only downside was Fair Oak not achieving promotion. We were in the mix for most of the season, but finished a disappointing fifth,” he reflected.
Champion Liphook & Ripsley opener Ryan Covey won the Division 2 batting award with 476 runs.
​Ventnor gloveman Ben Woodhouse is pictured (TOP RIGHT) with the Southern Premier League Division 2 Wicketkeeping Award, the town side’s skipper snapping up 19 dismissals behind the stumps to help the team finish runners-up behind champions Liphook & Ripsley.  It was the second time he had won a Premier League award.  Pic credit Dave Vokes.

TOTTON & ELING celebrate the Southern Premier League Division 1 championship, claiming top spot after winning ten of their 14 completed matches to nudge New Milton into second place.
Brighton Mugochi, with 219 runs and 15 wickets, shone with bat and ball, while promising teenager all-rounder Tom Chester (293 runs) was leading run scorer.  Harrison Clarke (275) and Harry Stephens (242) also made their mark with the bat, while teenager Toby Green put plenty of gas into his spin bowling, emerging with 18 wickets alongside Hakim Perusi.  Gloveman Oli Thomas bagged 15 victims behind the stumps. 

Teenage duo Liam Shore (left above) and Mark Butcher (above right) carried off the Southern Premier Division 3 bowling and wicketkeeping awards, respectively.
Shore's 23-wicket haul, which included a 6-23 return against Hythe & Dibden, matched that of evergreen Basingstoke seamer Keith Harris and helped Hook & Newnham Basics II to a second consecutive promotion.  Hampshire League Division 1 runners-up in 2019, Hook will play SPL2 cricket next summer.
Fellow teen Mark Butcher's glovework helped Hambledon win the SPL3 championship. He bagged 16 dismissals (13 caught and 3 stumped) behind the sticks at Ridge Meadow.

Keith Mitchell was a Newport Cricket Club legend.
When Keith was 15, he was sat on the bank at the town's Victoria Recreation Ground, ready to watch the Newport Thursday team. His schoolteacher, David Martin, rushed over to tell him they were one short. He drove him home to get his kit — and he stayed with the club for the rest of his cricket career.
He went on to score centuries galore (far too many to count) in five decades with Newport and, after laying up his willow, put numerous hours back into the game to loved, either through umpiring (he was among the island's most respected officials) or coaching the next crop of would-be young Newport cricketers.
Sadly, after a relatively short illness, he left the cricket scene a week or so ago and batting his farewell innings in front of a packed gathering at the East Cowes Crematorium, Whippingham on Friday 12 November 2021 at 11.15am and afterwards in the Fightings Cocks PH in Arreton. He celebrated his 80th birthday this summer.
Keith's sporting career wasn't confined to cricket. A livelong Spurs fan, he was a decent footballer for Barton Sports, East Cowes Vics and Parkhurst Old Boys. In his younger days with Barton Boys he played alongside pop singer Craig Douglas, who in 1959 topped the UK charts with Only Sixteen. He later became a handy golfer at Osborne.
On-going knee injuries caused Keith to hang up his football boots – but how Newport and Island cricket benefited.  
Keith had just two games for Newport’s second XI and then went straight into the first team. 
Newport became unbeatable and won the very first Whitbread Knock-Out Cup in 1966. They beat Ryde and he scored 107 not out.   Ryde were skittled out for 99. 
When Keith was still a teenager, he played for the Island against the Hampshire Club and Ground, at the County Ground, Southampton, and faced the bowling of a young Bob Cottam and his own Newport team mate, Clive Smith, who was particularly hostile, as he’d been left out of the Island team. 
Keith made 70 not out and impressed Hampshire officials — so much so, he was invited back to play for their Club and Ground team, which included Cottam and Alan Castell. He batted well and kept wicket. 
                                                                      Won three new cricket bats
Keith said: “I never knew for many years Hampshire were keen for me to join them. David Martin kept this a secret for so long. I think it may have been because I was serving an apprenticeship at Saunders-Roe. I don’t think my dad would’ve let me go anyway.” 
Instead, he plundered thousands of runs for Newport in a 40-year career, which saw him score centuries spanning five decades. In one season, he won three new cricket bats, including the special Colin Cowdrey Award. 
One of his greatest personal moments, when he was the Island captain, was tossing a coin with the opposing MCC skipper — his idol, Godfrey Evans. 
He also appreciated the special note he had from the legendary Island skipper, Bill Jenkins, after he was surprisingly asked to take over from him as captain. Keith hit a century in his first game in charge. 
He still remembers his first game for the Island. It was against the Pakistan Eaglets, who included a very young Mushtaq Mohammad.  
When the brilliant young wicketkeeper, Alan Gurney, came along to Newport, Keith was more than happy to field at cover point and he became a south coast legend fielding there. 
Keith, who also enjoyed golf at Osborne, has been such a credit to the Island’s cricket scene. 
He coached young Newport players and, after retiring from the game, became a highly respected umpire. 
Keith is always more comfortable talking about other people more than himself. 
So many of his local friends and working colleagues have enriched and influenced him during his lifetime of sport and 43 years in the aircraft industry.  Keith Mitchell will be sadly missed in island sport. 

The two top order South Wilts wickets that Dan Stancliffe took in the final round of matches in late August ensured that the Burridge all-rounder finished top of the ECB Southern Premier League bowling charts - ironically with one more victim than his club captain Hilio de Abreu.
The tall right-arm seamer finished Burridge's 16-match summer with 31 wickets, finishing one ahead of de Abreu and South Wilts own Matt Burton, who took 30 apiece.
Stancliffe is pictured with the Barry Boorah Memorial Bowl awarded annually to the bowler who finishes with the most wickets in the Premier Division.
The award perpetuates the name of the late Barry Boorah, the Portsmouth & South Hants Touring Club left-arm spinner, who was the highest wicket taker of all time in Southern League cricket, with a staggering 666 victims.

Hampshire Academy skipper Toby Albert has been named Southern Premier League 'Young Cricketer of the Year' after scoring 533 runs, including three centuries, this summer.  
The 19-year old Newbury-based batsmen went on to make several Royal London Cup appearances for Hampshire and play in the Vitality T20 Blast finals at Edgbaston, besides top scoring in Berkshire's crushing National County Cup final win over Cumberland.
This website is hoping to secure an interview with Toby to talk about his 2021 successes and the way he has fought his way back from a career threatening knee injury.

South Wilts have been officially crowned ECB Southern Premier Division champions for a sixth time.
They are pictured having collected the trophy and their individual medals at the SPL’s awards dinner in Southampton.  Thrashed by nine wickets by Bashley (Rydal) after being skilled for 79 in their opening game, South Wilts bounced back and charged to the title, winning seven of their last eight matches. Overall, they won 12 of their 15 completed matches and also won the 'red ball' pennant.

South Wilts' captain Ben Draper looks as though he's ready to audition for BBC television's ​children's quiz show CrackerJack after lifting so many trophies at the Southern Premier League presentation dinner !
The SPL's youngest ever title winning captain is pictured holding (i) the Premier Division trophy, (ii) the 'red ball' pennant, (iii) the SPL wicketkeeping award, (iv) the Premier Division championship pennant, and (v) just for good measure, his own etched glass trophy.   Fortunately, he didn't drop any of them .. even with his gloves on ! No need for cabbages then ...

For the benefit of this website's younger readers, CrackerJack was made famous on the BBC in the early Sixties by the late Leslie Crowther, a real cricket fanatic and leading comedian of his time. Leslie Crowther spoke alongside Sussex cricket legend George Cox at a Southern League awards dinner at Waterlooville back in the mid-1970s, the evening being rated as the best presentation function in fifty years.​

ECB Southern Premier League ‘Team of the Year’ selectors have just completed an all-night sitting and announced their chosen XI from the past 2021 season.
The panel had particular difficulty in choosing a six-man top batting order, with Jack Mynott and Felix Organ both declared ineligible having been restricted to only eight appearances each during the season.
The Academy, Bashley (Rydal), Bournemouth, Burridge and South Wilts each has two players in the line-up.
Southern Premier Division team –
1. Jacob Gordon (Bashley Rydal) – 463 runs 
2. Josh Digby (Bashley Rydal) – 381 runs + 25 wickets
3. Toby Albert (Academy) – 533 runs
4. Ximus de Plooy (Lymington) – 513 runs + 20 wickets
5. Harry Broderick (Academy) – 423 runs
6. Hilio De Abreu (Burridge) – 343 runs + 30 wickets
7. + Ben Draper (South Wilts) – 354 runs + 29 victims 
8. Robbie Pack (Bournemouth) – 29 wickets (econ 2.39)
9. Dan Stancliffe (Burridge) – 31 wickets + 173 runs
10. Dan Conway (Bournemouth) – 25 wickets (econ 2.96)
11. Matt Burton (South Wilts) – 30 wickets + NO runs.
Matt Burton was unable to convince selectors that he should bat above 11, having failed to score a single run in 2021.  30 wickets will do, however ..
Non travelling reserves: Harry Gadd (Havant), James Hayward (South Wilts), Richard Jerry (Havant),  Bash Walters (Alton), Luke Webb (Bournemouth).

Lord’s Village Cup heroes Ben Johns and Mark Lavelle are named in the Southern Premier Division 1 ‘Team of the Year’ announced this morning.
The left-hand pair played significant roles in Calmore Sports lifting the Voneus Village Cup at the first time of asking – and again did well in the league, Johns scoring 428 runs.
Champion duo Brighton Mugochi and teenager Tommy Cheater wear the Totton & Eling colours in a potentially controversial select XI pick.
Rowledge spin teen Oli Baker, whose 26 wickets was complemented with 216 runs, just missed out.

Southern Premier Division 1 team of the year –
​1. Ben Duggan (Portsmouth) – 469
2. Ricky Rawlins (Sarisbury Athletic) – 412
3. Ben Johns (Calmore Sports) – 428
4. Harlan Greig (New Milton) – 295 + 30 wickets
5. Josh Hill (Sarisbury Athletic) - 430
6. Brighton Mugochi (Totton & Eling) – 219 + 25 wickets
7. Mark Lavelle (Calmore Sports) – 25 wickets
8. Tommy Cheater (Totton & Eling) – 293 + 9
9. Babu Veettil (Andover) – 26 wickets
10. + Ben Wish (Rowledge) – 19 victims
11. Bradley Tyler (Basingstoke & North Hants) – 29 wickets
Travelling reserve: Oli Baker (Rowledge) 216 + 26

The ECB Southern Premier Division Team of the Year will be announced on Friday at 1 o'clock.

The ECB has confirmed that the LV= Insurance County Championship will return to two divisions from next summer following a vote by the First-Class Counties
This decision follows discussions between ECB and First-Class Counties to determine how and when a return to two divisions could be achieved
Hampshire are among the ten counties which will compete in Division One and eight in Division Two with a two-up, two-down promotion-and-relegation system
The LV= Insurance County Championship will return to two divisions next season following a vote by the chairs of the 18 First-Class Counties.
The return to a two-division LV= Insurance County Championship, after two Covid-affected seasons, will see the competition move to the 10:8 structure that was agreed by the First-Class Counties prior to the pandemic.
2022 LV= Insurance County Championship structure:
• Counties will play in two divisions. There will be 10 counties in Division One and eight in Division Two with a two-up, two-down promotion-and-relegation system.
• Each county is due to play 14 LV= Insurance County Championship matches.
• The counties will be placed into the division that they had qualified to compete in had the 2020 LV= Insurance County Championship taken place.
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s role ahead of this week’s vote has been to facilitate discussions between the First-Class Counties and provide the options available to them.
The priority of those discussions has been to determine when and how a return to the two-division structure – featuring 10 counties in Division One and eight in Division Two as agreed by counties following the 2018 Domestic Playing Programme (DPP) - could best be achieved.
The process to transition to that structure had begun during the 2019 LV= Insurance County Championship. At the end of that season three counties were promoted from Division Two (Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire) while the last-placed Division One county (Nottinghamshire) was relegated.
A two-division LV= Insurance County Championship has, however, not taken place since then due to Covid-19.
It has always been the intention of the First-Class Counties and the ECB to return to the two-division structure at the earliest opportunity.
After the First-Class Counties voted to change the format of men’s first-class cricket in 2020 and 2021 to mitigate against the impact of Covid-19, this week’s vote also considered the option to play one further year of the seeded group structure that was successfully staged this summer.
Although there was support from counties to use the 2022 season as a way to step back to a two-divisional structure, there was not the two-thirds majority that was required under the ECB Articles.
The LV= Insurance County Championship will, therefore, be played in the new two-divisional structure from next season.
2022 LV= Insurance County Championship - Division One
Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Surrey, Warwickshire, Yorkshire.
2022 LV= Insurance County Championship - Division Two
Durham, Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Sussex, Worcestershire.

​Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane has been selected in a 14-man England Lions' tour to Australia, starting on November 4.
The Lions will be in camp alongside the England Ashes squad and will play two intra-squad matches (1 x 3-day and 1 x 4-day matches) in Queensland. They will also take on Australia A in a four-day match. Dates and venues are still to be confirmed. The party will return home on 16 December.

Matt Burton is South Wilts’ Cricketer of the Year – reward for the 30 front line wickets he took to spearhead the club’s triumphant ECB Southern Premier Division championship summer. 
His wicket haul, which included a season defining 6-47 return against runners-up St Cross Symondians, was the second highest in the SPL, behind Burridge all-rounder Dan Stancliffe, with 31 victims.
“The way Matt has developed as an opening bowler should be an inspiration to all young players,” said skipper Ben Draper, who has gloved the Premier Division wicketkeeping prize.
“Matt has had an outstanding year with the ball, contributing positively every game he played. He  should be extremely proud of his influence in helping us win the league. 
“He’s a South Wilts junior through and through, and it's great to see him doing so well. I’m sure there will be more positives to follow in 2022.”
Another Matt – 15-year old Matt Falconer – is already making significant waves at Bemerton, scooping the Second XI player of the year award, alongside being named 2021 Jack Sillence Young Cricketer.
He made a fifth and enjoyed a five-wicket return in Southern Premier Division 2 cricket this summer.
South Wilts awards - 
President’s Award - Andrew Stagg 
Clubman of the Year - Sean Burke 
Junior Clubman - George Nash 
Team of the Year - 1st XI (Premier Division winners)
Players of the season: 1st XI - Matt Burton, 2nd XI - Matt Faulkner, 3rd XI: - Kit Blomfield, 4th XI - Connor Bain.
Jack Sillence Memorial Under-16 awards
Player of the Year: Matt Falconer, Batting: Alex Vincent, Bowling: George Nash

Four members of Liphook & Ripsley’s championship winning side have been named in the Southern Premier League Division 2 ‘team of the year’.
They are opener Ryan Covey, all-rounder Suman Ganguly, Rowledge recruit Joe Randall and skipper Sean Burton, who spearheaded the title drive.
Ventnor, who are promoted alongside Liphook, had an ‘automatic’ selection in West Indian Anthony Alleyne, while Ben Woodhouse had a fine season with the gloves, alongside creating a mini-population explosion on Vectis isle.
Arguably SPL 2’s MVP was Fair Oak all-rounder Charlie Gwynn, with 407 runs and 33 wickets.
 
Southern Premier League Division 2 team of the year –

Ryan Covey (Liphook & Ripsley) – 476 runs + 13 wickets
Joe Cranch (South Wilts II) – 377 runs
Anthony Alleyne (Ventnor) – 696 runs + 15 wickets
Charlie Gwynn (Fair Oak) – 407 runs + 33 wickets
Roy Cockram (Hartley Wintney) – 369 runs
Suman Ganguly (Liphook & Ripsley) - 348 runs + 15 wickets
+ Ben Woodhouse (Ventnor) - 207 runs + 20 victims
Joe Randall (Liphook & Ripsley) - 28 wickets
Sean Burton (Liphook & Ripsley – 28 wickets
Wayne Smith (Fawley) – 29 wickets
Matt Bampton (OTs & Romsey) – 23 wickets (econ rate 2.78)
 
Who’s in the Division 1 Team of the Year ?  You can find out this Thursday evening … 

Emerging spin all-rounder Dan Cox has been named Lymington's Cricketer of the Year after a summer in which he took 29 ECB Southern Premier League wickets, the fifth highest in the Premier Division.
His figures included a best-yet 6-15 return in the six-wicket win over the Hampshire Academy in early July, the last time Lymington won a match before slithering to second from bottom place to finish only ten points ahead of Alton, who relegated. Cox, who makes the most expensive 'sea crossing' on the planet by travelling to play for Lymington from his Isle of Wight home each Saturday, also made 247 runs.

Henry Glanfield is optimistic that Norway selectors will keep a closer eye on his Southern Premier League performances for Hambledon next time they select a squad for an international tournament.
Surprisingly, the talented Hambledon all-rounder was overlooked for the recent Dream11 European T10 Championships in Malaga, despite scoring  564 runs and taking 16 wickets in this past summer's title winning Division 3 campaign.
Norway won three group matches before being eliminated by next door neighbours Sweden.
Glanfield may have been overlooked for the Euros, but is one of three Hambledon players chosen in the SPL Division 3 Team of the Season.
The side selected specifically contains two spin bowlers and a batsman/wicketkeeper and has been compiled from 2021 statistics.
  
Division 3 Team of the Year is -

1 Jack Budd (Langley Manor) - 708 runs
2 Dan McGovern (Hambledon) - 449 runs + 11 wickets
3 Henry Glanfield (Hambledon) - 564 runs + 16 wickets
4 Jack Davies (Portsmouth & Southsea) - 415 runs
5 Conor Browne (Langley Manor) - 353 runs 
6 + Nigel Le Bas (Trojans) - 294  runs  + 11 victims
7 Jacob 'Emmas' Harris (Gosport Borough) -325 runs + 15 wickets
8 Ed Berry (Tichborne Park) -18 wickets
9 Jonty Oliver (Hambledon) -17 wickets
10 Keith Harris (Basingstoke & North Hants II) - 23 wickets
11 Liam Shore (Hook & Newnham Basics II) - 23 wickets.

Non-travelling reserves: Jamie Donaldson (Trojans), Syed Mahmood (Trojans), Jack Richards (Gosport Borough) and Scott Taylor (Gosport Borough).
​
The Division 2 team will be announced around coffee time on Thursday morning,

Now we know the composition of the England Ashes squad to visit Australia later this year, we can get down to the proper stuff and find out who's been 'selected' for the four Southern Premier League Divisional teams for 2021.
It is pleasing to report that the Zimbabwe election counters have now sifted through the ballot papers, removing those 'spoiled' ones from PO12 postcode addresses, where the voters coloured in the ballot papers instead of inserting an X in the box.  
It is believed 'spoiled votes' may have earned the number 4 batting spot in the Division 3 team !
How many players from runaway champions Hambledon will be selected, for instance ? Stand by for the SPL3 team to be announced on Wednesday tea-time.

South Wilts all-rounder Arthur Godsal and Bournemouth’s Luke Webb are a European cup winners !
While Webb was restricted to a comparative low key role, Godsal was one of the stars, taking 19 tournament wickets as England, whose squad was drawn entirely from cricketers from the National (Minor) Counties Championship, won the inaugural Dream 11 European T10 championships in Malaga, Spain.
The ten overs per side competition, which was televised globally, embraced 16 European countries and England had to defeat Australia, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and hosts Spain to become champions.
Webb made 63 runs in five knocks, 49 of them coming in a group win over Germany, whereas Godsal  had a key role to play, bowling the ‘death’ eighth and tenth overs – and having to defend a 50 yard boundary – way shorter than at Bemerton !
Nonetheless, he emerged with great credit, taking three wickets in three of England’s victories – besides taking one of the catches of the tournament, low down, off his own seam bowling against Germany.  He was named man-of-the-match against Italy.
“It took a while getting used to playing on an artificial surface with a short boundary as a lot of mis-hits we’re going for six - but there were many strikes which would’ve been a six on any ground as some of the striking from opposition teams was incredible,” Godsal explained.
“Length and line was really important.  We also had to adopt the mindset of every ball being an event and to try and win as many balls as possible. 
“The overall standard in the tournament took me by surprise. It was very good. There were many amazing ball strikers. Every bad ball went for six and even good ones, so there was a lot of learning, which took place from watching opposition play. 
“I went into the tournament very open minded with the aim of giving my best.  I got better as the tournament went on with my execution by having more clarity in my plans and I was very happy to be able to contribute.”
The all-Asian Belgian side, who peppered the small Malaga ground with sixes throughout the tournament, posted a formidable 148-6 off ten overs in the final.
But were blown away in another plethora of 'maximums' by Harrison Ward as England won by ten wickets, with seven balls to spare to become European champions ! 
​Below: Arthur Godsal steams in for England NCCA in the European T10 Championships.