Justin Behrens pictured with his 2024 Premier Division 2 trophy. Leg spin all-rounder Justin Behrens is returning for a third summer at Hambledon having just missed out on a Western Province CA championship winners medal and being narrowly pipped as the competition's leading wicket taker.
Despite Behrens' 41-wicket haul, his club side WPCC finished runners-up to Durbanville in Cape Town's premier club competition this past South Africa season - a tie against mid-table Claremont effectively costing them the title.
"WPCC ended up tied for the league on points but unfortunately missed out to Durbanville who had more bp wins and who therefore took the title which was disappointing. Our one tied game against Claremont cost us dear," he sighed.
But Behrens has the satisfaction of taking the most wickets of any bowler in the Western Province CA League in the last three seasons, taking an aggregate 126 wickets, including three five-wicket returns and another nine where he captured four opposition scalps.
"I've finished top of the WPCA bowling charts in 2023/24 and was second the previous season and again this past winter, which is pretty cool," he smiled.
Behrens flies back to the UK immediately after Easter determined to play a significant part in maintaining Hambledon's new found Southern Premier Division 1 status.
He's so far taken 69 league wickets in his two previous seasons at Ridge Meadow, 32 in 2023 and 37 in last year's Division 2 championship campaign.
"We've had a yo-yo couple of seasons, so need to consolidate in what is already shaping up to be a very competitive league," he said.
"The likes of Havant being on our fixture list underlines how strong Division 1 will be."
Hambledon have bolstered their batting armory with the arrival of Sparsholt-raised batsman/wicketkeeper Will Berrill, who will travel across from Cardiff University to play. He was with relegated Andover last summer.
Jonty Oliver is also due to finish at Loughborough university his summer and could play in the Village Cup first round tie at Oakley on April 27.
Hambledon's opening Southern Premier Division 1 match is at Old Tauntonians & Romsey on May 3.
Despite Behrens' 41-wicket haul, his club side WPCC finished runners-up to Durbanville in Cape Town's premier club competition this past South Africa season - a tie against mid-table Claremont effectively costing them the title.
"WPCC ended up tied for the league on points but unfortunately missed out to Durbanville who had more bp wins and who therefore took the title which was disappointing. Our one tied game against Claremont cost us dear," he sighed.
But Behrens has the satisfaction of taking the most wickets of any bowler in the Western Province CA League in the last three seasons, taking an aggregate 126 wickets, including three five-wicket returns and another nine where he captured four opposition scalps.
"I've finished top of the WPCA bowling charts in 2023/24 and was second the previous season and again this past winter, which is pretty cool," he smiled.
Behrens flies back to the UK immediately after Easter determined to play a significant part in maintaining Hambledon's new found Southern Premier Division 1 status.
He's so far taken 69 league wickets in his two previous seasons at Ridge Meadow, 32 in 2023 and 37 in last year's Division 2 championship campaign.
"We've had a yo-yo couple of seasons, so need to consolidate in what is already shaping up to be a very competitive league," he said.
"The likes of Havant being on our fixture list underlines how strong Division 1 will be."
Hambledon have bolstered their batting armory with the arrival of Sparsholt-raised batsman/wicketkeeper Will Berrill, who will travel across from Cardiff University to play. He was with relegated Andover last summer.
Jonty Oliver is also due to finish at Loughborough university his summer and could play in the Village Cup first round tie at Oakley on April 27.
Hambledon's opening Southern Premier Division 1 match is at Old Tauntonians & Romsey on May 3.
