Fareham & Crofton’s Ollie Southon claims individual Hampshire Cricket League honour

In his first season back at Bath Lane after leaving Burridge, the all-rounder bagged 42 wickets.

That saw him finish two ahead of five bowlers - Dawn Ambi (Kerala), Henry Hawkins (Wellow & Plaitford), George Hayes (Redlynch & Hale), Craig Jones (Tichborne Park 2nds) and Lewis Goodyear (Fair Oak 2nds).

Southon, who was playing four tiers higher at in the SPL top flight at Burridge, finished top of the wicket-taking log after claiming 2-26 in F & C’s eight-wicket win over Odiham & Greywell in County Division 1.

Previously, he had bagged a career best 6-22 against St Cross 2nds and also taken 6-31 against Longparish the previous week, a game in which he also scored an unbeaten century.

Other fine Southon displays were 5-33 against Burridge 2nds and 4-13 against Winton.

F & C’s 11th win in 17 games saw them finish third, albeit 26 points adrift of second-placed Parley - and only the top two go up to the Southern Premier League.

Carlin Joy bagged career best HL bowling figures as Portsmouth 2nds avoided relegation with victory over Tichborne Park.

Portsmouth had spent large parts of the campaign in the three-team drop zone, but a fine late-season run saw them finish 27 points clear.

Joy claimed 5-18 and Henry Woolf 3-18 as Tichborne, put into bat, were bowled out for 127.

Skipper Indy Chakrabati’s unbeaten 48 then guided the visitors to a seven-wicket success.

Burridge 2nds’ last-wicket pairing of Duncan Fraser and skipper Simon Creal condemned Longparish to relegation.

No 10 Fraser (44 not out) and No 11 Creal (15 not out) gave their side a one-wicket win, with Longparish staying up if they had managed to dismiss either of the tailenders.

Chasing 238 for victory, Burridge’s top five mustered just 34 runs between them. But Jack Slaughter (76) and Stuart Downs (37) rebuilt the innings.

Ben Gardner had top scored with 86 when Longparish had elected to bat, before Nick Damley-Jones dismissed him and the tail in bagging a career-best 5-12 off 3.3 overs.