Fareham & Crofton opener Tom Kent hits maiden Hampshire Cricket League century in opening day win at Ryde

Fareham & Crofton’s Tom Kent compiled his maiden league century in a superb start to the 2022 Hampshire Cricket League campaign.
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The opener hit 119 and shared in a large century stand with league debutant Jeremy Bulled as Fareham rattled up 284-9 on the Isle of Wight against Ryde

The hosts were bowled out for 172, leaving Fareham 112-run winners on the opening day of the County Division 1 season.

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Kent was agonisingly close to his maiden ton last summer, being dismissed for 97, but he passed three figures here off 153 balls with 16 boundaries.

Tom Kent struck his maiden century for Fareham & Crofton on the  opening day of the new Hampshire Cricket League season.Tom Kent struck his maiden century for Fareham & Crofton on the  opening day of the new Hampshire Cricket League season.
Tom Kent struck his maiden century for Fareham & Crofton on the opening day of the new Hampshire Cricket League season.

After opening partner Sam Stoddart (19) had departed on 45, Bulled helped Kent add a further 135 for the second wicket. Upon reaching his half-century, the former Havant Southern Premier League title winner was trapped leg before.

Kent was on 88 at the time with another new signing, Ollie Southon, joining him to add 73 for the third wicket before the opener was finally dismissed.

Southon - who has returned to Fareham after a stint at Burridge - hit 36 off 20 balls with extras the next highest scorer on 33 (including 24 wides).

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When Ryde replied, they lost opener Ben Gregory early, caught by wicket-keeper Bulled off the bowling off Southon for a second ball duck.

Skipper James Headen (3-46) brought himself on as first change, with the desired effect as he picked up three quick wickets as Ryde slipped from 61-1 to 68-4.

There were two middle order wickets for Morgan Frost (2-31) before opening bowler Dan Reader (2-31) returned to take the final two wickets in successive balls.

*Will Fisher blasted a debut century at St Helens as Compton & Chandlers Ford posted a large total against Portsmouth 2nds.

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Fisher has spent the past few years playing for Buckinghamshire club Dinton in the Home Counties Premier League, never reaching three figures.

But on his first appearance for Compton, he whacked 137 off 116 balls with 14 fours and three sixes coming in at first wicket down.

Fisher received good back-up from Andy Gorty (69) and Ranveer Jassell (47 off 26 balls) as Compton rattled up 337-8 off their 50 overs after choosing to bat.

Amid the run-fest, Carlin Joy - who played his youth cricket in the United Arab Emirates - bagged 4-44 but team-mate Jonty Goddard conceded 2-75 off his nine overs.

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When the hosts replied, Joy (59) - batting at No 3 - and skipper and opener Matt Shaw (55) helped Portsmouth reach 141-1.

They couldn’t sustain it, though, and with Gorty (6-53) running through the order to record his second best league figures, the city club were dismissed for 208 in the 46th over to lose by 129 runs.

*Compton’s score wasn’t the highest in the division on day one, though; that honour went to Bournemouth 2nds who posted 343-8 at Hythe & Dibden.

No 5 Sarang Urankar hammered an unbeaten 119 off 67 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes. That onslaught came after Greg Thew (82) and Jonny Coombs (59) had added 136 for the third wicket.

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Fred Oldfield (41) then helped Urankar add 98 for the sixth wicket. Hythe were also in the runs when they replied, closing on 280-9.

*Will Candy’s highest score for nine years took Burridge 2nds to within a few large hits of chasing 230 for victory against Odiham & Greywell.

Coming in at No 7, Candy hit 81 before he was stumped. The next highest score from one of his colleagues was 18 by Srujith Wickramasinghe. There were, though, 42 extras including 32 wides - free runs which eventually enabled Burridge to get to within 16 of Odiham’s 229 total before the final wicket fell in the 48th over.

It was Candy’s highest innings since he hit a career best 109 for Burridge 2nds against Purbrook 2nds in August 2010.

Odiham skipper Andrew Niblett (50) had earlier top scored, with all seven of the bowlers Burridge used taking at least one wicket - headed up by Prashant Yadav (2-22) and Saeed Khan (2-28).

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