Fareham & Crofton will claim remarkable promotion if they win their final Hampshire League game of a weather-wrecked season

Fareham & Crofton will follow Havant 2nds into the Southern Premier League if they can claim a convincing victory in their final Hampshire League County Division 1 game next weekend.
Dan Wimble hit his highest league score for Fareham & Crofton in the win against Burridge 2nds.Dan Wimble hit his highest league score for Fareham & Crofton in the win against Burridge 2nds.
Dan Wimble hit his highest league score for Fareham & Crofton in the win against Burridge 2nds.

Even though Fareham have only played six games all season - mainly due to wet weather - if they take 22 points or more from their seventh and final fixture against lowly St Cross 3rds they will pip Sway for the second promotion slot.

That would mean Sway would fail to win promotion, despite having won 13 of their completed 14 matches, due to the average points system the Hampshire League use to decide positions.

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Dan Wimble was close to a maiden league century for the second time in a few weeks as Fareham pushed Burridge 2nds closer to relegation with an eight-wicket triumph at Bath Lane.

Having scored 91 against Old Basing on August 7, Wimble hit 93 as Fareham raced past Burridge’s 169-8 total.

He put on 134 for the first wicket with Tom Kent (34) before being bowled by Alec Damley-Jones within sight of three figures.

Fareham eventually won in the 33rd over.

Jack Paskins (56) had top scored for Burridge - he was one of four batsmen to be run out after his side had elected to bat first. Chris Blake (46) was next highest.

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Havant 2nds were confirmed as champions without playing - their scheduled home game with Longparish was called off in the morning due to the weather.

Brothers Lee and Paul Hungerford shared five wickets as Portsmouth 2nds defeated Easton & Martyr Worthy by 34 runs.

Asked to chase 187-9, Lee (3-33) and Paul (2-38) helped reduce Easton to 153 all out (Matt Walton 2-11).

Skipper Nicky Wyatt, who hit 48 at the top of the order, and Ishafaque Ahmad (47 not out) were the hosts’ main runscorers after they had been inserted.