Five-star Nair’s stunning burst helps Kerala embarrass Gosport Borough in Hampshire League Division 6 SE

He ended with 5-7 off 3.3 overs as the hosts - already 21-4 before Nair took his first wicket - crumbled to 38 all out in the Division 6 South East fixture.

Vipin Francis (3-8 off six overs) had removed Gosport’s top three - Peter Taylor (5), captain Ryan Gander (0) and Dan Higgins (0).

Nair wasn’t the top wicket-taker in the match, though - Gander had earlier taken 6-30 as Kerala recovered from 119-9 to post 191.

They were Gander’s best league figures, beating the 5-18 he had taken against Purbrook 4ths a decade ago.

Shani Madhusoodhanan, batting at No 8, top scored with 65, dominating the last-wicket stand of 72 with Joji Joseph (6).

Gander dismissed all the Kerala top five, including second top scorer Nair (23), but his side ended up thrashed by 153 runs.

Chris Wells took three early wickets as Hayling Island 2nds enjoyed a six-wicket victory over Fair Oak 4ths.

Oak opted to bat first but were made to rue that decision when Wells bowled opener Finn McCracken and No 3 Ian Bass to leave them 0-2.

Wells (3-19 off eight overs) then removed skipper Alex Corbett-Ball and Oak’s day went from bad to worse as they slithered to 37-7.

Roland Barnard (3-10) and skipper Anthony Watton (2-17) were also among the wickets as Oak eventually mustered 84 - opener Connor Potter (46 not out) carrying his bat.

Watton (23) and Neil Wellington (22 not out) helped Hayling win in the 31st over. It was their fifth win in seven completed games and they occupy the final promotion place behind Kerala 3rds and Portsmouth Community.

There was also a victory for Hayling Island 3rds, who beat Sarisbury 5ths by six wickets.

Opener Freddie Denton (34) and No 3 Rueban Hare (26) laid foundations for Sarisbiry, but Steve Barber (3-27), Jason Longhurst (2-13) and Steve Green (2-15) dismissed them for 107.

Hayling were 7-2 in reply but opener James Swan (41) and wicket-keeper Zac Gillam (42) added 87 for the third wicket and the visitors won in the 25th over.

Denmead held their nerve to beat Portsmouth & Southsea 4ths by just one run.

After Denmead had been restricted to 138-9, P & S saw their top four batsmen muster just 10 runs between them.

Skipper Matt Wheeler (38) and Harry Yard (26) led a fightback before they were both dismissed by Matt Betteridge (2-20).

Stephen Pinhorne, batting at No 9, was joint second highest scorer with 26 not out but his side could only finish on 137-8.

Denmead’s Joe Parkins (2-22) dismissed top order pair Lenny Field and Rory Simpson for ducks and also ran out opener Danny Fry-Sperring (8).