Gosport boost promotion hopes as they inflict first defeat of the season on Southern Premier League Division 3 leaders Hambledon

Promoted from the Hampshire League in 2019, Borough are now only two points adrift of second-placed Hook & Newnham Basics 2nds with both those sides having won six of their eight completed matches.

Hambledon skipper Spencer Le Celercq elected to bat and lost opening partner Dan McGovern (2) cheaply.

But the in-form Henry Glanfield (46) helped his captain add 86 for the second wicket before he was dismissed by Jack Richards (4-22).

Richards immediately removed Chris Pratt (0) and Hambledon had lost three wickets for one run when Le Clercq (32) was caught off the bowling of Charlie Pennicott.

Another collapse saw the table-toppers fall from 106-4 to 110-8 before closing on 145-9.

McGovern (2-42) was central when Gosport were reduced to 59-4, but any nerves were settled by a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket between Charlie Creal (31) and Jacob Harris.

Mark Toogood (18 not out) then helped Harris (37 not out) add an unbroken 37 for the sixth wicket as the hosts won in the 34th over.

Purbrook’s top score during their innings against fellow strugglers Tichborne Park was extras (30).

But they still collected a second successive Division 3 victory - after starting the season with six straight losses - to move out of the two-team relegation zone.

Martin Lee, the previous week’s centurion against Hythe & Dibden, top scored with the bat (21) as Purbrook progressed to 43-1. A clatter of wickets saw them crumble to 75-8 before Aaron Dean (22 not out) and James Gurney (13) helped add 45 for the last two wickets.

Park’s reply followed a similar pattern. They had reached 49-1 in reply, only to see six wickets crash for 17 runs to Dean (3-9 off eight overs) and Lee (3-13).

Kieron Connell (14) and Matt Bristow (12) added 28 for the eighth wicket before the latter was dismissed by Josh McCoy (3-29).

Park were dismissed for 94 in the 32nd over.

Portsmouth & Southsea moved up to fourth place with Jack Davies hitting an unbeaten half-century in the win against Basingstoke & North Hants 2nds.

After bowling their opponents out for 158, Davies and Chris Bollom (45) put on 74 for the third wicket as the hosts romped to a seven-wicket win with almost nine overs in hand.

Davies hit nine fours and a six in compiling an undefeated 54 off 50 deliveries.

Opener Shaun Briggs had been almost as aggressive, hitting five fours and two sixes in scoring 39 off 44 balls as P & S won for the fifth time in seven completed matches.

Josh Coombs (55) had earlier taken Basingstoke to 83-1, but Kieron Dunstan (3-32) and Matt Williams (3-34) pegged them back.

Coombs was eventually eighth out at 149, with the innings ending nine runs later.

Joe Randall ran through Waterlooville’s top order as new table-toppers Liphook & Ripsley claimed a Southern Premier League Division 2 victory at Rowlands Avenue.

Randall returned career best SPL figures of 5-21 as Ville were shot out for 93 en route to a four-wicket loss.

Randall removed the whole of the Ville top five - with Alex Shepherd, Tim Jackson and Daniel Birch all failing to score.

Sonny Reynolds was out for five and Ville were a sorry 22-5 when skipper Archie Reynolds was clean bowled for 11.

Namish Verma (25) and Sam Robinson (19 not out) restored some pride before Ryan Covey (3-7) mopped up the tail.

Covey (31) and Rob Nicklin (20) put on 49 for Liphook’s first wicket before Sam Hillman (2-26) removed both.

Liphook endured a slight hiccup, when 80-3 became 83-6, but won in the 32nd over to replace Hartley Wintney in top spot.