Gosport Borough batter Gerry Archer Junior hits maiden Hampshire League century – and his highest score since the mid-1990s!

Opening the batting, Archer plundered 134 as the promotion-chasing 3rds rattled up 324-6 off 40 overs in a Division 6 South East fixture.

It was his highest score since hitting 83 for Gosport 3rds against Steep 2nds in a Hampshire Combination game back in August 1996 - when John Major was still Prime Minister and Oasis’s popularity was at an all-time high.

Archer was still a teenager back then, when he was first given the ‘Junior’ tag as his dad, also called Gerry, was a Gosport player at the time.

Archer Senior - who only gave up playing a few years ago - was at the ground to see his son celebrate his maiden hundred.

Archer Junior’s opening partner, Russell Weller, was bowled by Danny Bradley-Turner for a second ball duck.

But Robert Wood (59) helped him add 152 for the second wicket and Scott Rodwell (28) took part in a third wicket partnership of 61.

Jacob Patten then belted an unbeaten 65, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 78 before Archer Junior was bowled by Tom Price after hitting 21 fours and six sixes.

Keith Harris was close to a second successive HL century when the 4ths replied. After hitting 107 not out against Emsworth 3rds in his previous innings, he was last man out for 90 when Archer Junior caught him off the bowling of skipper Greg Kitchin.

The 4ths had looked on course for fierce beating when they careered to 98-9 (Freddie Boswell (3-10), but No 10 Ervin Reji (45 not out) helped Harris add 101 for the ninth wicket in a remarkable show of resistance.

The 4ths, though, were all out for 201 to lose by 123 runs - their ninth loss in 10 league games.

The 3rds, though, are now just 0.2 of a point behind third-placed Purbrook 3rds - and the top three go up.

They gained ground on Purbrook, who lost to Petersfield by 14 runs after being asked to chase only 131 for victory.

Inevitably, Hayden Sole - the division’s leading runscorer - top scored with 45 for Purbrook at the top of the order.

But the next nine batters only mustered 27 between them before last man Matthew Porton (14 not out) became only the second person in double figures.

Even helped by 30 extras, Purbrook fell short of Petersfield’s 130-8 total off 40 overs - Rob Allerston bagging 4-32 in their 116 all out total.

As for Gosport 3rds, their next game is against 100 per cent table-toppers Portsmouth Community.

Kitchin’s men will be looking to beat a top three team for the first time in 2022, after losing by eight wickets to Purbrook and by one wicket to Fair Oak 4ths.

‘There’s still all to play for,’ said Kitchin. ‘Portsmouth Community are a good side, but hopefully we can pull off a bit of a shock.

‘We weren’t at our strongest when we lost to Purbrook, but it was a great game against Fair Oak. They only won off the penultimate ball by one wicket - you don’t really mind losing a game like that.’