Le Clercqs help Hambledon to the brink of Hampshire League Division 4 South promotion

The club’s 1st XI have already clinched promotion from Division 3 of the Southern Premier League, and the 2nds are close to following them.

Chairman Mark Le Clercq and his son Spencer were in the wickets as Hambledon defeated Hythe & Dibden 2nds in a high-scoring encounter on the Waterside.

Mark bagged 3-47 and Spencer 3-64 - the latter’s victims included top scorer George Sanderson (70) - as Hythe, chasing 251, were dismissed for 217.

Opener David Mann (84) and James Marshall (75) had shared a second wicket stand of 118 as Hambledon posted 250-5 after electing to bat first.

Lewis Le Clercq (44) and Joel Eastment (32) were also in the runs as the visitors secured a 10th win in 11 completed league games.

Gosport Borough 2nds are favourites to win promotion alongside Hambledon.

After beating Mansbridge by 68 runs, another victory over lowly Locks Heath 2nds in their final fixture will see them go up.

Opener Ross Harrop hit an unbeaten 81 as Borough posted 180-3 - Peter Robson (27) helping him add 77 for the first wicket and Alex Adams (30) 65 for the third wicket.

Mansbridge never recovered from crashing to 11-3 and were dismissed for 112 - opening bowlers Srinath Nugegoda (2-3 off six overs) and Gavin King (2-16) the main wicket-takers.

Tom Wheeler and Qaiser Naveed hit half-centuries as Portsmouth & Southsea 3rds defeated Bedhampton 2nds.

But while Wheeler took 113 balls to make 72, Naveed lashed four fours and four sixes in racing to 55 off just 29 deliveries as P & S posted 193-7 (Brian Burridge 3-44) at Bidbury Mead.

In reply, both Bedhampton openers - Ross Basketeer (5) and George Parvin (6) - were caught and bowled by Connor Saunders.

Saunders went on to finish with 4-17 and, with Shan Shajhan bagging 3-21, Bedhampton were restricted to 151-9 to lose by 42 runs.

Harry McBride struck his second highest league score as Waterlooville 2nds inflicted an 11th loss in 12 league games on Locks Heath 2nds.

McBride hit five fours and three sixes in his 82 and, with opener Tom Seve hitting 62, Ville posted 223-8 after electing to bat.

Jamie Earley (2-10) was the most economical of the three Bedhampton bowlers who bagged two wickets.

Tom Southall (2-5) and Aiden Neal (2-21) were prominent as the Mariners lurched from 32-0 to 56-6 in reply.

Gary Rogers (44 off 41 balls) and Saransh Gupta (25 not out) put on 67 for the seventh wicket but Bedhampton closed on 130-7.

Tom Lawler’s Hampshire League best failed to save lowly Railway Triangle from another defeat.

Lawler struck an unbeaten 88 - the next highest was 26 - as Triangle posted 174-8 against Southampton Travellers at Drayton Park.

Triangle looked on course for only a second league win of 2021 after making good inroads, but an unbroken seventh wicket stand between Abhijit Jagadeesh (79 not out) and Ramnik Behar (28 not out) as Travellers won on 175-6.