Locks Heath opener Joe Baker hits SIXTH century in 12 innings – but he’s still not the highest runscorer in the Hampshire League in 2022

The opener is now in sight of 1,000 runs for the season in all competitions - and we’re only a few days into July!

Baker smacked 125 as Locks put the previous week’s disappointment behind them - their 100 per cent start to the Hampshire League season had been ended by table-topping Calmore 2nds - to rattle up 340-3 against New Milton 2nds at Fernhill. For good measure, Baker then returned career best bowling figures.

Locks skipper Andrew Booth also reached three figures - in his case by hitting a boundary off the last ball of the innings - for the second time in Division 3 South action this season.

After Booth had won the toss, Baker and Max Hoile (32) put on 70 for the first wicket before Matt Wake (17) helped Baker add a further 60 for the second.

Baker and Booth then plundered 176 for the third wicket with the former hitting 19 fours in his fourth HL ton of 2022.

Booth slapped nine fours and five fours in racing to his hundred off just 60 balls. In all, Locks scored 93 runs off the final six overs.

In total contrast, second bottom New Milton lost both openers - Joseph Wooster and skipper Lewis Naylor - for ducks.

Completing a memorable day, Baker - the sixth bowler Locks used - bagged 4-5 as Milton careered to 137 all out, Locks winning by a huge 203-run margin.

Baker, meanwhile, has now scored 655 league runs at 109.17. He is the only batter across the whole of the Hampshire League to have compiled four league tons this year - his others being 118 not out (v Cadnam), 136 (v Bashley 3rds) and 118 not out (v Verwood).

In addition, Baker also scored an undefeated 112 against Lyndhurst & Ashurst in a friendly and 114 not out for Locks in a 20-over Midweek League fixture against Portsmouth & Southsea. On that latter occasion, no other Locks batter scored more than 11.

In all, Baker has now struck 936 runs in 12 innings at an average of 133.71 in 2022.

For all that, though, he still isn’t the highest scoring batter in the Hampshire League this year. That honour currently belongs to Craig Dennett, who has accrued 713 for Suttons in Division 5 South West - 58 more than Baker has scored for Locks.

Dennett was agonisingly close to a third successive league ton at the weekend. Needing to hit a six to bring up both victory and his century against New Milton 3rds, he could only manage a boundary to finish on 99 not out.

His previous league scores in 2022 had been 5, 155 not out, 51, 50, 57, 27, 151 not out and 118.

As for Locks, they are now level on points with second-placed Kerala following the Portsmouth-based club’s victory over Bashley 3rds.

Kerala were in early trouble when Henry Coutts (3-34) removed their top three, who all scored just four apiece.

Baiju Kurian was their star performer, hitting 81 - his highest score for four years - as Kerala recovered to post 186 (Thom Reid 4-39), No 8 Jinoy Mathai providing a crucial 35.

Skipper Dawn Ambi then bagged 4-31 as Bashley were restricted to 168 all out. Ambi, with 21 victims at 13.76, is now four clear at the top of the list of the bowlers with most wickets in the division.

Like Locks, Calmore 2nds also boasted two centurions as they hammered rock bottom Fareham & Crofton 2nds.

Calmore captain Matt Taylor struck his third HL ton of the summer - 112 off 102 balls - as his men amassed 330-3 at Bath Lane after he had elected to bat.

Taylor had previously struck an unbeaten 126 against Sarisbury 2nds and 141 not out against Sway 2nds.

This time, Taylor was outscored by opener Michael Cook, whose 121 was his second league century of 2022 - after 106 against Gosport 2nds.

Cook and Taylor put on 196 for the second wicket, with Cook and Dipanjan Dey (51 not out) adding a further 98 for the third. Fareham, still without a win this term, also conceded 31 wides - Andrew Martin bowling 15 of them - as part of a 40-run extras total.

Ryan Fitsell (38) and Ben Kissane (36) top scored with the bat - there were also 36 extras - as Fareham at least avoided being bowled out, ending on 173-8, but still losing by 157 runs.

Skipper Tom Larner compiled his highest score for four years as Gosport Borough 2nds defeated their Sarisbury counterparts by six wickets.

Asked to chase 164 for victory at Privett Park, Larner cracked an unbeaten 56 - his highest innings since 124 against Fawley for Gosport’s 1sts in a Southern Premier League game in 2018.

Charlie Pennicott (44) helped his skipper add 87 for the fourth wicket.

Skipper Paul Friedrich had earlier ensured Sarisbury posted a relatively competitive score.

After nosediving to 84-8, Friedrich - batting at No 8 - top scored with 47, adding 66 for the ninth wicket with Jon Floyd (16) as Sarisbury were dismissed for 163 (Srinath Nugegoda 3-31).

Sayeed Shahid and Mani Noor-Spencer helped Portsmouth & Southsea 2nds to victory against their Totton & Eling counterparts.

Shahid top scored with 52 - including 11 fours - as P & S recovered from 52-4 to reach 183 (Toby Green 4-35) after being inserted at St James’. Extras (39, including 24 wides) was the next highest total.

Noor-Spencer was then introduced into the attack as first change, claiming 4-37 as T & E slipped to 96-5. The visitors eventually lost their last wicket on 168, losing by 15 runs.

Elsewhere in the division, Dave Coy whacked a career best 133 not out - with 16 fours and four sixes - as Verwood posted 304-7 against Folland, who were dismissed for 145 in reply.