Matt De Villiers and Josh Croom on course to new 21st century Southern Premier  League runs and wickets records

And that’s despite there being EIGHT weeks left of the 2022 season!

Hambledon’s Matt De Villiers has compiled 713 Division 2 runs at 101.71 - compared to Langley Manor batter Jack Budd’s 2021 total of 708.

In the bowling ranks, South Wilts’ left-arm quick Josh Croom has taken 36 Premier Division wickets at 11.31 - compared to Charlie Gwynn’s seasonal haul of 33 while playing for Fair Oak 12 months ago.

At their current rates, both De Villiers and Croom should set new records for the most runs and most wickets in a SPL season since the league was awarded ECB status in 2000.

De Villiers requires 364 runs from a maximum of eight innings - an average of 45.5 per innings - to overtake Will Prozesky’s 2005 record.

Prozesky compiled 1,076 runs, mainly for Purbrook in Division 3 after beginning the season in the top flight with Havant.

The 2022 season has so far been blessed with good weather, with not a single game called off due to rain.

But De Villiers missed out on one innings when Hambledon’s derby match at Waterlooville was cancelled earlier this month due to travellers having moved into Jubilee Park.

The South African has still scored almost 200 runs more than anyone else in the SPL, though, with Ventnor’s Dineth Thimodya second in the list with 521.

South Wilts opener Tom Morton (503) is the Premier’s highest runscorer, ahead of Havant’s Chris Stone (496).

Portsmouth & Southsea batter Jack Davies (465) and Sarisbury’s Sam Floyd (455) complete the top six across the four tiers of the SPL.

As for Croom, he needs 12 wickets to overhaul Matt Metcalfe’s 2019 total of 47 while playing for Lymington.

The teenager – who has played for Hampshire 2nd XI this year - has taken 11 more wickets than anyone else in the SPL this year, with Lymington’s James Hartshorn in second place.