McGovern hits maiden Southern Premier League ton and Glanfield passes 500-run milestone as Hambledon take another giant step to promotion

Daniel McGovern struck his maiden Southern Premier League century as Hambledon took another huge step towards promotion.
Henry Glanfield is  only the second player in the Southern Premier League to hit 500 league runs in 2021.
Picture Ian HargreavesHenry Glanfield is  only the second player in the Southern Premier League to hit 500 league runs in 2021.
Picture Ian Hargreaves
Henry Glanfield is only the second player in the Southern Premier League to hit 500 league runs in 2021. Picture Ian Hargreaves

They crushed Trojans by 149 runs to record a ninth win in 10 completed Division 3 matches.

As a result, Hambledon hold a commanding lead over third-placed Gosport Borough - the top two go up - with just three matches remaining.

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Hambledon are averaging an impressive 20.2 points per game - easily the highest across the four-division SPL structure - with Gosport averaging 17.56.

And the Dons, skippered by Spencer Le Clercq, face third-bottom Hythe & Dibden and cellar dwellers Tichborne Park in their next two matches before a final day visit to Basingstoke & North Hants 2nds.

In one of only six - out of 20 - SPL matches to avoid a watery grave at the weekend, McGovern struck 114 as Hambledon rattled up 260-4 after being inserted at Trojans’ Stoneham Lane HQ.

It was the opener’s first ton in the SPL, but his second for the club - having compiled an unbeaten 101 on his debut in a pre-season friendly against Bishop’s Waltham.

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After Ed Moger had departed for a third-ball duck, McGovern and Henry Glanfield (60 off 74 balls) added 141 for the second wicket.

Chris Pratt (28) and Le Clercq (28 not out) also offered good support before McGovern was finally out having hit nine fours and five sixes in his 129-ball knock.

Trojans were set a rain-revised target of 221 in 34 overs, but were routed for 71.

James Restell (3-30) removed three of the top four before Ben Reilly (4-7 - five of which were wides) and Shahryar Khan (2-5) were central to the hosts losing their last seven wickets for just 16 runs to suffer a heavy defeat.

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Extras (22, including 17 wides) top scored for Trojans with Syed Mahmood (21) one of only three batsmen in double figures.

*Glanfield and McGovern are now two of the highest-scoring batsmen across the four SPL divisions.

Glanfield is in second place with 501 runs at 55.17, with only Langley Manor’s Jack Budd (575 at 82.14) above him in the run charts.

Budd has struck two centuries and four half-centuries in 2021, including 64 against Hambledon in May.

McGovern is sixth in the list with 413 runs at 41.30.

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Others in the top 10 are: Anthony Alleyne (Ventnor, 494), Ben Duggan (Portsmouth, 424), Jason Laney (St Cross 2nds, 422), Ximus Du Plooy (Lymington, 408), Toby Albert (Hampshire Academy, 399), Luke Webb (Bournemouth, 364) and Josh Hill (Sarisbury, 360).

Hill also hammered 223 on his sole outing for Sarisbury 2nds in the Hampshire League.

Dan Stancliffe (Burridge) and Tyler Bradley (Basingstoke & North Hants) have both taken the most SPL wickets in 2021 - 27 apiece.

Stancliffe’s wickets have come in the top flight at an average of 15.3, while Bradley has taken his in the second tier at an average of just 8.1.

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Joe Randall (Liphook), Charlie Gwynn (Fair Oak) and Harlan Greig (New Milton) have all taken 26 wickets, and Burridge skipper Hilio De Abreu and South Wilts’ Matthew Burton have 25.

South African Bash Walter, who was due to be Havant’s overseas player in 2020 pre-pandemic, has taken 24 wickets in the top flight for Alton.