Stone stars as Locks Heath move back into Hampshire League promotion places – Division 3 South round-up

Locks are just a point above Portsmouth-based Kerala following a maximum points victory at Knellers Lane.

Asked to chase 248, openers Joe Baker (38) and colt George McDowell (22) got them off to a good start before Stone – NOT the Simon Stone who plays football for Locks Heath in the Hampshire Premier League – came in at the fall of the first wicket.

He was still there at the end, having struck 11 boundaries in his unbeaten 89 - his highest 1st XI score for the club.

No 6 Jon Whitfield (40) provided good support and Louis Fernandes - another colt from Locks’ successful youth system - was 12 not out as the winning runs came off the final ball of the 44th over.

On his first appearance of the season, Darren Coe mopped up the Langley tail to finish with 4-58 as the hosts were bowled out for 247.

Captain Kaine Stanton (84) and Pete Jerram (50) had top scored for the hosts, with Fernandes taking 3-52.

Skipper Matt Taylor continued his Bradmanesque form as leaders Calmore Sports claimed a 10th successive victory.

A few weeks ago, after 127 league innings for the club, Taylor had scored just one century - back in 2014.

But now he has five in 132 knocks after a fourth ton in five innings - and his latest was a career best 163 not out against Shanklin & Godshill.

After scores of 126 not out, 141 not out, 14 and 112 in his previous four HL games, Taylor smacked 18 fours and six sixes off just 90 balls as Calmore posted 335-4 off their 45 overs.

In doing so, he passed 1,000 runs in all games in 2022 - he now has 1,057 runs from 22 league, cup and friendly innings.

In reply, Yannick De Mezieres Lepervanche (3-38) dismissed both Shanklin openers for a combined total of one. They eventually reached 134, crashing to a 201-run defeat.

Taylor is now just eight runs adrift of Baker in the race to finish as the leading runscorer in Division 3 South. After 10 matches each, Baker has 693 runs at 99.00 while Taylor now has 685 at a huge 171.25 average. Third best, a long way behind, is Sarisbury’s Simon Orr with 430 runs.

Kerala bowled opponents Folland out for only 79 - but still dropped out of the promotion places due to picking up only 23 points for a nine-wicket success.

The division’s leading wicket-taker, Dawn Ambi, bagged 3-12 as Folland’s decision to bat first backfired. Extras (33) was their top scorer with captain Joseph Batchelor (20) the only batter in double figures.

Presh Prasad (35) and Rakesh Janardhanan (27 not out) put on 66 for the first wicket in reply as Kerala triumphed in only 13 overs.

Ian Rogers and Sayeed Shahid hit half-centuries as Portsmouth & Southsea caned Verwood by nine wickets.

After the hosts posted 158-9, Rogers (61 not out) and Shahid (53) eased P & S to victory in 27 overs.

Romit Patel took 3-23 as Verwood failed to push on after reaching 125-3.

Chris Sanders (71) top scored as Sarisbury posted a more than competitive 242-9 against Totton & Eling 2nds. Orr (44) and Paul Paul Friedrich (31 not out) were also amongst the runs at Southern Gardens.

But it still wasn’t a high enough total - T & E winning by five wickets with eight balls remaining thanks to Hamza Hamid (69 not out) and opener Max Connolly (59).