Fareham & Crofton post almost 300 in Hampshire League – and still lose – while Emsworth dish out a hammering

Nick Willcock blasted an unbeaten 133 off 103 balls - with 10 fours and three sixes - as the north Hampshire club powered their way past F & C’s 299-8 total.

F & C had been favourites when the hosts slipped to 107. But Willcock shared three successive half-century stands as the hosts remained in third place in County Division 1.

He put on 76 for the fifth wicket with skipper Darren Turner (33) and 61 for the sixth with Tom Jackson (16).

Willcock and Sanjay Sridhar (25 not out) then shared an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 57 as Old Basing won with 16 balls to spare.

Morgan Frost and Jeremy Bulled had been the mainstays of F & C’s total after they had elected to bat.

Frost struck 76, his second highest league score after his 103 for F & C against St Cross 3rds six years ago. And Bulled - who entered the game having struck 83, 49 not out, 99, 100 and 10 in his previous five league innings - hit 75 off 77 balls.

Opener Viraat Sahu (42) and Sam Stoddart (38) also contributed.

Elsewhere in County Division 1, Ryde teenager Oscar Van De Casteele struck his second HL century in three innings.

Back in June, the 16-year-old thumped 138 not out against Tichborne Park. He then struck 66 the following week against leaders Compton & Chandler’s Ford.

After a month out, Van De Casteele returned in style - hitting an undefeated 105 as the Isle of Wight club stormed past Hursley Park’s 236-5 total for the loss of only three wickets.

*Ultra-consistent Anurag Sharma moved past 50 for the seventh time in 10 Hampshire League County Division 2 innings this season as Emsworth dished out a hammering to Wherwell.

The opener took his County Division 2 tally to 611 at an average of 67.89 with 86 as Emsworth rattled up 302-6 at Coldharbour Lawn.

He put on 113 for the first wicket with James Swaine (36) and 51 for the second with Joe Scott (27).

Sam Worsley then equalled his league best with an unbeaten 71 as Emsworth moved past the 300 barrier.

Wherwell progressed to 49-2 in reply, before losing their last eight wickets for 42 - all out for 91 to lose by a huge 211-run margin. Lewis Roberts bagged 4-7 - his best figures for Emsworth and his best since three five-wicket hauls for Bidbury in Division 4 South in 2015.

In the same division, former England Test international Rikki Clarke skippered Shrewton against Bishop’s Waltham.

Clarke opened the bowling and bagged 4-37, but Tim Agapow’s 86 helped Waltham post 251-9.

Shrewton were bundled out for 134 - Clarke, with two HL centuries to his name this year, out for 23 - to lose by 117 runs. Despite their heavy loss, the Wiltshire club remain third - and the top three go up.