Third Southern Premier League title in four years for Hambledon
Hambledon have been crowned Southern Premier League Division 2 champions after clinching a third title in four years with an emphatic 100-run win over New Milton at Fernhill.
It means they will be back playing tier two cricket next season, with potential derby matches against Havant, Sarisbury and Waterlooville, depending upon the outcome of matches in the last two rounds of fixtures.
South African Justin Behrens, who hit a century and took five Sway wickets the previous weekend, shone again.
This time he top scored with 72 in a Dons total of 241-7 at Fernhill.
Then he took 3-27 as the hosts were dismissed for 141 to give Hambledon their 13th win in 14 completed Division 2 fixtures.
Chris Pratt scored 40 to take his season's run tally past the 550-mark while Ed Moger (37) and Henry Glanfield (26) made quick runs for the Dons.
Teenage spinner Ollie Bembridge later took 4-13 off 5.4 overs as New Milton lost their last five wickets for 19 runs.
Langley Manor remain just ahead of Portsmouth & Southsea in the race for the second promotion place.
Sean Ervine was again in form as Manor defeated Liphook & Ripsley by seven wickets at Ripsley Park.
Earlier this month the former Hampshire all-rounder slammed an SPL best 128 not out against P & S.
This time he struck an undefeated 54 as Manor eased to victory with almost 15 overs in hand.
Another ex-Hampshire player, Jack Campbell, hit an unbeaten 31 in sharing an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 80 with Ervine.
Campbell, who has been playing for Sussex in this year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup, had earlier taken 3-19 off 10 overs as Liphook slipped from 166-5 to close on 171-9.