From zeroes to heroes – after losing their five of their first six games of 2024, few would have rated Fair Oak I’s chances of finishing in a top-two promotion position in Southern Premier League Division 2.  But that’s just what they achieved. Victory away at New Milton propelled them into second place by just 0.15 of a point after rivals Langley Manor and Portsmouth & Southsea both lost.

Fair Oak rarely do things the easy way.  That was emphasised on Saturday when they clinched their seventh consecutive win with to a six hit by number eleven Tom Merrill.  Merrill, who to be fair is a better player than his position in the batting order would suggest, came to the wicket at 136 for 9 in reply to New Milton’s total of 142 all out.  In the end his innings of 8 not out, in company with Lewis Goodyear, unbeaten on 9, proved the key to – hopefully – starting 2025 in the uncharted waters of Premier 1.

Earlier, the Oaks spinners had again woven their magic to put their side in a strong position. Goodyear (3 for 27) and Monty McKenzie (3 for 26) had pegged the home side back from 68 for 1 (James Adams 30, Ollie Shrubsole 31).  After that only Thakieer Davids, with 20, and Ben Griffiths (15) reached double figures as the pacy Ben Smith carved through the home tail with 3 for 27.

After tea, at 78 for 6 it looked as if Fair Oak’s charge was to come to an undignified end.  But they built on McKenzie’s knock of 28 through Smith (15) and Rhys Oxley (26) to set the scene for the Merrill show.  Ed Denham (3 for 18), Josh Bennett (3 for 19) and Adams (2 for 13) could all feel disappointed to finish the match on the losing side.

Oaks wrap up their excellent campaign on Sunday 8th September with the final of the Southern League Twenty20 Plate against Burridge.  The scheduled start time at Totton & Eling is 10:30am.

There was a disappointing end to a good Hampshire League Division 2 season for Fair Oak II, who suffered a heavy home defeat to neighbours Bishops Waltham.  Oaks found that none of their batters could get going on a pitch of inconsistent bounce.  Waltham seamer Sam Williams cashed in with five wickets for 37, while Martin Upshall claimed 2 for 9.  Seven Fair Oaks batsmen reached double figures, but none could go beyond James Todd’s 22; the hosts were all out for 149.

Waltham suffered no such problems when they batted.  The only wicket they lost was that of Harry Barrett, bowled by Joeh Turner for 29, but by then they were well on the way to victory.  Jim Holder showed great quality with 69 not out, and youngster Sam Wakely kept him company with an unbeaten 23.  The visitors wrapped in the win at 152 for 1 in the 33rd over.

Fair Oak finished twelfth of the eighteen-team division, and must now wait to see how the planned reorganisation of the league affects what division they will be playing in for 2025.

Fair Oak III can hold their heads high after finishing thirteenth in Hampshire Division 4 South despite losing in their final match at Burridge III.  The hosts were given a good start by Cameron White (42) and Duncan Field (35).  Nathan Lys then took three wickets and Charlie White and Tom Turner two each, but Burridge powered their way to 224 all out thanks to the efforts of Nick Creal (44) and Taimoor Shah (36).

The vastly experienced Creal went on to take 3 for 27 and Aaron Holloway-Jenks 4 for 30, and Oaks were in a lot of trouble at 33 for 4 and 70 for 6.  But Mitch le Tissier smacked three sixes and six fours in an innings of 53, while Toby Wolverson cracked 52.  The target proved beyond Fair Oak’s reach, but they banked plenty of bonus points by making 202 all out in 35 overs.

Fair Oak IV have good cause to be delighted with their season after a five-wicket home win over Burridge IV saw them to a comfortable twelfth of the eighteen teams in Hampshire Division 5 South.  Burridge batted first, and struggled to 144 for 9 from their 40 overs.  Opener Deepak Sharma top scored with 31, while Mayank Visavadia (3 for 15), Tom Clark-James (3 for 23) and Seb Chambers (2 for 20) all prospered with the ball.

Youth players were very much to the fore in Oaks’ reply.  Albert Voaden, in an unaccustomed role at the top of the order, made 42.  But the real star was Oliver Goodyear.  His unbeaten 62 saw Oaks home from a precarious 50 for 4, despite Dominic Osborne’s three wickets for 25 for the visiting side.  There were still a full four overs in the bank when Fair Oak breasted the tape at 145 for 5.