Centuries for Bedhampton, Waterlooville and Purbrook batters – Hampshire Cricket League Division 6 South East round-up
Entering the game with a previous highest score of just 30, Saunders hit an unbeaten 104 in an unbroken double century stand with opening partner Paul O’Leary.
Asked to chase 203 for victory at Bidbury Mead, Saunders and O’Leary - whose unbeaten 75 was also a Bedhampton best - knocked off the runs inside 33 overs of the Division 6 South East fixture.
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Hide AdSaunders - who in 2021 compiled just 30 runs in eight league innings, including four ducks - hit 17 fours and a six off 113 balls, while O’Leary struck nine fours off 87 deliveries.
Earlier, Tom Vetcher had compiled his maiden century as Ville posted 202-5 in their 40 overs.
Vetcher - whose previous highest score was 89 five years ago - hit 12 fours and two sixes on his way to 116, sharing a second wicket stand of 131 with Josh Quade (46).
Hayden Sole is now averaging 338 in the league after an unbeaten century helped Purbrook 3rds claim a seventh straight win.
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Hide AdSole followed up scores of 84 not out, 88 not out and 62 with 104 not out as Purbrook defeated Gosport Borough 4ths by eight wickets.
But a failure to pick up maximum points saw them drop to second place on a points-per-game average, Portsmouth Community being elevated into top spot.
Peter Robson (57), extras (47) and Darryl Mills (36 not out) had helped Borough post 190-4 after they had chosen to bat.
Liam Mengham (48 not out) helped Sole add an unbroken 166 for the second Purbrook wicket.
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Hide AdRichard Stephens was left stranded just a boundary short of his second Petersfield century.
He ended on 96 not out in a total of 287-3 against Denmead - his highest score since making 104 10 years ago.
James Longland (62) and Tom Stratford-Tuke (53 not out) were also in the runs before Denmead - who only had eight players - were routed for 79 to crash to a 208-run loss.
Toby Wehrle was in the wickets and runs as Portsmouth 4ths thrashed Hayling Island 3rds.
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Hide AdHe made a stunning start by reducing Hayling to 0-3 after the visitors had elected to bat - removing Ivan Brown, Neil Wellington and James Brown en route to finishing with 3-29.
Craig Ellis (50) and Alex Johnson (43) helped Hayling reach 152 with Portsmouth chairman Rick Marston (4-7) cleaning up their tail.
Wehrle (76 not out), Richard Rigby (34) and Ryan Savage (36 not out) eased Portsmouth to a nine-wicket win.
Michael Gravells followed up his maiden century the week before with an unbeaten 84 as Gosport 3rds thumped Portsmouth & Southsea 4ths.
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Hide AdOpener Ryan Grant (81) helped Gosport post 247-4 before the same player then did more damage with the ball - bagging 4-6, including a three-wicket burst as P & S slipped from 46-2 to 64-5.
Opener Felix Stanley (50 not out) carried his bat as P & S were bowled out for 129 to lose by 118 runs.
No 9 Luke Beeching scored an unbeaten half-century on his Fareham & Crofton 4ths debut - but in a losing cause against Clanfield 2nds.
Beeching’s 55 not out was easily his side’s highest score as they were bowled out for 135 (David Sansom 2-9, PJ Ford 2-14, Andy Wellen 2-22).
That was in reply to Clanfield’s 220-8, where extras (53) had been the top scorer. Another tailender - No 8 Ford (50) - was top scorer with the bat.