Tom Gates hit a competitive best 126 as bottom-of-the-table Fawley caused the season’s biggest upset by beating Southern Electric Premier League Division 1 promotion chasers Basingstoke & North Hants by two wickets in front of their own stunned May’s Bounty followers.

Gates led the way, hitting three sixes and 18 boundaries, as Fawley successfully chased down Basingstoke’s 228-7 to win with seven balls to spare.

It was only the second time this season Fawley had won – their victory piling the pressure on Hursley Park and Liphook & Ripsley at the foot of the table.

Skipper Paul Marks described Gates’s knock as “a stand-out innings.”

“He overcame the new ball and once he got in, Tom punished anything lose, hitting a stack of boundaries. It was a terrific knock.”

Fawley achieved their win despite Dave Streather and Paul Marks bagging ducks at the top of the order.

Gates, in irresistible form from the start, found reliable partners in Andy Parratt (29) and specifically Kieran Earl (22) as Fawley went from 80-3 to 184-4 – a position from which they were able to press on for a tense victory.

But it was largely a one-man Tom Gates show that won the match for Fawley, though the game was almost back in the balance when he eventually holed out in the deep off Matt Thankachan (2-37) to leave the visitors 211-5.

“It got a bit tense at that point, especially when we then lost three more wickets, but we eventually got home with two balls to spare,” said a relieved Marks.

Basingstoke had been put into bat, but overcame the early loss of Patrick Joseph to reach 116-1 through Chris Froud (60) and Dan Coombs (51).

But when Froud was run out – Gates was the fielder – their innings lost direction, with left-armer Wayne Royan taking 2-46 and spin duo Elijah Turriff-Smith and Wayne Smith bowling well without reward.

Steve Bucksey and Martin James, both 33, and Craig Williamson (24) scored runs in the middle-order, but Basingstoke’s 228-7 was below par.

James Woolgar (3-46) bowled well for Fawley.

“We will take a lot of confidence from beating Basingstoke. We’re playing much better now and when everyone plays, we’re not a bad side,” Marks concluded.

Fawley are now only 14 points behind Liphook & Ripsley, who lost by 59 runs at Bournemouth, who defended 193-9.