The pressure is piling up on Basingstoke & North Hants to beat arch local rivals Hook & Newnham Basics on Saturday.
With uncertainty still surrounding Calmore’s ground/youth accreditation promotion credentials, the final runners-up position in British Gas Southern League Division 1 could buy a ticket into next year’s Premiership.
Going into the final round of matches, Basingstoke trail Calmore Sports by 17 points – but third placed Bournemouth are hot on their tails.
The Lions are only five points behind Basingstoke after a narrow 18-run win over Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.
Basingstoke, meanwhile, lost eight wickets chasing down Tichborne Park’s 136.
It means Basingstoke will have to win at Hook, who thrashed them by seven wickets in Sunday’s Guy Jewell T20 Cup final.
If they don’t, Bournemouth could snatch second place – if they beat a buoyant Sarisbury Athletic at Chapel Gate.
Basingstoke so nearly made a hash of things at already relegated Tichborne Park, dropping to 83-6 (Will Allam 3-13) before Chris Jolley and David Griffiths each made 23 to steer them out of trouble.
Bournemouth won’t find Sarisbury Athletic a pushover as their visitors come to Chapel Gate on the back of a three-match winning run.
A modest 143 (Tom Mills 42) was enough to beat Liphook & Ripsley, who could only muster ten men for the trip to Allotment Road, where they were skittled for a meagre 47. Ricky Rawlins and Jordan Wright shared six of the wickets.
Hook & Newnham Basics sharpened up for the Basingstoke derby when Ben Thane (73) and Rob Willcock (66) shared a 125-run opening stand against Portsmouth. Basics eventually chased down Portsmouth 219-7 (Palmer-Goddard 77) to win by four wickets.
With uncertainty still surrounding Calmore’s ground/youth accreditation promotion credentials, the final runners-up position in British Gas Southern League Division 1 could buy a ticket into next year’s Premiership.
Going into the final round of matches, Basingstoke trail Calmore Sports by 17 points – but third placed Bournemouth are hot on their tails.
The Lions are only five points behind Basingstoke after a narrow 18-run win over Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.
Basingstoke, meanwhile, lost eight wickets chasing down Tichborne Park’s 136.
It means Basingstoke will have to win at Hook, who thrashed them by seven wickets in Sunday’s Guy Jewell T20 Cup final.
If they don’t, Bournemouth could snatch second place – if they beat a buoyant Sarisbury Athletic at Chapel Gate.
Basingstoke so nearly made a hash of things at already relegated Tichborne Park, dropping to 83-6 (Will Allam 3-13) before Chris Jolley and David Griffiths each made 23 to steer them out of trouble.
Bournemouth won’t find Sarisbury Athletic a pushover as their visitors come to Chapel Gate on the back of a three-match winning run.
A modest 143 (Tom Mills 42) was enough to beat Liphook & Ripsley, who could only muster ten men for the trip to Allotment Road, where they were skittled for a meagre 47. Ricky Rawlins and Jordan Wright shared six of the wickets.
Hook & Newnham Basics sharpened up for the Basingstoke derby when Ben Thane (73) and Rob Willcock (66) shared a 125-run opening stand against Portsmouth. Basics eventually chased down Portsmouth 219-7 (Palmer-Goddard 77) to win by four wickets.
