Ben Johns hit his fourth Southern Premier League century as Calmore Sports secured a vital ten-run victory over winless Ventnor to give their prospects of Division 1 survival a timely boost.
With Ventnor virtually guaranteed relegation after 12 straight defeats, it appears to be a straight shoot out between Calmore and OTs & Romsey as to who goes down with them.
After the 12th round of matches, 13 points separates the pair with the derby meeting at the Romsey Sports Centre on Saturday week, August 4 certain to be crucial.
Johns (pictured) batted almost the entire length of the innings to ensure Calmore posted 222-7 (James Manning 33) in a rain delayed 42-over affair at Steephill. He hit two sixes and 14 fours.
Rob Snell took 4-44 for Ventnor, who were rocked by two new-ball blows by left-armer Steve Wright.
Half-centuries by Ben Woodhouse (53) and Hugh Calloway (53), supported by Martin Blackman (40) and Neil Westhorpe (24), reignited Ventnor's response, but with time running out, 198-5 became an eventual 212-9.
Relegation rivals Old Tauntonians & Romsey went down by 49 runs at Andover, whose form is consistently inconsistent.
Glyn Treagus, who has scored over 7,000 runs in a long Southern League career, underpinned Andover's 212-9 (Alex Ayers 35). Fresh from his maiden Hampshire League century the previous week, Nico Newman (48) lost four partners cheaply before Charlie King (35) provided some support. OTs faded away at 163-9.
With Ventnor virtually guaranteed relegation after 12 straight defeats, it appears to be a straight shoot out between Calmore and OTs & Romsey as to who goes down with them.
After the 12th round of matches, 13 points separates the pair with the derby meeting at the Romsey Sports Centre on Saturday week, August 4 certain to be crucial.
Johns (pictured) batted almost the entire length of the innings to ensure Calmore posted 222-7 (James Manning 33) in a rain delayed 42-over affair at Steephill. He hit two sixes and 14 fours.
Rob Snell took 4-44 for Ventnor, who were rocked by two new-ball blows by left-armer Steve Wright.
Half-centuries by Ben Woodhouse (53) and Hugh Calloway (53), supported by Martin Blackman (40) and Neil Westhorpe (24), reignited Ventnor's response, but with time running out, 198-5 became an eventual 212-9.
Relegation rivals Old Tauntonians & Romsey went down by 49 runs at Andover, whose form is consistently inconsistent.
Glyn Treagus, who has scored over 7,000 runs in a long Southern League career, underpinned Andover's 212-9 (Alex Ayers 35). Fresh from his maiden Hampshire League century the previous week, Nico Newman (48) lost four partners cheaply before Charlie King (35) provided some support. OTs faded away at 163-9.
