Ben Johns brings up 4,000 Calmore SPL runs : Les Chase
Ben Johns sent his Southern Premier League run tally for Calmore Sports past the 4,000 mark with an unbeaten 62 which secured a five-wicket victory over winless New Milton at Loperwood Park.
Remarkably, the chunky left-hand opener hasn't missed a single SPL game since announcing his arrival on the scene with a teenage 122 out out against Tichborne Park back in May 2013.
Johns must have been worried that sequence might end prior to last weekend when he limped out of Calmore's Village Cup victory over Sarisbury Athletic, having suffered a groin injury in scoring his latest VC half-century.
Just as at Lord's last September, Johns (alongside Shawn Johnson) had a key role to play as Calmore stuttered losing two early wickets as New Milton sought to defend 124. But his 62 not out, aided by Johnson's 37, paved the way for victory, though Calmore contrived to lose three wickets for two runs before Johns got them across the line.
New Milton's collapse earlier in the day will take some beating. Coasting at 73-0 through Ryan Beck (42) and James Adams (28), they lost all ten wickets for the addition of 51 runs and were all out for 124. Ben Perry (3-36) kick started collapse. The later batsmen could barely lay a bat on the emerging Liam Carty (4-10) and Mark Lavelle (3-7).
Remarkably, the chunky left-hand opener hasn't missed a single SPL game since announcing his arrival on the scene with a teenage 122 out out against Tichborne Park back in May 2013.
Johns must have been worried that sequence might end prior to last weekend when he limped out of Calmore's Village Cup victory over Sarisbury Athletic, having suffered a groin injury in scoring his latest VC half-century.
Just as at Lord's last September, Johns (alongside Shawn Johnson) had a key role to play as Calmore stuttered losing two early wickets as New Milton sought to defend 124. But his 62 not out, aided by Johnson's 37, paved the way for victory, though Calmore contrived to lose three wickets for two runs before Johns got them across the line.
New Milton's collapse earlier in the day will take some beating. Coasting at 73-0 through Ryan Beck (42) and James Adams (28), they lost all ten wickets for the addition of 51 runs and were all out for 124. Ben Perry (3-36) kick started collapse. The later batsmen could barely lay a bat on the emerging Liam Carty (4-10) and Mark Lavelle (3-7).
