Calmore Sports pictured before beating Foxton Grange in the Village Cup semi-final.
In the previous 50 editions of the Voneus Village Cup, only five teams – Troon, St Fagans, Caldy, Shipton-under-Wychwood, and Woodhouse Grange – have successfully defended the title at Lord’s.
But, after beating Foxton Granta by seven wickets last month’s semi-finals, Calmore Sports Club are just one win away from joining that exclusive club.
Blocking their path at the Home of Cricket on Sunday (1100) will be Evesham-based Dumbleton, who will blaze their way through the Grace Gates on the back of 12 straight wins, nine of them to secure runners-up in the Gloucestershire feeder Division of the West of England Premier League.
Last year Calmore made hard work of reaching the final – they beat Cheshire’s Alvanley by six wickets in a rain reduced run chase – more often than not overcoming a collapse to win, but this summer’s roads to Lord’s has been far more straightforward.
They cruised through the Hampshire group, defeating Hambledon, Sarisbury Athletic, Ventnor and Bramshaw to progress to the last 32 where, playing the entirety of the national round on home soil at Loperwood Park, they overcame Oxford Downs, and Grampound Road, before repeating a 2021 success over Goatacre and then beating Foxton Granta.
Away days
Only twice did Calmore travel beyond their SO40 postcode address, initially a day out on the Isle of Wight (where run gun Ben Johns helped himself to an unbeaten century), then across the eastern fringe of the New Forest to Bramshaw where it rained soon after tea and the county final was switched back to Loperwood Park.
Compare that with Dumbleton, who have travelled 600 miles from their Evesham home to reach the final, playing away from home on five occasions, including a semi-final trip up the M6 to Liverpool, losing the toss five times out of seven.
Calmore are taking a squad of 13 to Lord’s, where they’ll enjoy a full scale net practice session on the Nursery ground, while Bexley are battling it out with Nantwich in the ECB Royal London Cup final on the main arena.
One absentee from the nets will be top order batsman Matty Taylor, who can expect to find himself in a goalkeeping coconut shy in Somerset where he will be Laverstock & Ford’s last line of defence in an FA Cup second qualifying round tie against National League South hosts Taunton Town, the Salisbury side being distinct underdogs.
“Let’s hope Matty doesn’t get a sore back,” joked Calmore Sports captain Mark Lavelle.
Calmore’s cup final squad: Max Bailey, Will Brewster, Liam Carty, Daniel Croft, Ben Johns, Shawn Johnson, Mark Lavelle, James Manning, Josh Metcalfe, Sam Moss, Ben Perry, Matt Taylor, Steve Wright.
If you are unable to go to Lord’s, the game is being screened-
http://player.broadcastradio.com/lords-cricket-ground
But, after beating Foxton Granta by seven wickets last month’s semi-finals, Calmore Sports Club are just one win away from joining that exclusive club.
Blocking their path at the Home of Cricket on Sunday (1100) will be Evesham-based Dumbleton, who will blaze their way through the Grace Gates on the back of 12 straight wins, nine of them to secure runners-up in the Gloucestershire feeder Division of the West of England Premier League.
Last year Calmore made hard work of reaching the final – they beat Cheshire’s Alvanley by six wickets in a rain reduced run chase – more often than not overcoming a collapse to win, but this summer’s roads to Lord’s has been far more straightforward.
They cruised through the Hampshire group, defeating Hambledon, Sarisbury Athletic, Ventnor and Bramshaw to progress to the last 32 where, playing the entirety of the national round on home soil at Loperwood Park, they overcame Oxford Downs, and Grampound Road, before repeating a 2021 success over Goatacre and then beating Foxton Granta.
Away days
Only twice did Calmore travel beyond their SO40 postcode address, initially a day out on the Isle of Wight (where run gun Ben Johns helped himself to an unbeaten century), then across the eastern fringe of the New Forest to Bramshaw where it rained soon after tea and the county final was switched back to Loperwood Park.
Compare that with Dumbleton, who have travelled 600 miles from their Evesham home to reach the final, playing away from home on five occasions, including a semi-final trip up the M6 to Liverpool, losing the toss five times out of seven.
Calmore are taking a squad of 13 to Lord’s, where they’ll enjoy a full scale net practice session on the Nursery ground, while Bexley are battling it out with Nantwich in the ECB Royal London Cup final on the main arena.
One absentee from the nets will be top order batsman Matty Taylor, who can expect to find himself in a goalkeeping coconut shy in Somerset where he will be Laverstock & Ford’s last line of defence in an FA Cup second qualifying round tie against National League South hosts Taunton Town, the Salisbury side being distinct underdogs.
“Let’s hope Matty doesn’t get a sore back,” joked Calmore Sports captain Mark Lavelle.
Calmore’s cup final squad: Max Bailey, Will Brewster, Liam Carty, Daniel Croft, Ben Johns, Shawn Johnson, Mark Lavelle, James Manning, Josh Metcalfe, Sam Moss, Ben Perry, Matt Taylor, Steve Wright.
If you are unable to go to Lord’s, the game is being screened-
http://player.broadcastradio.com/lords-cricket-ground
