Ben Johns hit his seventh competitive fifty-plus score of the season as Calmore Sports comfortably chased down New Milton’s 193 to win by seven wickets and trim Totton & Eling’s lead at the Southern Premier Division 2 summit to seven points.
Their win sets up a massive all-Totton derby at Southern Gardens on Saturday (12.30), when a win for Totton & Eling will clinch the title. If Calmore win, the championship will hang in the balance until the final round of matches.
New Milton, whose own promotion hopes are effectively ended, were on the back foot after two early strikes by Oxford Blue Ben Fisher (3-33) had them struggling at 32-3. South African Harlan Greig (39) raised the score to 84-5, after which Toby Edwards virtually met Calmore’s attack head-on.
In typical Toby style, Edwards biffed eight fours and four maximums in a forceful 80 before becoming the second of three victims for Ben Perry (3-40).
Calmore, already conscious that Totton & Eling had been beaten at Andover, got the job done with an over to spare, Johns sharing 60-run stands with Matt Taylor (25) and Shaun Johnson (25) before being out for a match winning 70, which included two sixes and nine fours.
James Manning (32 not out) and James Hibberd (17 not out) tidied things up, the latter (by all accounts) declining the invitation to bowl despite being two victims shy of 500 SPL scalps. How long must we wait ?
• Alvanley, who Calmore Sports face in the Voneus Village Cup final on September 19, held out for a draw at 152-9 against Cheshire League opponents Mobberley (183-7). They lie fourth in Division 2.
Their win sets up a massive all-Totton derby at Southern Gardens on Saturday (12.30), when a win for Totton & Eling will clinch the title. If Calmore win, the championship will hang in the balance until the final round of matches.
New Milton, whose own promotion hopes are effectively ended, were on the back foot after two early strikes by Oxford Blue Ben Fisher (3-33) had them struggling at 32-3. South African Harlan Greig (39) raised the score to 84-5, after which Toby Edwards virtually met Calmore’s attack head-on.
In typical Toby style, Edwards biffed eight fours and four maximums in a forceful 80 before becoming the second of three victims for Ben Perry (3-40).
Calmore, already conscious that Totton & Eling had been beaten at Andover, got the job done with an over to spare, Johns sharing 60-run stands with Matt Taylor (25) and Shaun Johnson (25) before being out for a match winning 70, which included two sixes and nine fours.
James Manning (32 not out) and James Hibberd (17 not out) tidied things up, the latter (by all accounts) declining the invitation to bowl despite being two victims shy of 500 SPL scalps. How long must we wait ?
• Alvanley, who Calmore Sports face in the Voneus Village Cup final on September 19, held out for a draw at 152-9 against Cheshire League opponents Mobberley (183-7). They lie fourth in Division 2.