Summer-long leaders Trojans have been bundled off the top of the Southern Premier League Division 2 table after suffering a fourth defeat in five outings.
A crushing nine-wicket defeat at Loperwood Park has dropped the faltering Stoneham club out of the promotion positions for the first time this season and handed Calmore Sports pole position with two games to play.
A 42-run win at Hambledon has enabled Tichborne Park to leapfrog Trojans, who are now eight points adrift of the promotion places.
Trojans, who face a demanding finish to the season against Hambledon and then Tichborne Park, were reduced to 56-5 by Calmore, whose bowlers took full advantage of the favourable conditions.
Trojans fielded arguably their strongest batting line-up, but needed Adbul Manjra (30) and Mario Mohammed (20 not out) to provide a mid-innings rescue act at Loperwood Park.
They improved Trojans’ cause but, after a telling 3-26 spell by James Rose, it needed last-man Jordan Wright (27) to lift the final score to 144.
The Trojans spirits lifted when Jamie Donaldson bowled Calmore skipper Mark Lavelle immediately after the restart.
But that was Trojans’ solitary moment of joy as Matt Hardy and teenager Ben Johns took command and guided Calmore to a nine-wicket win.
Hardy was in awesome form, cracking 12 fours in his unbeaten 76, while Johns continued his good run of form, hitting 49 not out.
A crushing nine-wicket defeat at Loperwood Park has dropped the faltering Stoneham club out of the promotion positions for the first time this season and handed Calmore Sports pole position with two games to play.
A 42-run win at Hambledon has enabled Tichborne Park to leapfrog Trojans, who are now eight points adrift of the promotion places.
Trojans, who face a demanding finish to the season against Hambledon and then Tichborne Park, were reduced to 56-5 by Calmore, whose bowlers took full advantage of the favourable conditions.
Trojans fielded arguably their strongest batting line-up, but needed Adbul Manjra (30) and Mario Mohammed (20 not out) to provide a mid-innings rescue act at Loperwood Park.
They improved Trojans’ cause but, after a telling 3-26 spell by James Rose, it needed last-man Jordan Wright (27) to lift the final score to 144.
The Trojans spirits lifted when Jamie Donaldson bowled Calmore skipper Mark Lavelle immediately after the restart.
But that was Trojans’ solitary moment of joy as Matt Hardy and teenager Ben Johns took command and guided Calmore to a nine-wicket win.
Hardy was in awesome form, cracking 12 fours in his unbeaten 76, while Johns continued his good run of form, hitting 49 not out.
