Today we look back at the events in Calmore Sports history on 11th May – once again using our extensive database and scorecards uploaded to CricketArchive. It has to be said that this date doesn’t hold many good memories …. but there are a few!
The Hampshire Cricket League commenced in 1973 but the club took the decision not to join that year so our HCL debut came in 1974 and it was on this day that we welcomed Chandler’s Ford to the KGV in the South West Division and started with a 33-run victory. Batting first, Martin Newman top scored with 22 and Tony Archer hit 21 as we struggled to 118 all out from 40.2 of the 42 scheduled overs – George Davis taking 6-38. The Chandler’s Ford chase faltered, despite Bill Brown’s 31 as Pete Wakeford took 3-28 and Roy Matthews 3-11 tore through them for just 85.
From one end of the league history to the other as we go to just last year – 2019 and the long haul trip to Rowledge. Lav won the toss and elected to bat first before the rain started to fall and the match was reduced to 40 overs a side, which saw Sam Vidler become the 132nd Calmore SL cap. The skipper and Matt Taylor put on 45 for the first wicket as everyone in the side made a small contribution towards our 139-6 – Ben Johns top scoring with 28 and Mike West 24. The home side slipped to 57-5 with Steve Wright (2-27) and Lavelle (3-10) doing the damage but Board (32) and Metcalfe (40*) guided them to the four wicket win … and send us to our second defeat from two!
Back at Loperwood, the 2s welcomed Old Netley and Highfield for their first game of the season. The visitors batted first and totalled 205-5 with Ciaran Simpkin taking 2-38. At 103-2 and 153-3, Tom’s side were in the box seat needing only 53 more to win. Seven wickets for 33 later and we were bowled out for 186 to lose by 19 runs but not before Adam Carty’s lone hand in scoring 100 from 109 balls with 13 fours and four sixes – a sensational innings which received little support with the exception of James Rose’s 22.
In 2013, Basingstoke and North Hants lifted the SPCL Division 2 championship with some ease but they endured two defeats – one of those was at Loperwood, which gave us two wins from two at the start of that season. It didn’t look that way as we crashed to 34-5 as Ryan Connor took 4-9 from his 10. Paul Cass’ rearguard with 71 from 84 balls along with handy assistance from Rose (10), Eliyah Turriff-Smith (16) and Paul Proudley (12) helped us to 143, which was probably not going to be enough. But regular wickets from Proudley, Matt Maiden, Cass and West kept the chase in check but it was Turriff-Smith’s removal of George Chaffer, followed soon after by Martyn James for 38 which opened the door and Elijah’s 4-27 sealed a thrilling 14-run win.
We went on to win eight of our first 10 matches before we headed to May’s Bounty … where Basingstoke exacted their revenge!
With the exception of 1974 and 2013, it has to be said that 11th May is not a date of great results! We lost by 16 runs to Paultons in 1985, by 22 runs against Old Tauntonians in 1991, by 9 wickets to Hungerford in 1996 and by 49 runs at Andover plus the 3s lost to Langley Manor 3s by 6 wickets in 2013.
We endured a tough weekend in 1985 as, as well as the 16 run loss for the 1st against Paultons, the 2s going down by 4 wickets to Paultons 2s despite Michael Newman’s 58 and Ron Merritt taking 5-62. The 3s travelled to Ellingham 2s and were thrashed by 94 runs with 14-year-old Adam Carty taking 3-57 as Ellingham reached 174-6. Only Pete Tudberry’s 42 and Maurice Geary 14 stood up to the onslaught from R. Peters who took 7-19. And the 4s were at Minstead 2s and managed to lose by 40 runs despite bowling the home side out for just 74 – Paul Wilkins 5-20, Paul Stainer 3-6 and Iain Bowring 2-23 doing the damage but only Mark Nicholas (no, not the former Hampshire captain!) reached double figures with 12 as we were bundled for just 34!
