Today’s look back goes to May 13th – and a win that very few expected.
Southern Premier League Division One back in 2000 is where we are going to start today. It was the opening game of the season after the home washout against Bashley (Rydal) the week before so we headed up to Andover to get our season started. Winning the toss and batting first, the Calmore innings was based around Rob Budd’s 48 and captain Martin Kellaway with 36. But Kellaway’s dismissal at 134-5 set off a collapse to just 164 as Andy Hooper flighted 4-30 and Mark Miller 3-18 hustled us out. The Miller brothers, Mark with 57 and Roger 44, made comfortable progress before Mark’s dismissal at 136-4 – still 28 short of victory, to the seventh bowler of the innings …. Charlie Freeston. Paul Draper removed Jeremy Hayward lbw but it was the man from the Isle of Wight that went on a rampage, knocking over skipper Williams and Keighley before Kirk Stewart was stumped by Kellaway off a wide and then Woodhouse was cleaned up to finish with 5-16 and a two-run win.
It was match number two of the famous 2017 season and a contest against the side that we would battle for the Championship with as the season progressed but it was they who got the better of us on this occasion. Up at May’s Bounty, Basingstoke and North Hants batted first and, despite sliding to 103-5, former Durham MCCU batsman Will Phillips (79) and ex-Hampshire and Kent professional David Griffiths (71) pulled them round to 241-8 from their 50. As ever, Steve Wright delivered 10-6-16-2 at the top of the innings while Mike West (2-43) and Jack Rutter (2-49) were the pick of the bowlers. Our reply didn’t start well – skipper Lavelle bowled first ball – as we crashed to 85-7 before a brilliant Ben Johns century – his third for the club – and a gritty unbeaten 39 from Liam Newton put on 98 for the eighth wicket but it wasn’t enough as we closed 188-8.
Back at Loperwood, Hambledon 2s were welcomed in County 3 and they were sent home with a four-wicket defeat thanks to a superb bowling performance from Storm Anning (2-22), Harri Williams (3-13) and the ever reliable Paul Henry (4-31) skittled them for just 114. We made slightly heavy going of knocking the runs off with George Woodhall (26), Tom Perry (24) and Allan Hurst (20) helping us to the decent win. And down the road at the Old Ground, Winterbourne were vanquished by 10 wickets by the 3s. Nigel Hill took 4-13 and Sam Vidler 2-12 rolled them for just 85 which we knocked off without loss in just 12.1 overs – Callum Stanton cracking 58* and Mark Hardy 23*.
Rolling back to 2006 and the home game with Tichborne Park in SPCL Division 3 resulted in a difficult 91 run loss for Jamie Winters’ side. Tichborne racked up 209 with Paul Proudley taking 4-28 and Keith Woodhall 2-29. But despite five of our batsmen scoring double figures, James Rose’s 19 and Simon Ennew with 17 top scored – ignoring the 22 extras – as we were well beaten. However, down at the palacial Rowner Green, the 2s were far too strong for the home side courtesy of some excellent all-round efforts from the ever cheerful Paul Henry (61* and 2-26), Darren Challis (22 and 4-43) and Steve Brandes (32* and 3-22).
And he was here again – the Brandes chap! The 1995 Southern League game at Drayton Park against Portsmouth which we convincingly won by 9 wickets saw the current club President tear through their batting line up with 5-21 from 15 overs, coupled with John Shepherd 3-22 knocked them over for just 104. Skipper Rob Budd laid into the bowling with an unbeaten 70 as we only lost Paul Draper for 22 in the chase which took only 20 overs.
On this day in 1995 was the first time that Calmore Sports had come up against a precocious young talent from Lymington who went on to perform well in club cricket without really hitting the heights that maybe he should have. It was Lymington 4s against Calmore 4s at Woodside Park in New Forest 2. Andy Cooper with 33, skipper Ray Hurst 21 and contributions throughout the innings took us to 162-8. At 26-3, enter a 12-year-old at number 5 called Damian Shirazi. Kitted in full Hampshire gear, he took his time in making 14 before being trapped lbw by Adrian Goddard – an appeal which the young kid quizzed “what are you appealing for?” to the keeper Martin Hurst and RV at slip …. “lbw and you’re out!!!!” came the reply! They struggled to 113-7 with Neil Dennis (2-26) and Ray Hurst (2-18) the pick.
We continued our good start to the 1989 season with a solid home with over Liphook and Ripsley by 46 runs in County One. Gary Stinson with 75, Bob Wilcocks 44 and Rob Budd 52* led us to 223-6, which despite the visitors adding 93 for the first wicket, closed on 177-6 with Budd the bowler taking 4-31. And it was another good all-round performance, this time from Ray Hurst take clinched a five-wicket win at Hook and Newnham in County One in 1978. Ray took 5-18 from 14 overs and Ron Merritt 4-17 which knocked Hook over for just 67. We dropped to 30-5 before Billy Sims (27*) and Ray (16*) ensured there were no more slips.
Our earliest game on the database is in 1961 at Bengers Lane in Mottisfont – a game that we lost by 3 wickets. Our score of 107 was mainly thanks to Montrose’s unbeaten 62 at the top of the order – carrying his bat as only Broomfield (11) joined him in double figures. R.Collins with 41 and B.Cockrall (35) helped the home side to the win despite good bowling from H.Williams (3-20) and Mike Bowring (3-29).
