The start of a new week is here – today is indeed Monday. Monday 29th June 2020. Still no news on putting the whites on. Can’t be too much longer. Let’s look back on events in the past and, as we normally do, we can start with last season, 2019.
Just two wins from our eight SPCL Division One games played and we were in desperate need of a turn around to stave off the threat of relegation. This game, against New Milton away, was crucial if that threat was to be avoided as the hosts were also down in amongst the division stragglers. We would return from the Forest with a crucial 63 run victory. After choosing to bat first, we were indebted to Ben Johns who stood firm at the top of the order and made 82 from 102 balls before he was fifth out having scored 65% of our runs to that point. Ben Perry’s important 30 alongside a couple of 14s from Jimmy Manning and Will Reilly-McNeil allowed us to reach 195-7. New Milton’s reply was held superbly by Steve Wright and especially Allan Hurst whose 7-4-7-2 figures told its own story, removing both openers. And then, as per the regular Calmore script, it was the spinners turn to get involved with Mark Lavelle (4-27) and Liam Carty (3-34) bowling them out for just 132 to give us a vital win.
That was part one of the New Milton double header. Back at Loperwood in County 3 South, it was a day for …. shall we call them veterans? A sensational innings of 126 from just 80 balls, which contained 20 fours and three sixes (not much running involved!!!) from Darren Vann set the 2s on their way to first 300+ league score at Loperwood for nine years as he put on 149 for the first wicket with Ryan Lomax (46) and 86 with Adam Carty (37). When Vann fell at 241-3, James Rose smashed 51 not out and Ollie Tull an unbeaten 34 in an fourth wicket partnership of 92 that took the score to an incredible 333-3. The visitors were never really on the card once Storm Anning ripped out the first three wickets on his way to 3-47 and then Carty (4-42) and Ciaran Simpkin (2-38) did the rest to remove the Forest side for just 168 and seal a 165-run success.
Jewer’s v Cadnam! It happened down at the Old Ground in Regional 1 North West as the 3s welcomed Cadnam 2s and it was Paul and Brad who came out on top, helping us to a 24 run victory over their old club. Captain Paul hit 56 and son Brad helped himself to 30 not out late on as, with Mike Cotton’s 37 at the top of the order, took us to 209-6 in our 40 overs. Even though old adversary Nathan Way made 41, Robbie Card 37 and James Mason 32 gave the visitors some hope in the chase, Brad’s 3-24 and decent spells from Ryan Carty (1-23) and Matt Morgan (1-24) kept them down to 185-7. Three wins for the day – a good day out for the club!
For the first time in 1st XI league history, we finally met one of our local rivals. The sole 2012 fixture was abandoned in SPCL Division 3 – there were 18 teams in that division that year so were only due to play each other once – so we had to wait until the final match of the first half of the SPCL Division 2 season of 2013 for our inaugural league encounter against Langley Manor. The visitors won the toss and chose to field and removed skipper Darren Vann and Ben Johns quickly despite opening bowler Simon Peters throwing down 10 wides in his two overs! Mark Lavelle’s patient 43 and Paul Cass’ 54 put together 94 to straighten the innings and we made our way to 220-9 with Caleb Brookland taking 4-50. Paul Proudley’s initial spell of 5-3-6-3 crashed through the top of the reply and left Langley Manor reeling at 10-3. Brookland stood firm with 46 and Connor Browne made 34 not out but the twin attack from James Rose (3-26) and Mike West (3-40) gave them no room to move and they were rolled for 132 to give us a mammoth 88-run victory. #FTM
The 2s endured a difficult trip to former Southern League side Flamingo as they were thumped by 8 wickets. Skipper Ben Perry made 19 and that was the top score of the innings until he was joined on that mantle by number 11 Storm Anning as he and Steve Brandes (17*) rescued us to a point from 64-9 to 105 all out. A wicket each for Perry and Paul Henry didn’t stop the home side from an easy win.
Nigel Hill’s 3s travelled to Ampfield Crusaders 2s and an impressive batting display was the key to his 50 run win in Regional 2 South. They always say that partnerships are crucial in matches and we got exactly that in this. Dean Lavelle and Jack Nicholson started things off, then Lavelle and Matt Taylor and then Taylor and Dave Brandes all put together half-century plus stands. Both Lavelle (53) and Taylor (50) raised their bats while Brandes went for 40 as we made the imposing 242-8. The home side gave the chase a good go with three batsmen making 40s but Allan Provins’ 2-29 and Ant Griffiths with 3-20 kept them in check and they closed 192-8.
And the 4s had one of those games of what could have been in Regional 3 North-West at home to Andover 5ths. Ryan Lomax took 4-39 as the visitors made 204-7. All of the top four got starts – Keith Woodhall made 25, Callum Stanton 13, Sam Vidler 22 and Glen Kinchington 23 without going on. At 149-8, the game looked like it was up. It wasn’t. Martin Donovan smashed 50 and had good support from Sam Woodward in a stand of 32. Even at 181-9, it would take a lot to get us over the line. Woodward (20*) and Ryan Dunwell (9*) nearly achieved it but ended just three runs short at 201-9.
2002. Time game. BAT away. Got hammered. Shirazi 129. Michael Watson 61. Hibberd 4-70 in 13.4 overs. Hibby got 55. Bowled out for 116. Richard Dibden 5-22. Goldstraw 3-40. Lost by 157 runs. That’s enough of that!
The previous three weeks in the 1991 season had been dominated by rain – a no result with New Milton, a complete washout against South Wilts and a run-rate win over Lymington. In fact, we had not lost a game in this season since the opening day reverse to Old Tauntonians. That good run would come to a halt at Hungerford and little did we know at the time that this defeat would start a run of defeats that would run until May 1992! Steve Wyatt batted through the innings for an unbeaten 93 and with help from Steve Mills and Jason Laney, both of whom made 45, took the Berkshire men to 197-6 – Steve Brandes’ 3-30 the only shining light. Peter Sinyard took 4-56 as we were rushed out for 139 with Dominic Newman’s 32 standing out. The 1991 season would not be one to remember!
The 1985 season was a very strange one as we headed into summer – not that you would know it when you see the results of that particular campaign. Having been washed out the previous week at Fareham, this game at home to Old Symondian Ramblers was just one of four games to be completed for the rest of the season with the other six either completely abandoned or halted during play! British summers, eh! Steve Brandes took 4-49 as the Ramblers edged up to 145-9 and we crashed to 65-9 in reply. Captain Terry Chilcott, coming in at 10, the lowest position he ever batted for the first team, hit 40 not out and with David Barnes (10*) put on 47 for the tenth wicket but it only took us to 112-9 as T. Player took 6-48.
In South West One, the 2s returned from Chandler’s Ford with a dominant seven wicket win which could be attributed mainly to Adam Carty’s 4-16 and Ron Merritt (3-20) which sent them to 103 all out. At 30-3, we were in a little spot of bother but John Ennew (35*) and Ben Lyon (48*) ensured there were no further problems on the way to a seven wicket win.
There was also positive news from the two games in the New Forest Leagues as the 3s beat Swan Green in Forest 2 at the Old Ground and the 4s pulled off a brilliant win over Lyndhurst 2s at Bolton’s Bench. 31 from John Robertson and 24 from Dave Faulkner were important contributions for the 3s total of just 118-9. Harris’ 37 for the Swan gave them some hope in the chase but Richard Bailey (5-37) and Maurice Geary (3-19) made sure it was short lived and they were bowled out for 94 to give us a 24-run win. And as for the 4s – what a turnaround! Gavin Hopgood’s 21 and David Lock with 15 were the only ones to stand tall as we were bowled out for 68 by Nicholas (6-19) and Mr. Whippy (3-38). Just 69 to win! The trusty opening duo of Iain Bowring and Phil Wilkins would send them scurrying for just 36 as the former took 2-18 and the latter a brilliant 8-18 to secure an unlikely 32 run success.
Of course, with it being Monday, it means we can check in on our first league season in 1974 and our unbeaten record would continue with a big 65 run victory over Paultons at the KGV. Stan Piper’s 58 not out anchored the innings which allowed Ben Lyon to attack with 42 and Tony Archer (28*) as we posted 158-5. Carey’s 44 at the top of the Paultons’ reply was their only major factor as they were bowled out for 93 as all the bowlers got involved, none more so than Martin Newman’s 3-6 and two wickets each for Michael, Pete Wakeford and Roy Matthews.
And it was the same result as the 2s faced off against Paultons 2s as Frank Stuttard (22) and E. Smith (30) guided us to 100 all out which would prove 38 runs too man for the home side as Steve Lock (6-31) and Keith Bell (4-24) ran through them for just 62 in 32 overs.
As you probably know by now, there is just something brilliant about the scorecards from some of our vintage cricket and before I come to our climax for today, let’s go back 63 years to 1957 and a game at Weston Park in Southampton and a game against Harland and Woolf, the famous ship building company who had a shipyard in Southampton until the early 1960s. Like most works establishments, they had a cricket team and they would beat us by five wickets in this game thanks to a brilliant spell of bowling from their opener Middleton. 9 overs, 7 maidens, 7 for 3. He helped bowl us out for just 35, Frank Wheeler top scoring with 17. Maurice Geary did take 4-9 but the Dockers would knock off the runs in just six overs!
Today’s last one is another trophy in the cabinet as we would lift the Hector Young Cup in 1971 by beating Southampton Touring Club in the Final at Hoglands Park. After losing Reg Oliver and Terry Chilcott early, Vic Sevier (42*) and Ben Lyon (51*) put together an unbeaten stand of 94 which took us to a 19-over total of 128-2 with a familiar name in the opposition taking 2-61 – one David Hibberd! Wickets for each of the bowlers would keep the Touring Club down – Michael Newman (2-37), Keith Bell (3-35) and Lyon (3-15) held them to 105-8 despite Wilson’s 37 and another well known name, Terry Rawlins’ 16.
