It was a mixed bag of results for the Senior XIs as the 2022 league season commenced this weekend – but there was a sensational league debut for one player though!
CALMORE SPORTS v ALTON
SPCL Division 1
Alton won by 2 wickets
Calmore Sports 206 (Shawn Johnson 77, Will Brewster 32)
Alton 207/8 (Dan Croft 4/33)
It was always going to be a tough opening game against relegated Alton but Calmore gave a good account of themselves to only go down by two wickets with seven balls to spare.
Put into bat, the home side soon found themselves 25-2 but a classy 77 from Shawn Johnson and 32 by Will Brewster save the innings some impetus. However, 178-4 soon became 206 all out as South African overseas Walters and Toby Salmon collected six wickets between them.
A solid bowling display was needed and it was delivered as Dan Croft took 4-33 and Ben Perry 2-46, as well as Steve Wright’s standard 10 overs at the top, returning 0-22. But it was the veteran Heffernan’s who were the difference with keeper Mark (48) and Michael (49-ball 78) that ensured the North Hampshire side returned to winning ways.
PORTSMOUTH & SOUTHSEA II v CALMORE SPORTS II
Hampshire League Division 3 South
Calmore Sports II won by 9 wickets
Portsmouth & Southsea II 86 (Dippy Dey 4/23, Mike West 3/19)
Calmore Sports II 87/1 (Matt Taylor 27*, Michael Cook 23*)
What a league debut for DP! P&S were 51-1 and going along quite nicely before Jono Maton (2-16) and Mike West (3-19) got to work alongside Dipanjan Dey, who enticed Wheeler to edge to Michael Cook, Johnson was trapped lbw before a pearler uprooted Nadathur’s stumps to mark his first league appearance with a sensational hat-trick. He would finish with figures of 4-23, claiming the final wicket as the home side were skittled for just 86.
It did not take long for Matt Taylor’s 2nd XI captaincy start to get off to a winning start as Cook (23*) and the skipper (27*) made light work of the target – given a boost by 29 wides inamongst 33 extras!
OLD NETLEY & HIGHFIELD v CALMORE SPORTS III
Hampshire League Division 4 South
Old Netley & Highfield won by 4 wickets
Calmore Sports III 156 (Adam Pattison 40*, Mike Cotton 25)
Old Netley & Highfield 157/6 (Callum Greasley 3/30)
The 3rd XIs bow in County 4 South started with a tough trip to Netley where Old Netley & Highfield – relegated from County 3 South last year – would run out four wicket victors.
None of the top five batters reached 20 after electing to bat first – but Mike Cotton’s 25 and a rearguard from Adam Pattison, left on 40 not out save the 3s something to bowl at with a total of 156.
The home side didn’t waste any time in chasing down the target though – getting home in 24.1 overs but not before skipper Callum Greasley had taken 3-30 and Paul Henry completed 8 overs for just 28. It was always going to be a difficult opening but hopefully
CALMORE SPORTS IV v LYMINGTON IV
Hampshire League Division 6 West
Match Abandoned
Unfortunately, the 4th XIs game, scheduled to be played at King George V Playing Field, was unable to take place due to the local council not being bothered about cutting the outfield and getting the ground ready for cricket that has been played on that ground since the 1950s. A very disappointing and frustrating start to the season for the 4th team.
SUNDAY
CALMORE SPORTS v SARISBURY ATHLETIC
Voneus National Village Cup Round 2
Calmore Sports won by 83 runs
Calmore Sports 222/7 (Matt Taylor 70, Ben Johns 56, Jimmy Manning 42*)
Sarisbury Athletic 139 (Jimmy Manning 3/7, Dan Croft 3/21)
The reigning Village Champions have progressed through to the County semi-finals and a trip to Ventnor on May 22 with a comfortable victory over Sarisbury Athletic by 83 runs.
A FIFTH consecutive Village Cup half-century from Ben Johns set the tone but it was the excellent 70 from Matt Taylor that stood out. They shared a stand of 105 for the second wicket. Jimmy Manning’s hard-hitting unbeaten 42 (25 balls) lifted the score to 222-7.
Sarisbury were making steady but slow progress in their response against the disciplined Calmore attack – Wright 1-27, Johnson 1-16 and Lavelle 1-20. However, Sarisbury imploded and their 133-4 became 139 all out and a heavy defeat as Dan Croft (3-21) and Manning (3-7 from two overs) sliced through the lower order.
