SPL Division One cricket: Calmore Sports CC beat New Milton CC

SPL Division One
Calmore Sports C 159-8
New Milton CC 116

Calmore opened the season with a 43-run victory over local rivals New Milton in low-scoring match in which only four batsmen broke the 20-run mark.

Hosts Calmore had struggled on a slow wicket, but an 87-run seventh-wicket stand gave them something to defend.

And things appeared rosey for New Milton until a late collapse saw six wickets fall for just five runs.

Calmore lost the coin toss, and New Milton skipper George Watts immediately asked the hosts to bat first on a wicket which was damp and slow.

Watts' decision was justified when he caught opener Michael Cook (2) leg-before and former Calmore skipper Mark Lavelle (2) caught by Ben Griffiths with just eight runs on the board.

Four more batsmen soon followed them into the pavilion, leaving the hosts on 67-6, but a heroic showing from opener Ben Johns (82) and the supporting Ben Perry (25) repaired the damage until Watts (3-32) retook the ball and grabbed Perry's wicket.

Johns followed one run later, and New Milton had a target of 159 to chase.

The other wickets came from Joe Hall (2-31), Ed Bartlett (1-21), Lee Beck (1-30) and Harry Prince (1-39).

New Milton got off to a poor start, with Lewis Naylor (1) and Griffiths (0) dismissed to leave their side at 19-2.

With the experienced Beck (32) joining opener James Adams (61), the duo steadied the ship and added an impressive 78 runs to the total before Lavelle (1-29) had Beck caught by Ben Fisher.

Four runs later, a slick Perry (4-3) delivery caught Adams leg-before, and the wheels came off. Toby Edwards (0), Dan Cook (5), and Bartlett (0) soon fell to him as well, before Liam O'Connor (2-25) wrapped up the tail to secure a 43-run win.

Calmore's other wicket takers were Steve Wright (1-11) and Josh Metcalfe (1-27).

Calmore Sports play away from home against Ventnor, while New Milton hosts Hook & Newnham Basics. Both matches take place Saturday at 12.30pm.