by Mike Vimpany

CALMORE Sports are out on their own at the top of the British Gas Southern League Division 1 after edging a three-wicket win over Ventnor at Loperwood Park.

They bowled the Islanders out for 123, but made hard work of chasing down the target on a pitch of low and erratic bounce, which went someway to explaining the 60 extras the two sides conceded between them.

Dan Croft (3-21) and Liam Newton (2-21) reduced Ventnor to 45-5 before Hugh Calloway clouted 50 (one six and eight fours) to enhance the visitors' hopes.

But spin pair James Rose and Aussie Jack Rutter mopped up the tail.

Calmore looked to be cruising it at 62-1, but collapsed losing four wickets for 12 runs – Calloway having a hand in all the wickets as the new SPL1 leaders wobbled at 73-5.

Michael Cook (30) batted patiently, but all the time the leg spin of Jamie Miller (4-18) asked questions.

But Calmore eventually got over the line, with James Manning and Rose making telling contributions.

Bournemouth were knocked off the SPL1 summit after a six-wicket loss to Basingstoke & North Hants at May’s Bounty.

Simon Woodruff, returning from a one-match ban, top scored for the Lions with a breezy 61. But skipper Chris Park (33) was the only other batsman to pass 19 and, after looking fairly well set on 157-4, the visitors lost six wickets for 17 runs to fold to 174 all out.

Martyn James (3-13) and later Will Phillips (3-46) did the damage for the hosts.

Basingstoke were wobbling on 42-3 early in their pursuit of Bournemouth’s below-par score but that was merely the cue for former Hampshire pair Mitch Stokes and David Griffiths to step up to the plate.

The duo had gone wicketless from a combined 14 overs in the Lions’ dig but they came to the party with a 77-run fourth-wicket partnership.

Spinner Rob Pack trapped Griffiths for 28 but there was no stopping Stokes, who finished undefeated on 89 following an explosive 75-ball innings that featured 12 fours and one towering six.