South Wilts’ bid to extend their three-year monopoly of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League championship into a record breaking fourth season begins against the Hampshire Academy on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.
With Hampshire’s Sean Terry and Western Australia left-arm paceman Ryan Duffield on board, South Wilts have been labelled as red hot favourites to land a fourth straight title.
But skipper Tom Morton is playing things down.
“I don’t necessarily agree with this statement. We have strengthened our squad, but this is in accordance to the change in league rules and as a result of other clubs signing good cricketers as well.
“We set high standards and have performed well in recent years, the pressure is set by ourselves to maintain these.
“I think Bashley (Rydal) will be a strong side. They have a good captain and some young lads reaching the right age.
“I have heard of some other good signings over the winter: Burridge seem to have been very active on the recruitment front, whether they can pull this altogether is hard to say at this stage.
“Whatever happens, I think you’ll see more upsets this season with quite a few match winners joining the league.”
Sean Terry is fit, but in-form Eddie Abel moves up to open alongside Morton.
Abel’s early season form for South Wilts – he has so far made scores of 110 against Bournemouth, 83 at Falkland and 24 in the rained off visit to Corsham last weekend – has been a real high spot.
“Eddie been hitting the ball well, but to be fair, all the top order batsmen have got some very decent middle practice under their belts and made runs, so we hope to hit the ground running against the Academy on Saturday,” said Morton, who has also made some good scores.
The only absentee at the Ageas Bowl is Jack Mynott, who is still at Loughborough University.
Duffield’s arrival – he has 89 first class wickets to his name in Australia – has given the already potent South Wilts attack a significant boost.
There is no shortage of spin options as well, with Abel, Jake Foley, Rob Franklin and James Hayward all effective slow bowlers.
Hampshire Academy will parade an all-youth side, including opener Joe Weatherley and Brad Taylor, who have just returned from England’s Under-19 tour to Australia.
Isle of Wight left-arm opener Ben Duggan, who played for Ventnor last season, makes his Academy debut.
Hampshire Academy: Gorvin, Weatherley, Duggan, Alsop, Goodwin, Taylor, Organ, McCoy, Evans, Murray, Barber.
South Wilts: Morton, Abel, Riddle, Terry, Hayward, Hibberd, Duffield, Franklin, Foley, Pain, Warner.
With Hampshire’s Sean Terry and Western Australia left-arm paceman Ryan Duffield on board, South Wilts have been labelled as red hot favourites to land a fourth straight title.
But skipper Tom Morton is playing things down.
“I don’t necessarily agree with this statement. We have strengthened our squad, but this is in accordance to the change in league rules and as a result of other clubs signing good cricketers as well.
“We set high standards and have performed well in recent years, the pressure is set by ourselves to maintain these.
“I think Bashley (Rydal) will be a strong side. They have a good captain and some young lads reaching the right age.
“I have heard of some other good signings over the winter: Burridge seem to have been very active on the recruitment front, whether they can pull this altogether is hard to say at this stage.
“Whatever happens, I think you’ll see more upsets this season with quite a few match winners joining the league.”
Sean Terry is fit, but in-form Eddie Abel moves up to open alongside Morton.
Abel’s early season form for South Wilts – he has so far made scores of 110 against Bournemouth, 83 at Falkland and 24 in the rained off visit to Corsham last weekend – has been a real high spot.
“Eddie been hitting the ball well, but to be fair, all the top order batsmen have got some very decent middle practice under their belts and made runs, so we hope to hit the ground running against the Academy on Saturday,” said Morton, who has also made some good scores.
The only absentee at the Ageas Bowl is Jack Mynott, who is still at Loughborough University.
Duffield’s arrival – he has 89 first class wickets to his name in Australia – has given the already potent South Wilts attack a significant boost.
There is no shortage of spin options as well, with Abel, Jake Foley, Rob Franklin and James Hayward all effective slow bowlers.
Hampshire Academy will parade an all-youth side, including opener Joe Weatherley and Brad Taylor, who have just returned from England’s Under-19 tour to Australia.
Isle of Wight left-arm opener Ben Duggan, who played for Ventnor last season, makes his Academy debut.
Hampshire Academy: Gorvin, Weatherley, Duggan, Alsop, Goodwin, Taylor, Organ, McCoy, Evans, Murray, Barber.
South Wilts: Morton, Abel, Riddle, Terry, Hayward, Hibberd, Duffield, Franklin, Foley, Pain, Warner.