Teenage left-arm pace bowler Josh Croom is back to spearhead the Hampshire Academy attack in today’s top of the table ECB Southern Premier Division clash with Bournemouth at Chapel gate, 11.30.
After an amazing winter at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide and success for Glenelg in the South Australia West End Premiership, Croom suffered a foot fracture in a mid-April Hampshire second team game in Canterbury.
He’s not played any competitive cricket since, confessing: “It’s been a long, frustrating two months but I couldn’t thank Hampshire enough for all the time and support they’ve given me, to get me back to full-fitness.
“I’ve spent the last two months doing gym and rehab, four days a week, and the past three weeks gradually building up to bowling off my full run-up. Fingers crossed today goes well.”
Only four points separate the leading pair, with Bournemouth set to open up a sizeable lead at the top if they record a fifth win on the bounce.
Bournemouth have skipper Chris Park back behind the stumps.
Bournemouth: C Park, Collins, N Park, Webb, Matthews, Pack, Hurley, Conway, Denham, Woodruff, Brecken.
Academy: J Barker, W LF Jackson, T Albert, C Mumford, H Broderick, J Eckland, T Cheater, D Kelly, J Trodd, J Croom, K Khanna.
After an amazing winter at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide and success for Glenelg in the South Australia West End Premiership, Croom suffered a foot fracture in a mid-April Hampshire second team game in Canterbury.
He’s not played any competitive cricket since, confessing: “It’s been a long, frustrating two months but I couldn’t thank Hampshire enough for all the time and support they’ve given me, to get me back to full-fitness.
“I’ve spent the last two months doing gym and rehab, four days a week, and the past three weeks gradually building up to bowling off my full run-up. Fingers crossed today goes well.”
Only four points separate the leading pair, with Bournemouth set to open up a sizeable lead at the top if they record a fifth win on the bounce.
Bournemouth have skipper Chris Park back behind the stumps.
Bournemouth: C Park, Collins, N Park, Webb, Matthews, Pack, Hurley, Conway, Denham, Woodruff, Brecken.
Academy: J Barker, W LF Jackson, T Albert, C Mumford, H Broderick, J Eckland, T Cheater, D Kelly, J Trodd, J Croom, K Khanna.