Rowledge left-arm spinner Oli Baker (Bob Selley)
The top six clubs in Southern Premier Division 1 are separated by a mere seven points, five of those teams having lost two of their opening five matches.
The dog-eat-dog scenario will continue tomorrow, with 82-point leaders Rowledge facing Portsmouth (75) at St Helen’s, Southsea and Sarisbury Athletic (76) setting sail for Ventnor, who have two points more.
“We’re a team with no superstars that are very difficult to beat and field for their lives,” manager Chris Yates says of table topping Rowledge, whose availability continues to be fluid, but will improve once the university terms finish.
Portsmouth’s form has been erratic, defeats by Basingstoke and Sarisbury Athletic sandwiched either side of a big win over Alton.
They can expect 20 overs of miserly spin from the experienced David Lloyd and lf-armer Oli Bker, who picked up four Calmore wickets for three runs last week.
Portsmouth: Duggan, Marston, Mitchell, Jalil, Wimble, Daini, S Warner, Woolf, Silva, McArdle, Rao.
Rowledge: Ben Wish, Jake Wish, Zac Le Roux, Ricky Yates, Olly Ryman, Ryan Littlewood, David Lloyd, Ash Harvey, Ben Davidson, Jonty Seeborn, Ollie Baker.
Sarisbury Athletic are minus three key players for the visit to Steephill, a trip Rob Franklin, Nigel Feltham and Tom Mills. Jack Robson, having played all his early cricket at Hook & Newnham Basics, has moved to live in Southampton and makes his debut.
Sarisbury Athletic: J Hill, Floyd, Grierson, Lovett, Robson, Rawlins, Harris, Wright, Degrussa, Kitcher, S Hill.
Freddie Egleston is back from Leeds & Bradford University and makes his first Alton appearance at far away New Milton, whose 2021 South African import Harlan Greig played for Nottinghamshire in the Second XI Championship semi-finals at Arundel in midweek.
Egleston has been turning out for Rastrick – home of the ‘Floral Dance’ and the famous Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band – in the Huddersfield League Championship.
Alton: Gonella, Harris, Heffernan MJ, Myers, Heffernan MP, South, Egleston, Crane, Walters, Salmon, Appavoo.
Having finished his second academic year at Oxford, Ben Fisher, who took five Sarisbury Athletic wickets a fortnight ago, is available for the remainder of the season and returns for Calmore Sports against basement side Liphook & Ripsley at Loperwood Park.
James Manning too is back with Michael Cook behind the stumps for Calmore, who entertain Bramshaw in a national Village Cup county final replay on Sunday, 1pm. Last weekend’s original tie was washed out after tea.
Calmore Sports: Carty, Croft, Cook, Fisher, Johns, Johnson, Lavelle, Manning, Moss, Perry, Wright.
The other SPL1 match features Sparsholt against Basingstoke & North Hants at Locks Lane.
The dog-eat-dog scenario will continue tomorrow, with 82-point leaders Rowledge facing Portsmouth (75) at St Helen’s, Southsea and Sarisbury Athletic (76) setting sail for Ventnor, who have two points more.
“We’re a team with no superstars that are very difficult to beat and field for their lives,” manager Chris Yates says of table topping Rowledge, whose availability continues to be fluid, but will improve once the university terms finish.
Portsmouth’s form has been erratic, defeats by Basingstoke and Sarisbury Athletic sandwiched either side of a big win over Alton.
They can expect 20 overs of miserly spin from the experienced David Lloyd and lf-armer Oli Bker, who picked up four Calmore wickets for three runs last week.
Portsmouth: Duggan, Marston, Mitchell, Jalil, Wimble, Daini, S Warner, Woolf, Silva, McArdle, Rao.
Rowledge: Ben Wish, Jake Wish, Zac Le Roux, Ricky Yates, Olly Ryman, Ryan Littlewood, David Lloyd, Ash Harvey, Ben Davidson, Jonty Seeborn, Ollie Baker.
Sarisbury Athletic are minus three key players for the visit to Steephill, a trip Rob Franklin, Nigel Feltham and Tom Mills. Jack Robson, having played all his early cricket at Hook & Newnham Basics, has moved to live in Southampton and makes his debut.
Sarisbury Athletic: J Hill, Floyd, Grierson, Lovett, Robson, Rawlins, Harris, Wright, Degrussa, Kitcher, S Hill.
Freddie Egleston is back from Leeds & Bradford University and makes his first Alton appearance at far away New Milton, whose 2021 South African import Harlan Greig played for Nottinghamshire in the Second XI Championship semi-finals at Arundel in midweek.
Egleston has been turning out for Rastrick – home of the ‘Floral Dance’ and the famous Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band – in the Huddersfield League Championship.
Alton: Gonella, Harris, Heffernan MJ, Myers, Heffernan MP, South, Egleston, Crane, Walters, Salmon, Appavoo.
Having finished his second academic year at Oxford, Ben Fisher, who took five Sarisbury Athletic wickets a fortnight ago, is available for the remainder of the season and returns for Calmore Sports against basement side Liphook & Ripsley at Loperwood Park.
James Manning too is back with Michael Cook behind the stumps for Calmore, who entertain Bramshaw in a national Village Cup county final replay on Sunday, 1pm. Last weekend’s original tie was washed out after tea.
Calmore Sports: Carty, Croft, Cook, Fisher, Johns, Johnson, Lavelle, Manning, Moss, Perry, Wright.
The other SPL1 match features Sparsholt against Basingstoke & North Hants at Locks Lane.
