Calmore Sports face Basingstoke & North Hants in a top of the table British Gas Southern League Division One showdown at Loperwood Park, with skipper Mark Lavelle insisting the pressure is all on the visitors, rather than his own side.
“Despite being top, there is no expectation on us,” he says.
“The match has probably more significance for Basingstoke in their quest for the title.
“We are still taking it game by game and seeing where we are come 8pm every Saturday evening.”
Calmore enjoy a 20-point lead at the top and will open up a significant advantage if they can reverse an early season defea at May’s Bounty and win.
“We have done well at home but have only played four games out of the ten there.
“Our aim at the start of the year was to be strong at home so hopefully we can continue this,” he added.
Lavelle acknowledges second placed Basingstoke have been the best team they have played this season.
“But we left Mays Bounty wondering what if. We let them get 40 more than they should have and didn't bat well enough.
“We have got a couple of players back since then so we are hoping to deliver tomorrow.
“I still think there are a lot of twist and turns to come. There is no guaranteed win in this league everyone beats everyone so there is still a lot of cricket to be played.”
Calmore are without Paul Proudley, while George Metzger, who hit a century on debut for the Academy against New Milton last week, is back behind the stumps for Basingstoke.
Calmore Sports: Lavelle, Cook, Perry, Johns, Manning, Rutter, Newton, Rose, West, Ducellier, Croft.
Basingstoke & North Hants: Stokes, Belcher, Froud, Metzger, B Neal, Griffiths, Oates, James, Thankachan, A Neal, Connor.
Bournemouth host Portsmouth, while Liphook & Ripsley have an important tussle with Hook & Newnham Basics at Ripsley Park. Sarisbury Athletic face the cross-Solent trip to play Ventnor at Newclose.
Ricky Yates makes his first appearance of the season and will play alongside his father Chris for Rowledge in the key relegation match against Tichborne Park.
Rowledge: Morant, J Wish, Lloyd, Treble, Metcalfe, R Yates, S Martin, B Wish, Randall, Keeley, C Yates snr.
“Despite being top, there is no expectation on us,” he says.
“The match has probably more significance for Basingstoke in their quest for the title.
“We are still taking it game by game and seeing where we are come 8pm every Saturday evening.”
Calmore enjoy a 20-point lead at the top and will open up a significant advantage if they can reverse an early season defea at May’s Bounty and win.
“We have done well at home but have only played four games out of the ten there.
“Our aim at the start of the year was to be strong at home so hopefully we can continue this,” he added.
Lavelle acknowledges second placed Basingstoke have been the best team they have played this season.
“But we left Mays Bounty wondering what if. We let them get 40 more than they should have and didn't bat well enough.
“We have got a couple of players back since then so we are hoping to deliver tomorrow.
“I still think there are a lot of twist and turns to come. There is no guaranteed win in this league everyone beats everyone so there is still a lot of cricket to be played.”
Calmore are without Paul Proudley, while George Metzger, who hit a century on debut for the Academy against New Milton last week, is back behind the stumps for Basingstoke.
Calmore Sports: Lavelle, Cook, Perry, Johns, Manning, Rutter, Newton, Rose, West, Ducellier, Croft.
Basingstoke & North Hants: Stokes, Belcher, Froud, Metzger, B Neal, Griffiths, Oates, James, Thankachan, A Neal, Connor.
Bournemouth host Portsmouth, while Liphook & Ripsley have an important tussle with Hook & Newnham Basics at Ripsley Park. Sarisbury Athletic face the cross-Solent trip to play Ventnor at Newclose.
Ricky Yates makes his first appearance of the season and will play alongside his father Chris for Rowledge in the key relegation match against Tichborne Park.
Rowledge: Morant, J Wish, Lloyd, Treble, Metcalfe, R Yates, S Martin, B Wish, Randall, Keeley, C Yates snr.
