The ‘wake up’ alarm bells are ringing at Fair Oak – or they will be tomorrow morning as the Oaks prepare to set off on an intrepid Premier Division 2 crossing to the Isle of Wight – with each member of the team having to drive his own vehicle to Ventnor !
The Government’s strict covid non-car sharing regulations mean Fair Oak having to take 11 cars on the 9 o’clock Southampton to East Cowes ferry ahead of a 45-minute cross-island drive through the villages of Godshill and Wroxall to Steephill, where they’ll jostle for a parking spot alongside visitors to the botanical gardens.
So, it’s a prompt 8.30am meet at the town quay and a cornflake breakfast aboard for Charlie Gwynn’s side, who are being strongly tipped, alongside Liphook & Ripsley, in Division 2 this summer.
At least an ECB grant, covering the initial three weeks of the season, has cushioned the normal £51 per car cost of travel to the Isle of Wight.
It’s only 40-overs per side (as opposed to 50) red ball matches in Divisions 1-3 this season, so at least the Fair Oak team might get back for the last boat .. having enjoyed a rare post-match beer on the Steephill terrace.
Gwynn has kept his Oaks team pick close to his chest, but Ventnor (relegated from SPL1 in 2019) are fielding an experienced side, with Ben Woodhouse pulling the strings from behind the stumps.
Ventnor: Ben Woodhouse, Rob Snell, Chris Russell, Neil Westhorpe, Mark Fletcher, Alex Lloyd, Charlie Calloway, Charlie Turpin, Gary Legg, Ross Whyte, Sam Read.
With opener Ryan Covey back from Alton, Liphook & Ripsley are looking pretty strong, but a visit to OTs & Romsey’s spin friendly Romsey Sports Centre surface is always a test.
Liphook & Ripsley: Covey, Nicklin, Munt, Martin, Neave, Rouse, Pryce, Hall, Amis, Burton, Janczur.
The Government’s strict covid non-car sharing regulations mean Fair Oak having to take 11 cars on the 9 o’clock Southampton to East Cowes ferry ahead of a 45-minute cross-island drive through the villages of Godshill and Wroxall to Steephill, where they’ll jostle for a parking spot alongside visitors to the botanical gardens.
So, it’s a prompt 8.30am meet at the town quay and a cornflake breakfast aboard for Charlie Gwynn’s side, who are being strongly tipped, alongside Liphook & Ripsley, in Division 2 this summer.
At least an ECB grant, covering the initial three weeks of the season, has cushioned the normal £51 per car cost of travel to the Isle of Wight.
It’s only 40-overs per side (as opposed to 50) red ball matches in Divisions 1-3 this season, so at least the Fair Oak team might get back for the last boat .. having enjoyed a rare post-match beer on the Steephill terrace.
Gwynn has kept his Oaks team pick close to his chest, but Ventnor (relegated from SPL1 in 2019) are fielding an experienced side, with Ben Woodhouse pulling the strings from behind the stumps.
Ventnor: Ben Woodhouse, Rob Snell, Chris Russell, Neil Westhorpe, Mark Fletcher, Alex Lloyd, Charlie Calloway, Charlie Turpin, Gary Legg, Ross Whyte, Sam Read.
With opener Ryan Covey back from Alton, Liphook & Ripsley are looking pretty strong, but a visit to OTs & Romsey’s spin friendly Romsey Sports Centre surface is always a test.
Liphook & Ripsley: Covey, Nicklin, Munt, Martin, Neave, Rouse, Pryce, Hall, Amis, Burton, Janczur.
Rhodes Franklin, left, has switched from Hook & Newnham Basics to Bashley (Rydal) to coincide with his studies at Bournemouth University and make his debut against South Wilts II at the BCG.
A hard hitting top order batsman and handy spin bowler, Franklin makes his debut for the 2019 Premier 3 winners, who are captained by opening bowler Sean Read. Batsman/wicketkeeper Patrick Lewis is at Nottingham University until mid-season.
Bashley (Rydal) II: Ben Francis, Simon Morris, Phil Morris, Rhodes Franklin, James Underwood, Saif Achakzai, Sean Mulley, Ethan Baker, Tom Penycate, Ben Fletcher, Sean Read.
In the other Division 2 games, promoted Fawley host Waterlooville and Paultons travel to Hartley Wintney. Alas, there is no teams news.
Arguably the pick of the round one SPL3 matches is at St James’s Park, where title favourites Portsmouth & Southsea face Hambledon, the hosts purring with confidence after pre-season wins against Pagham and Waterlooville.
P & S ran Bashley (Rydal) II close in last season’s successful Southern League Cup final and have bolstered their squad with the signing of Waterlooville’s Max Goddard, while Hambledon introduced centurion left-hand opener Dan McGovern, from Northamptonshire, into their ranks last weekend.
Hambledon: S Le Clercq, McGovern, Glanfield, Marshall, Chakrabarti, Butcher, Barnard, Harding, Restall, Turner. Khan.
Hythe & Dibden make their May’s Bounty debut against relegated but experienced Basingstoke & North Hants II, where Matt Young will look to reproduce his end season League Cup form from 2020.
Hythe & Dibden: T Richards, T Gates, M Young, Z Millar, S Redford, A Wakely, W McKay, F Roberts, B Holbrook, L Vaughan, T Ndowora.
Hook & Newnham Basics II, runners-up to Parley in HCL County 1 in 2019, sample Premier League action for the first time when Gosport Borough trek north to the run-laden KGV.
Gosport are weakened by the absence of West Indian import Denzel James, who made big scores in Borough’s two opening friendly matches.
With Jack Richards studying hard at Cardiff University, off spinner Dale Paternotte gets the Borough call, while ex-Fareham & Crofton skipper Kevin Light will be scanning his old videos to spot any flaws in Viv Richards’ batting technique against Oli May’s raw pace.
Gosport Borough: Lee Harrop, Charlie Creal, Ollie Creal, Simon Creal, Jacob Harris, Tom Larner, Dale Paternotte, Viv Richards, Craig Stares, Scott Taylor, Mark Toogood.
Hook & Newnham Basics II: Light, Bruin, James, Moore, Brown, Warner, B Allnutt, Gardner, Balcombe. Brewer, May.
The other SPL3 matches are Purbrook v Langley Manor and Tichborne Park against Trojans.
A hard hitting top order batsman and handy spin bowler, Franklin makes his debut for the 2019 Premier 3 winners, who are captained by opening bowler Sean Read. Batsman/wicketkeeper Patrick Lewis is at Nottingham University until mid-season.
Bashley (Rydal) II: Ben Francis, Simon Morris, Phil Morris, Rhodes Franklin, James Underwood, Saif Achakzai, Sean Mulley, Ethan Baker, Tom Penycate, Ben Fletcher, Sean Read.
In the other Division 2 games, promoted Fawley host Waterlooville and Paultons travel to Hartley Wintney. Alas, there is no teams news.
Arguably the pick of the round one SPL3 matches is at St James’s Park, where title favourites Portsmouth & Southsea face Hambledon, the hosts purring with confidence after pre-season wins against Pagham and Waterlooville.
P & S ran Bashley (Rydal) II close in last season’s successful Southern League Cup final and have bolstered their squad with the signing of Waterlooville’s Max Goddard, while Hambledon introduced centurion left-hand opener Dan McGovern, from Northamptonshire, into their ranks last weekend.
Hambledon: S Le Clercq, McGovern, Glanfield, Marshall, Chakrabarti, Butcher, Barnard, Harding, Restall, Turner. Khan.
Hythe & Dibden make their May’s Bounty debut against relegated but experienced Basingstoke & North Hants II, where Matt Young will look to reproduce his end season League Cup form from 2020.
Hythe & Dibden: T Richards, T Gates, M Young, Z Millar, S Redford, A Wakely, W McKay, F Roberts, B Holbrook, L Vaughan, T Ndowora.
Hook & Newnham Basics II, runners-up to Parley in HCL County 1 in 2019, sample Premier League action for the first time when Gosport Borough trek north to the run-laden KGV.
Gosport are weakened by the absence of West Indian import Denzel James, who made big scores in Borough’s two opening friendly matches.
With Jack Richards studying hard at Cardiff University, off spinner Dale Paternotte gets the Borough call, while ex-Fareham & Crofton skipper Kevin Light will be scanning his old videos to spot any flaws in Viv Richards’ batting technique against Oli May’s raw pace.
Gosport Borough: Lee Harrop, Charlie Creal, Ollie Creal, Simon Creal, Jacob Harris, Tom Larner, Dale Paternotte, Viv Richards, Craig Stares, Scott Taylor, Mark Toogood.
Hook & Newnham Basics II: Light, Bruin, James, Moore, Brown, Warner, B Allnutt, Gardner, Balcombe. Brewer, May.
The other SPL3 matches are Purbrook v Langley Manor and Tichborne Park against Trojans.
