New Milton have recruited Cape Town based spin all-rounder Harlan Greig as their overseas player for the upcoming Southern Premier Division 1 campaign and will make his competitive debut for the Green & Golds against Sarisbury Athletic at Allotment Road on Saturday, 12.30.
Greig (24) is no stranger to these shores, having spent the 2017 season with Macclesfield and both 2018/19 at Clacton-on-Sea, where he skippered the town side in the Two Counties League Division 2 in his second season. A top order batsman and leg-spin bowler from top Western Province club Claremont , he had been due to play for Corsham in the WEPL last summer.
He is joined at Fernhill by Wimborne & Colehill seam bowling all-rounder Ed Bartlett, while Oli Shrubsole (Bournemouth) and wicketkeeper Luke Mortimore (Lymington) have moved on.

Paultons and Sarisbury Athletic have landed attractive second round home ties in the Village Cup on Sunday week, May 9.
Earlier wins over Overton and Oakley have earned Paultons potentially far tougher opposition in close rivals Calmore Sports, while 2019 semi-finalists Sarisbury Athletic line up against Hambledon at Allotment Road.
There's an all-New Forest encounter between Sway and Bramshaw, while Hursley Park host old rivals Sparsholt at The Quarters.   Parley host Shrewton.  Liphook & Ripsley host West Sussex side Balcome.

Portsmouth Grammar School’s Alex Davidson [above] whacked six sixes to help Portsmouth & Southsea to a 28-run victory Waterlooville – a boost for Saturday’s potentially significant Southern Premier League Division 3 meet with Hambledon at St James’s Park
The teenage wicket-keeper, arriving at the crease with his side 30-3, also struck 11 boundaries in racing to 94 off 60 balls. But with a century in his sights, he was caught and bowled off the bowling of Ville captain Archie Reynolds, who had brought himself on as sixth change.
Davidson had scored his 94 out of a partnership of 120 for the fourth wicket with Chris Bollom (23)
P & S, who did well in last summer’s League Cup competition, had been in early trouble when Jon Hudson (2-5 off five overs) dismissed opener Matt Benfield (1) and Ollie Kanavan (2) cheaply.
After Davidson’s fireworks, Umar Khyam Malik (29 not out) and Dean Lee (32) added 67 for the sixth wicket as P & S closed on 226-6 - Ville boosting that total with 20 wides.
P & S enjoyed an early boost when Jono Willey (3-36) trapped Reynolds leg before for just two.
Opener Alex Shephard hit 34 before he fell to Matt Benfield (2-14). That made it 61-3, and Tim Jackson saw his stumps rearranged next ball.
Ashan Silva (27) and Hudson (22) hung around for a while, and Jack Pearce (46) and Dan Birch (12) added 50 for the eighth wicket.   P & S skipper Ben Saunders took 2-32, including Namish Verma (17) who had scored a century in a friendly the previous week.  Ville’s innings closed on 198 when Haydn Knight was run out by Davidson.
Newcomer Dan McGovern hit a run-a-ball century as Hambledon defeated Bishop’s Waltham by 66 runs at Ridge Meadow. Where the left-hander retired after reaching 101. .
He had previously put on 82 for the first wicket with skipper Spencer Le Clerq (44), while Indy Chakrabati (32 not out) helped lift the final score to 248-5 off 40 overs.
Waltham skipper Ben Medhurst hit three sixes in his unbeaten 52 as his side closed on 182-4.
Ben Reilly (2-32) was Hambledon’s main wicket-taker.     The News, Portsmouth.

Portsmouth held their nerve to claim a morale-boosting victory over Havant in their final pre-season friendly ahead of Saturday’s Southern Premier League Division 1 opener at Rowledge.
After looking on course for a big win at one point, the Southsea hosts eventually prevailed in a dramatic encounter by just two runs at St Helens.
After posting 205-6 in 45 overs, Portsmouth struck early – former PGS captain Joe Kooner-Evans (4-33) dismissing opener Jeremy Bulled for a single.  Fellow opener Ben Walker (27) and George Metzger (20) couldn’t build on their starts as Havant lurched to 96-6 and 111-7.
Skipper Chris Morgan (49) top scored before he was bowled by Kooner-Evans, but a 10th wicket stand then threatened to give Havant a remarkable victory.
Coming together at 155-9, tailenders Alfie Taw (29 not out) and Bobby Gurden (17 off 25) put on 48,
They only needed three more for victory when Dan Wallis - the seventh bowler used by skipper Ben Duggan - struck with his 11th delivery, Gurden caught by Harrison Webb.
Jack Marston had earlier continued his bright pre-season form.  After scoring 45 (v Liphook) and 71 (v Portsmouth University), Marston top scored with 69.
He put on 55 for the first wicket with Duggan (27) and 86 for the second with Alex Hammond (52).
Havant handed a debut to former Hampshire Academy seamer Sonny Reynolds (6-1-27-0), while left-arm spinner Freddie Gadd (4-27 off nine overs) was their chief wicket-taker.

Sparsholt’s Andy Steggall, a familiar face to many television viewers in the past, is now head of PR at the Ordnance Survey in Southampton, so he was the ideal batsman to route map the Hampshire Seniors’ 28-run victory over Kent in the National Sixties Championships at St Helen’s, Southsea.
Getting his grid references and contours spot on, Steggall produced a polished unbeaten century on his Hampshire Seniors debut, steering his side to a match winning 258-6 with an undefeated 114.
The left-hand opener used to play Kent League cricket for The Mote in Maidstone, so he may have remembered some of the opposition bowlers from his younger days.
He clipped a six over backward square and struck 15 other crisply timed boundaries, pointing Hampshire towards a competitive total after half-century partnerships with Neil Trestrail (40) and Geoff Beale (30).
Kent had only previously lost once to Hampshire and made a decent fist of their response, skipper Chris Tarrant (54) and Chris Swadkin (48) top scoring in their 230-5.

Five locally based Southern Premier League cricketers are named by Southampton Solent for the BUCS Championship match against Oxford University at Totton & Eling's Southern Gardens on Wednesday, 11.30. 
Solent: Jack Stearman, Tom South, James Degg, * Gareth Schreuder, Arthur Godsal, Harry Warner, Prince Singh, James Trodd, Bill Blighton, Yanick de Mezies, Matt Graves.
Portsmouth play Chichester at St Helen's, Southsea.

​South Wilts open their ECB Southern Premier League challenge against 2019 champions Bashley (Rydal) at Bemerton on Saturday (11.30), with rookie captain Ben Draper underlining the importance of his side making a winning start.
“The guys are saying how much stronger the Premier Division looks this season, with potentially all of the sides capable of beating each other, Draper said.
“St Cross Symondians are being heavily tipped as potential champions, but I’d like to think we’ll be one of the sides in the mix.
“It’s so important to start on a positive note and there’s no reason why we can’t beat Bashley.
“We had an unprecedented amount of match practice – playing four games in April must be some sort of record - with the batsmen spending plenty of time at the crease and the bowlers getting plenty of overs under their belts.”
It’s all 50-over cricket in the Premier Division this season – no all-day ‘time’ matches, the summer being split between red and white ball games, coloured kit being worn for the initial five weeks.
Lead batsman Tom Morton is already looking good, with 80 and 68 in his last two knocks – South Wilts piling up 317-9 before beating a Hampshire Academy XI by 56 runs in the final warm-up match at Bemerton.
The former first team captain was in awesome form against the county side, cracking ten fours and two sixes in his 68, one huge hit over the electronic scoreboard breaking some tiles on the roof of a house in Lower Road, a good 100 yards away !
                                                                                   Emerging
The other batsman who caught the eye was domiciled Australian Peter Rowe, who came in at six and hit a stylish 71.
If the former Melville first grade batsman hits his straps, Rowe will provide a significant boost to the South Wilts’ middle-order.
The Academy, who included new Hampshire signing Cameron Steel (45), made a decent fist of their reply after a wobble, created by Matt Burton (4-50), threatened to disrupt their run chase.
Left-hander Dubs Wood (63) – he’s the son of Julian Wood – and the emerging James Trodd (53) each hit half-centuries before Tom Lewis (3-40) called at halt at 216 all out.
Jimmy Adams was left high and dry at the non-striker’s end, having not faced a ball – having earlier showed his versatility by taking six catches .. in an unusual wicketkeeping role !
South Wilts will be without the influential Jack Mynott for all bar the Spring bank holiday weekend – the Coombe Bissett all-rounder having teaching commitments at Eastbourne College until early July.
Jack’s absence has given Tom Lewis a gilt-edged opportunity to stake a claim for a first team place, the bespectacled offie having emerged from the relative backwaters of 3rd XI cricket with some tight, difficult to get away bowling performances, including a pleasing three-wicket haul against the Academy XI.
Opening bowler Mark Burton is also steadily improving and, boosted by four Academy scalps last weekend, will have the responsibility of the new ball against Bashley, alongside either Arthur Godsal or Ben Huntley.
Scores: South Wilts 317-9 (Rowe 71, Morton 68, Harries 26, Hayward 25, Huntley 25, Broderick 3-35) Hampshire Academy XI 261 (Wood 63, Trodd 53, Steel 45, Burton 4-50, Lewis 3-40).

Hampshire Seniors' are set to mix it with one of the country's top veterans sides when Kent visit Portsmouth's Southsea seafront ground in the National Sixties Championship tomorrow, 1pm.
Kent frequently win the south-east group (into which Hampshire have been switched following a lengthy spell of trips to the west), with Blackheath's Chris Swadkin often enjoying himself at the expense of the Seniors' bowling.
Hampshire have a lean success rate against Kent, with only an Iain Britton six-hit winning spree at Totton & Eling some years ago to shout about.  
It promises to be a fascinating afternoon for former television personality Andy Steggall, who played Kent League cricket for The Mote at Maidstone before his career move to Hampshire.  He will have played against many of the Kent team.
Hampshire: Steggall, Trestrail, Beale, Board, Baker, Simpson, Goodman, Shephard, Yates, Mitchell, Wood.
There is ample car parking available within the St Helen's ground.

Bramshaw’s Tom Arnold [pictured] and Parley opener Tom Saunders hit centuries to point their respective sides to victory in the opening Venous National Village Cup round.
​Arnold took full advantage of Bramshaw’s small boundary and smashed the Locks Heath attack for 154, while Saunders stung Beehive & Southwick with an unbeaten 101 which sent Parley to a nine-wicket win.
Bramshaw kept umpire Paul Sparshott’s arms busy by piling up 315-8 before Mike Kingston got to work with the ball. His 5-19 return sent Locks Heath tumbling to 154 all out.
Bramshaw 315-8 (Arnold 154) Locks Heath 154 (Kingston 5-19). Bramshaw won by 161 runs.

An unbroken century partnership between Tim Vokes (60) and David Banks (41) got hosts Sparsholt home by five wickets against Hook & Newnham Basics II, who posted a below par 222-5.
Opener Alex Brown and Ben Allnutt, with a late 45 not out, top scored for Hook, who were probably 25 runs or so short of a competitive target.  The match was in the balance, but once Vokes and Banks got going Sparsholt took charge and were home with ten balls to spare.
Hook & Newnham Basics 222-5 (Brown 48, B Allnutt 45*, Warner 31, Doran 3-47) Sparsholt 226-5 (T Vokes 60*, Banks 31*, Taylor 33, Foster 29, Balcombe 3-32). Sparsholt won by five wickets.
​Tom Flynn and Paul Marks laid the foundation for Hursley Park’s 218-6 against Tichborne Park, who threatened while Tom Allam remained at the crease.
Hursley Park 218-6 (T Flynn 81, Marks 60) Tichborne Park 199 (T Allam 75, W Allam 30, Doherty 4-33, Solanki 3-35). Hursley Park won by 19 runs.
Sway made short work of Amport (110), with Dan Bailey (53) swatting a half-century in the visitors’ seven-wicket win.

Paultons advanced to the second round with a Cameron Grierson [pictured] inspired seven-wicket win over Oakley, who were restricted to 165-7 (Will Cheyney 56), with useful contributions from Alex Brundle (20*), Will Montgomery (21) and Clive Welsman (25). Seasoned pair Chris Dunn (4-29) and Tony Richman (2-16) the pick of the Paultons bowlers.
Grierson (84) and Jacob Lee (23) started the chase with a century opening partnership but once Lee was stumped off the bowling of Welsman (3-32) the tempo increased and the target was reached with 10 overs remaining. Promising 16 year old Ben Rogers continued his good early season form with a run a ball 40 not out.
Oakley 161-7 (Cheyney 56, Dunn 4-29) Paultons 166-3 (Grierson 84, Rogers 40, Welsman 3-32). Paultons won by seven wickets.
Rowledge fell at the first hurdle with their 195-5 well short of a competitive total at Surrey Championship side Valley End, who gobbled up the runs well before closing time.
Rowledge 195-5 (Baker 52, Plater 45, Le Roux 30) Valley End 196-1 (Young 96*, Chauhan 82*). Valley End won by nine wickets.
Ricky Rawlins and Josh Hill, so often prolific in the VVC, scored the runs as Sarisbury Athletic cruised to a nine-wicket win over visiting Easton & Martyr Worthy, while Redlynch ​& Hale prospered in the Dorset/Wilts group with a 48-run win at Charlton Down.
Easton & Martyr Worthy 172-8 (Stanbrook 62, Byers 29, Franklin 3-30) Sarisbury Athletic 176-1 (Rawlins 73*, J Hill 70*). Sarisbury Athletic won by nine wickets.
Redlynch & Hale 244-6 (Everett 90, Hopkins 51) Charlton Down 186-7 (Dunford 54). Redlynch & hale won by 48 runs.
Beehive & Southwick 183-6 (Chris Warren 55*, Clive Warren 48) Parley 185-1 (Saunders 101*, Laird 50). Parley won by nine wickets.

Hartley Wintney teenager Harry Broderick cracked a magnificent career best 147 to power Hampshire Under-18s towards an 87-run victory over their Middlesex counterparts in the ECB County Youth Cup at South Wilts.
Broderick, pictured, had been out of nick in recent matches, but burst back into form by hitting 15 fours and six maximums as Hampshire posted a formidable 376-5 before dismissing Middlesex for 289.
Tom Prest (55 not out), Charlie Mumford (49). James Barker (47) and Joe Eckland (44) also piled on the agony for Middlesex, who were put in a spin by Millfield leggie Kamran Khanna, who returned personal county best figures of 6-66.  It was Hampshire's second group win after having thrashed Sussex by nine wickets last weekend.

Alton 306-5 (Myers 78*, Harris 62, Middleton 59, Heffernan 47) Farnham 278-5 (Berry 85, Goldby 72). Alton won by 28 runs.

Bashley (Rydal) 121 (M Wilson 29, Friend 24, Venkateswaran 4-33) Normandy 123-3 (Austin 49). Normandy won by seven wickets.

Bournemouth 238-3 (Webb 117*, Collins 60, Price 39*) Dorchester 149-9 (Caldwell 53, Hurley 3-15). Bournemouth won by 89 runs.

Lymington 275-6 (Du Plooy 129*) Purbrook 143 (Figgins 31, Du Plooy 3-3). Lymington won by 122 runs.

Portsmouth 205-6 (J Marston 69, Hammond 52, Duggan 27, F Gadd 4-27) Havant 203 (Morgan 49, Walker 35, Taw 29*, Krooner-Evans 4-37, A Marston 3-26). Portsmouth won by two runs.

South Wilts 317-9 (Rowe 71, Morton 68, Broderick 3-35) Hampshire Academy XI 261 (Wood 63, Trodd 53, Steel 45, Burton 4-50, Lewis 3-40). South Wilts won by 56 runs.

St Cross Symondians 280-8 (Organ 121, T Foyle 48, Bransgrove 32, Taylor 31) Hook & Newnham Basics 203 (Lockwood 50, Thomson 38, Buckingham 31, Came 5-43, H Foyle 3-30). St Cross Symondians won by 77 runs.

Slough 120 (Syed 34, Raja 33, Neal 3-10) Basingstoke & North Hants 121-9 (Neal 39). Basingstoke & North Hants won by one wicket.

Calmore Sports 200-8 (Lavelle 54, Bailey 53, Johnson 33, Peters 4-12) Langley Manor 152-7 (Budd 48, Browne 41, Perry 3-24).  Calmore Sports won by 48 runs.

New Milton 191 (Greig 37, Bartlett 37, Edwards 26, Bernard 4-22) Sway 193-7 (Noble 84*, Burton 48, Bartlett 3-22). Sway won by three wickets.

Fair Oak 224-7 (Gwynn 90, Bullough 31, Reed 29) Fawley 139 (Vyas 63, Eley 3-33). Fair Oak won by 85 runs.

​Gosport Borough 227-7 (James 92, O Creal 35, Carney 4-39) Fareham & Crofton 230-6 (Kent 76, Wimble 72, Stoddart 35*). Fareham & Crofton won by four wickets.

Portsmouth & Southsea 226-6 (Davidson 94, Lee 32, Malik 29) Waterlooville 198 (  ). Portsmouth & Southsea won by 28 runs.

Ventnor 224-6 (Whyte 82, Turpin 63*) Shanklin & Godshill 242-9 (B White 61, Phillips 46, Lambourne 29, Read 3-35). Ventnor won by two runs.

Hook & Newnham Basics II 227 (James 92, Warner 35, Blackmore 4-27, Allen 3-27) Longparish 193-9. Hook & Newnham Basics II won by 34 runs.

Havant II 253-3 (S Loat 105, Galliers 76, Turner 40) Portsmouth II 131 (Patel 37, Burns 6-4). Havant II won by 122 runs.

THE soothing sound of leather on willow could be heard again last Sunday as Ventnor continued their pre-season preparation with an inter-club friendly at their picturesque Steephill.
However, despite the positive atmosphere around the famous old Isle of Wight club, as they look forward to their first season in Division 2 of the Southern Premier League, there was bad early news for the first team, writes Jon Moreno, sports editor of the IOW County Press.
Ventnor were due to make a trip to ‘the cradle of cricket’ — Hambledon — in the first round of the Village Cup, the largest knock-out cricket competition in the UK, today (Sunday).
But with Covid travel restrictions in place, they were unable to stump up the £500 cost of meeting the first round fixture. 
Fiona Newnham, who manages the first team, was disappointed at having to forfeit the game.
She said: “It would have meant only one person per household in each car. Those are the rules at the moment.”
Ventnor begin their league programme against Fair Oak, at Steephill, on Saturday, the SPL having successfully applied for an ECB grant, which has helped to fund their opening three away games, up to £400 per fixture.
“Thanks to the Southern League being proactive, we plan to play the opening games,” Fiona said.
“For our away games, we will have to cross The Solent as foot passengers, then hire a coach to take us to the ground and back.”
What the club is not sure about at the moment — and this also applies to Ryde and Shanklin cricket clubs — is whether the Hampshire League, due to start on May 8, will go ahead this season (for the three IOW teams), with all the travelling involved to and from the Island, amid Covid travel restrictions.
Basingstoke-based Oakley are due to visit Westhill on May 8, with Redlynch & Hale crossing to play 2020 All Wight champions Ryde.
However, the Steephill club remains positive ahead of the new season.
“The ground is looking good and we are about to start watering the square — something I thought we’d never have to do in April,” Fiona added.
                                                                                        Bajan boost ?
“We’re looking optimistic. As far as adding new faces to the first team squad is concerned, watch this space. We don’t have anyone yet, but we have about two weeks yet for that to change.
“We hope to get our overseas player, Anthony Alleyne, from Barbados, in.”
Alleyne was due to arrive in time for the start of the 2020 season, until coronavirus halted the plans in their tracks.
“We have gone through the government to maintain our sponsorship licence and we have all the visas and the paperwork needed, so we are fairly optimistic of bringing him to Ventnor.
“It will be a real coup getting him here. It will be inspirational. He is a very good player and coach. He will be doing much youth cricket work.”
The first team will have a mix of youth and experience — including skipper Ben Woodhouse, Ross Whyte, Rob Snell and Chris Russell.
“Chris has work commitments and will only be available for home games," Fiona adds.
“We are confident we can maintain our position in Division 2 and seek to advance next year. 
“We may do better this year, but we have to be realistic. It’s certainly going to be interesting.”  

Amid some of tightest security ever seen on a local cricket ground, Hampshire Seniors beat their Surrey Sixties counterparts by six wickets behind closed doors at Bashley (Rydal) - a perfect tonic ahead of Tuesday's National Championship match against Kent at St Helen's, Southsea.
The fact that over 500 runs were scored was almost immaterial as surveillance cameras picked up every move by would-be spectators trying to catch a glimpse of the action, those that even dared to crane their necks over the Bashley Common Road gate were promptly sent on their way by jobsworths patrolling the perimeters. The polo ponies in the adjoining field were even obliged to wear blinkers in case they caught sight of either Chris Wheeler (62) or Geoff Beale (56) in full cry as Hampshire chased down Surrey's 252-4 to win by six wickets with seven balls to spare.
Surrey 252-4 (Shepherd 62, Evans 59, Horton 58, Ross 49) Hampshire 254-4 (Wheeler 62*, Beale 54, Trestrail 32, Britton 28*).
Hampshire completed a veterans double with a six-wicket with at 70s level - the winning runs at Twyford's picturesque Hunters Park coming off the last ball !
Surrey 200-8 (Waller 69, Paine 4-23) Hampshire 201-7 (Blacky 53*, Watson 32, Woolf 27).

James Fuller [left] struck an innings defining century to turn around Hampshire seconds’ fortunes and set up a resounding ten-wicket win over a combined Kent/Sussex IIs side at Canterbury’s Polo Farm.
Replying to a Kent/Sussex total of 304, Hampshire lurched to 112-6 (Cameron Steel 35) before Fuller (149) turned the tide, dominating consecutive century partnerships with Imtiaz (57) and Keith Barker (55) to guide the visitors to 391 all out.
Scott Currie, who shared six Kent/Sussex first innings wickets with Felix Organ, and Ajeet Dale linked up to rush the combined side out for 99, leaving Hampshire 16 runs to clinch a ten-wicket victory.
Kent/Sussex II 304 (Qadri 75, Muyeye 68, Orr 49, Currie 3-38, Organ 3-64) and 99 (Gilchrist 34, Currie 4-19, Dale 3-30). Hampshire II 391 (Fuller 149, Imtiaz 53, Barker 55, Steel 35, O’Riordan 3-54) and 16-0. Hampshire II won by ten wickets.

Ian Holland and Tom Alsop each scored centuries as in-form Hampshire dominated the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at the Ageas Bowl.
Hampshire closed the day on 292-3 to continue their excellent start to the season, with Alsop unbeaten on 127 at the close with nightwatchman Mason Crane yet to score. 
Sam Northeast was dismissed for 24 in the penultimate over of the evening when he was caught down the leg-side by James Bracey off Matt Taylor.
Both sides went into the game on the back of victories in their opening two matches. 
However, the visitors were rocked before the match by news they could not field all-rounder Graeme van Buuren due to delays in his paperwork after complications around Brexit changed his eligibility status to that of an overseas player.
South African Van Buuren scored a match-winning century in the win over Surrey two weeks ago and is also the side's front-line spinner. 
But he had to be left out of the team after the club received the news with West Indies batsman Kraigg Braithwaite and Australia quick Dan Worrall already named in the team.
Holland followed up on the unbeaten 146 he chalked up against Middlesex last week with a patient knock of 114 on a good batting pitch that offered little for the bowlers.
                                                                                      Exeter student
The visitors, who also took the impressive scalp of Somerset last week, made an early breakthrough when Dominic Goodman struck with his first delivery of the match.
The 20-year-old seamer, who is still a student at Exeter University, took three wickets on his debut at Taunton last week and he trapped Joe Weatherley lbw for just eight, leaving the opener as the only player in the Hampshire top-six not to pass at least 100 this season.
With little in the slow-paced surface to offer encouragement to the bowlers, Worrall did manage to find the edge of fellow Australian Holland's bat when he was on 77, only for Braithwaite to put down the most straight-forward of slip catches.
After resuming after tea on 90, Holland chalked up his third career century with a flick through square leg off Josh Shaw.
Alsop's second century of the campaign was punctuated with two glorious straight drives down the ground and a series of venomous cut shots to the boundary as the 25-year-old brought up three figures for the fourth time in his career.
Worrall finally got the breakthrough he deserved when he ended the 228-run stand for the second wicket when he trapped Holland on the back of his crease  leaving umpire Ben Debenham with a simple lbw decision.  

Saturday
Andover v South Wilts II, Bournemouth II v Broadstone, Calmore Sports v Langley Manor, Camberley v Liphook & Ripsley, Dorchester v Bournemouth, Fareham & Crofton v Gosport Borough, Fawley v Fair Oak, Hambledon v Bishop’s Waltham, Hook & Newnham Basics v St Cross Symondians, Hythe & Dibden v Bramshaw, Longparish v Hook & Newnham Basics II, Portsmouth v Havant, Portsmouth & Southsea v Waterlooville, Purbrook v Lymington, Shanklin v Ventnor (1300), Slough v Basingstoke & North Hants, South Wilts v Hampshire Academy (1130).
Sunday
ECB Under-18 County Cup
Hampshire v Middlesex (South Wilts, 11)
Village Cup first round: Beehive & Southwick v Parley, Paultons v Oakley, Sarisbury Athletic v Easton & Martyr Worthy, Amport v Sway, Bramshaw v Locksheath, Hursley Park v Tichborne Park, Sparsholt v Hook & Newnham Basics, Valley End v Rowledge, Emsworth v Bedhampton Mariners, Shrewton v Lacock, Liphook & Ripsley v Balcolme, Charlton Down v Redlynch & Hale.
Friendlies
Bournemouth v Bournemouth University, Fawley v Purbrook, Longparish v Compton & Chandler's Ford, Shanklin & Godshill v Ryde.

Alton have managed to nail down a South African provincial overseas player for the upcoming ECB Southern Premier League campaign - at the third attempt !
Earlier this calendar year, they thought they had secured the services of, firstly, former SA Under-19 cricketer Thando Ntini and then, when he pulled out, Easterns all-rounder Matthew Arnold. But he too found he was unable to come, so the Brewers turned to seasoned Eastern Province seamer Bash Walters, pictured above, who has arrived in the UK and is currently isolating.  The 34-year old had been due to play for Havant last season.
Alton lost their opening warm-up match by 25 runs at Wokingham, where one-time Hampshire U17 all-rounder Andy Rishton made 89 of the Berkshire club's 236-3.  Recent Hampshire recruit Fletcha Middleton made an unbeaten 104 in Alton's 211-5, with the promising Jude Wright scoring 34.

Ryan Covey cracked a superb 149 as Liphook & Ripsley chased down Hartley Wintney’s 256-9 to beat their Southern Premier League Division 2 rivals by five wickets with ten overs to spare on the Cricket Green.
Returning from a spell at Alton, Covey just missed out on scoring a century in his comeback match at Portsmouth, being dismissed two runs short of his hundred at 98.
But he made no mistake at Hartley Wintney, hitting seven sixes and 20 boundaries, scoring his 149 off 87 balls.
The run chase wasn’t altogether straight forward as Liphook dipped to 79-3 at one point, but a 157-run stand between Cover and Chris Martin (57) took the visitors to the brink of victory.
Earlier, teenager Angus Brown (left above)(97) held the HW innings together after Sean Burton (3-53) and George Neave (2-50) had reduced the hosts to 93-5.  Rohan Dharmathilaka (42) and Danny Nightingale (46) aided the recovery before photographer Rob Nicklin (3-31), with his teasing off-spin, took the last three wickets, including that of Brown, whose innings included three sixes and ten fours.

St Cross Symondians have boosted their prospects for the upcoming ECB Southern Premier League campaign by signing Hampshire all-rounder Brad Taylor.
The 24-year old made his debut against South Wilts, scoring a key 76 in a century fourth-wicket partnership which eased St Cross to a comfortable victory at the Green Jackets ground.
Beset by ankle injuries and then side-lined by the pandemic, it was the first time Taylor had played since Hampshire’s Vitality t20 Blast match against Somerset in 2019.
St Cross skipper Ed Ellis, who hit an unbeaten 43 in the match clinching stand, said: “It’s great to have Brad on board, his top level experience will offer so much to the club. 
“Brad has fitted in extremely well already and is a top club man. We were thrilled he did so well in his first game in 18 months and no doubt he will back it up in the weeks to come.”
With Taylor on board, alongside home grown Hampshire team-mate Felix Organ, St Cross appear to be the team to beat in what looks a strong Premier League this summer.
The comfortable manner in which they brushed aside South Wilts suggests they will be contesting the  silverware alongside, probably 2019 winners Bashley (Rydal) and Havant, but with a cluster of other clubs eager to get into the mix.
Despite Terry Morton and teenager Jack Stearman making their first significant scores of the season,  South Wilts were unable to post a sufficiently high enough total at the GJG. 
Morton made 80 and Stearman 78, the pair sharing a 148-run opening partnership, but between them ate up the lions share of South Wilts’ 45 overs. 
                                                                                        Victims
Morton hit three sixes and six fours, while Stearman underlined the value of his winter weight training to sky one maximum and hit six other boundaries.
Organ bowled a tidy nine overs of spin without reward, while Harry Came and Alex Woolvine took two wickets each.
Soon after St Cross set out in pursuit of South Wilts’ 219-6, Organ nicked off to a catch behind off left-armer Ben Huntley, but Tom Foyle, fresh from three victims behind the stumps, rattled of eight boundaries in a quick fire 44.
Came (38) batted steadily before becoming the second of Matt Burton’s three victims at 101-3.
But any prospect South Wilts had of containing their Winchester hosts were ended by a century fourth-wicket stand between Taylor (72) and Ed Ellis (43 not out) who took St Cross to within touching distance of victory.
St Cross, who go to Hook & Newnham Basics on Saturday (12.30), completed the double over South Wilts with the second team beating their counterparts by 75 runs at Bemerton.
A century stand between Joe Lewis (79) and Ben Gould (60) underpinned Symondians’ powerful 272-5 (Jason Laney 37), Rob Pittman’s five overs being flogged for 60 !
Cam Braans took 5-41 as South Wilts were dismissed for 197 (Sam Litchfield 44).

Dorset skipper Luke Webb marked his Bournemouth return with a half-century as the Lions cruised to a seven-wicket win over Corsham in their opening pre-season warm-up at Chapel Gate.
Sporting a rather fierce DIY haircut, Webb hit a breezy 58 while Adam Davies made 38 not out after Corsham had been dismissed for 172, left-arm spinner Robbie Pack catching the eye with a 4-17 return.
Webb spent the truncated 2020 pandemic season with Chesham.
Oli Breckon, Dan Conway and Ed Denham shared the other six wickets for Bournemouth, who visit Dorchester this Saturday ahead of a demanding ECB Southern Premier League opener at 2018 champions St Cross Symondians in Winchester on May 1.
With Denham, Jamie Price and Webb all returning to the fold and spin all-rounder Oli Shrubsole switching from New Milton, Bournemouth look to have far greater depth this season.   Alex Nippard has, though, rejoined Parley after helping Bournemouth reach last season's Southern League Cup final.
“To be frank, I’m not relishing the first selection committee,” confessed Lions skipper Chris Park. “Competition for places is going to be fierce.”
The talented Jonny Coombs will continue to captain Bournemouth seconds, who are back in Hampshire League Division 1 this season. 

Kieran Thomson and Harry Robson hit centuries as Hook & Newnham Basics went on an early season run rampage heavily defeating arch-rivals Basingstoke & North Hants and Liphook & Ripsley in the process.
Thomson hit his first hundred in eight seasons, scoring an unbeaten 104 as Hook ran up a towering 340-8 before bowling Basingstoke out for a disappointing 120 to win by a massive 220 runs.
Robson got a duck against the visiting Bountymen, but bounced back with an unbeaten century which set up a seven-wicket win over Liphook & Ripsley the following day.
In total, Hook’s batsmen scored a staggering 609 runs int the two games.
Ironically, both the returning Ben Thane and Robson fell for ducks to Tyler Bradley before the Hook run machine roared into action against Basingstoke – Sam Lockwood (41) got the show on the road.
Thomson’s 104 – his first century since making 157 at Totton & Eling in June 2015 – came alongside a half-century from Matt Love (56), who has returned to the KGV after an injury ravaged spell at Surrey Championship club Spencer.
Their 125-run partnership set the stage for Matt Buckingham to unleash a blistering assault on a tiring Basingstoke attack – fours and sixes galore flying into the KGV woods
Buckingham flayed an unbeaten 80 off 45 balls, his knock containing four maximums and seven fours.
Only Ash Neal, with an unbeaten 67, put up much resistance as Basingstoke fell away to 120 all out, Aniket Divecha taking 3-35.
Southern Premier Division newcomers Hook tested themselves in a run chase against Liphook & Ripsley – and came through with flying colours.
Giles Cover (51) top scored as all of Liphook’s top order spent valuable early season time at the crease, Harry Munt (39) and one-time Basingstoke junior Grant Rouse making 38 not out.
Hook got home with 16 balls of their 45 overs to spare, Lockwood (73) and Robson sharing a 140-run start.
Robson [left] reached his century (containing 15 fours) while Josh Buckingham (41) and Love (31) helped him get Hook past the finish post.
Hook & Newnham seconds, meanwhile, came under fire as Fareham & Crofton opener Dan Wimble launched a ferocious attack of his own on their bowling at Bath lane.
Wimble struck six sixes and 11 fours in a brutal 103 which, in partnership with a more sedate knock from left-hander Tom Kent (61), pointed Fareham towards a formidable 254-4 (Greg Archer 3-25) off 40 overs.
Only Rhodes Franklin (72) fired in Hook IIs 195 all out, James Headen taking 4-49, but team-mate Ben White broke three bones in his right-hand attempting a low down catch and could miss half the upcoming HCL season.
Hook IIs bounced back with an 87-run win over Alton, Sam Bruin (81) top scoring in heir 188-7. Shane Brewer and Lewis Watts shared six Alton scalps as the Brewers fell to 81 all out.

Exciting Hampshire Academy prospect Tom Prest has boosted his prospects of England ICC Under-19 World Cup selection by launching his season with a welter of April runs.
He made an unbeaten 111 to sweep Hampshire to a nine-wicket win over Sussex in the ECB Under-18 County Cup.
Then doubled his tally with a double century in the Hampshire Academy’s 57-run victory over Surrey YCs, both on the Ageas Bowl Academy ground.
His early season batting form won’t have gone unnoticed at Lord’s as the England selectors monitor the progress of their young cricketers ahead of next autumn’s U19 World Cup in the Caribbean.
Prest’s century against Sussex, scored during an unbroken 179-run partnership with Toby Albert (54 not out), enabled Hampshire to breeze past Sussex’s 180 all out with fully 25 overs to spare.
Hampshire’s next match in the four-county group (which also includes Oxfordshire) is against Middlesex at South Wilts on Sunday, 11.
His eye in, Prest followed on with a superb 228 as the Academy piled up a towering 392-6 against Surrey YCs, his innings which included 13 sixes and 18 fours.
Charlie Mumford (61) and Huw Wheeler (37) gave support as Prest posted an individual career-best score.
Surrey responded with a creditable 335-7, George Ealham (teenage son of former Kent & England all-rounder Alan Ealham) hitting 103.
Prest, who took two wickets with his off-breaks against Sussex, underlined his all-round talents with an eight-over spell of 3-32 to complete a fine day's work.

New Milton 177-9 (Naylor 29, Adams 28, Metcalfe 2-19, Royan 2-24) Lymington 169-5 (Royan 52*, Mortimore 34, Cox w27, Hall 2-29). New Milton won by four runs.

Pagham 257-5 (Barratt 108*, Hanks 57) Portsmouth & Southsea 261-6 (M Benfield 75, Kanavan 61*, Davies 59). Portsmouth & Southsea won by four wickets off last ball.

Hook & Newnham Basics 340-8 (Thompson 104*, M Buckingham 80*, Love 56, Lockwood 41, Oates 4-62, Bradley 3-64) Basingstoke & North Hants 120 (A Neal 67*, Divecha 3-35). Hook & Newnham Basics won by 220 runs.

Havant 284-5 (Metzger 104*, Hopson 100*) Chichester Priory Park 193-4 (Hasted 68, Bennison 30). Havant won by 91 runs.

Wokingham 236-3 (Richton 89, Housego 50) Alton 211-5 (Middleton 104*, Wright 34). Wokingham won by 25 runs.

Calmore Sports 200-6 (Johns 81, Lavelle 27) Tichborne Park 106 (Burstow 55). Calmore Sports won by 94 runs.

South Wilts 219-6 (Morton 80, Stearman 78) St Cross Symondians 220-4 (Taylor 72, T Foyle 44, Ellis 43*, Came 38, M Burton 3-32). St Cross Symondians won by six wickets.

Fareham & Crofton 254-4 (Wimble 104*, Kent 61*, Archer 3-25) Hook & Newnham Basics 195 (Franklin 72, Headen 4-49). Fareham & Crofton won by 59 runs.

​Corsham 172 (Pack 4-17) Bournemouth 173-4 (Webb 58, Davies 38*). Bournemouth won by six wickets.

Littlehampton Clymping & Patching 250-6 (Paul 60, James 46, Cox 42) Waterlooville 247-7 (Verma 107, Robinson 48). Littlehampton & Co won by three runs.

Bashley (Rydal) III 208-6 (Achalkzai 103, Kemp 51, Mayes 3-22) Totton & Eling II 186-9 (Dibden 55, B Mayes 30, S Mayes 30). Bashley (Rydal) III won by 22 runs.

Centuries from Sam Northeast and Ian Holland have put Hampshire in a strong position to wrap up victory on Sunday against Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl.
Northeast and Holland added 257 for the third wicket before James Vince declared half-an-hour before lunch - setting Middlesex an unlikely target of 531 for victory.
The signs looked ominous for a three-day finish when the visitors were reduced to 33/3 - having been dismissed for 76 in their first innings on Friday.
However, a stand of 122 from Nick Gubbins and Robbie White for the fourth wicket gave Middlesex their first partnership of note for the match to frustrate the home side.
It was part-time seam bowling of Holland that finally made the breakthrough when he enticed Gubbins with a wide delivery during the extended final session and Liam Dawson took a sharp catch to dismiss the left-hander for 67.
But White, 73, and Martin Andersson, 25, took their side safely to the close with the new ball due in 11 overs.
                                                                                  Double centuries
Northeast, who was on 99 overnight, reached three figures in the third over of the day with a sweetly-timed cut shot to the boundary, to follow up on the classy 63 he made in testing conditions on day one.
Opener Holland then became the fifth batsman in Hampshire's top-six to reach three figures in the opening two matches of the season before Steve Finn ended the partnership when he bowled Northeast for 118.
Vince also fell to Finn for a duck when he was adjudged to be lbw to a ball from the former England paceman that looked to be drifting down the leg-side. 
The Hampshire skipper then called in the unbeaten Holland, after he had reached his highest first-class score of 146 and new batsman Dawson. 
Middlesex made it unscathed to the lunch interval, but lost 3-7 immediately after the restart when Mohammad Abbas bowled Sam Robson for 19.      
Kyle Abbott then trapped Max Holden in front of the stumps for 10 before Abass took his eighth wicket of the match when Steven Eskinazi edged to Joe Weatherley at slip for a single. 

A stunning spell of bowling from Mohammad Abbas has put Hampshire on track for victory over Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl. 
Bowling at the Hilton hotel end of the ground, the Pakistan quick ripped through the Middlesex top order with a brilliant hat-trick, bowling full and fast to expose the poor footwork of the visiting batsmen.
Abbas, currently out of favour with the Pakistan selectors, struck with his fifth, sixth and seventh deliveries en route to figures of 6-11 from 11 overs to leave the 2016 champions staring down the barrel of a second successive LV= Insurance County Championship defeat following last week's dispiriting loss to Somerset.
Seamer Brad Wheal chipped in with 3-4 as Middlesex were bowled out for 79 - their lowest score against Hampshire for 65 years - in response to Hampshire first innings total of 319.
But perhaps mindful of losing to Essex four years ago after enforcing the follow-on but more likely to give his seamers a rest, skipper James Vince opted to bat again as the hosts closed the day 444 runs in front with Sam Northeast, 99, and Ian Holland, 90, unbeaten at the close following a 202-run stand.
Hampshire earlier added 38 runs to their overnight total, led by Kyle Abbot's fighting 58, with Steve Finn wrapping up the tail before lunch to post figures of 4-95 in his first red-ball appearance in almost two years.
But any hope Middlesex had of posting a challenging response were dashed after just six overs when they slumped to 14-5 - with Abbas taking all five wickets - and at one stage boasting figures of 5-3 from four overs.
                                                                                     Shell shocked
Max Holden was the first of his victims, before Nick Gubbins departed first ball. 
Captain Steve Eskinazi then edged behind to Lewis McManus for a duck from the opening delivery of Abass' second over to present the 31-year with his maiden first-class hat-trick.
Robbie White and Martin Andersson were then trapped lbw without scoring by Abbas as a shell shocked Middlesex went to lunch at 23-5.
Sam Robson, a centurion last week at Lord's, became Abbas' sixth wicket when he was caught behind for 18 shortly after the restart before Abbott rearranged Toby Roland-Jones' s stumps four balls later.
Wheal then ran through the visitors' lower order with only spinner Nathan Sowter showing any signs of resistance with an unbeaten 24.
Hat-tricks in First Class cricket are relatively rare, but Abbas’s was the third Hampshire treble in a very short space of time. 
Last August at Arundel, James Fuller performed the hat-trick to set up an innings victory for Hampshire over Surrey in the Bob Willis Trophy, while in the final Vitality t20 Blast match of the season at the Ageas Bowl, Pakistan left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi took four wickets in four balls with Middlesex once again the victims …