Sister Lucy’s wedding means New Milton are without skipper Ryan Beck and all-rounder brother Lee for the Forest derby clash with Lymington at Fernhill.
Beck, who will hand over the reins to opener David Wakefield for tomorrow’s British Gas Southern Premier League contest (1pm), has overseen a terrific start to the campaign.
New Milton chased down 300 to beat Hampshire Academy and followed up that victory with a thumping 72-run win over Burridge. Their lone defeat came at defending champions Havant last week.
Beck said: “It has been a great start for us. We were disappointed to lose at Havant, of course, but they are champions and you have to be at the top of your game to compete with them.
“We will be alright. Finishing in the top half would be a fantastic effort but if we get the five or six wins we need to stay in the league, that would be great.”
Beck suffered a calf injury while returning bowling figures of three for 17 in the match with Havant but is adamant he would have featured this weekend were it not for his diary clash.
“David Wakefield is a superb player and a nice bloke. Hopefully he doesn’t have a little bowl, because it could go anywhere!
“He’s looking forward to the chance because he’ll go back to New Zealand and captain his club team there, Old Boys Collegians.”
New Milton face the formidable task of trying to subdue Lymington’s in-form opening batsman, Terry Crabb.
The experienced New Zealander has crashed 196 runs in his two matches this season, having struck a pre-season century and hammered 207 in a second-team match against Ventnor.
Beck insists his side will not lay any specific trap for the opposition’s danger man and is buoyed by the form of his bowling attack, with off-spinner Ollie Shrubsole and Nick Gargaro, the evergreen left-arm swing bowler, both in the wickets of late.
It all adds up to a positive outlook for the club, who will officially open new nets at Fernhill tonight.
“We do not look at the opposition, we just do what we do,” continued Beck. “What is the point in worrying about them?
“Our bowlers have been in the wickets, especially Nick Gargaro with his new knees! Everything is good in the camp, the club is strong and everyone is happy.”
New Milton: D Wakefield, D Wakefield, N Gargaro, D Loader, T Edwards, A Collison, O Shrubsole, G Watts, M Freeman, R Hussey, T Arnold, J Haggaty.
Neighbours Bashley (Rydal), who won at Lymington last week, give a debut to former Hampshire Academy left-armer Tom Barber, who has been trialling with the MCC Young Cricketers.
They host Alton, with Kevin Nash side-lined with a groin strain, and opener Tom Gates desperate for a score after managing only nine runs in his first three knocks.
Alton are without wicketkeeper/batsman Abeed Janmohamed and leg-spinner Jack Myers, so England Disability gloveman Hugo Hammond takes the gloves. Eton College batsman Matt Pein makes his debut.
Bashley (Rydal): Gates, Digby, Page, Porter, Vaughan, Ridley, Thomson, Wilson, Watkins, Ridley, Barber.
Alton: Hammond, Heffernan, Harris, Myers, Heffernan, Hammond, Jamison, Pein, Mortimer, Hughes, Ballinger.
Beck, who will hand over the reins to opener David Wakefield for tomorrow’s British Gas Southern Premier League contest (1pm), has overseen a terrific start to the campaign.
New Milton chased down 300 to beat Hampshire Academy and followed up that victory with a thumping 72-run win over Burridge. Their lone defeat came at defending champions Havant last week.
Beck said: “It has been a great start for us. We were disappointed to lose at Havant, of course, but they are champions and you have to be at the top of your game to compete with them.
“We will be alright. Finishing in the top half would be a fantastic effort but if we get the five or six wins we need to stay in the league, that would be great.”
Beck suffered a calf injury while returning bowling figures of three for 17 in the match with Havant but is adamant he would have featured this weekend were it not for his diary clash.
“David Wakefield is a superb player and a nice bloke. Hopefully he doesn’t have a little bowl, because it could go anywhere!
“He’s looking forward to the chance because he’ll go back to New Zealand and captain his club team there, Old Boys Collegians.”
New Milton face the formidable task of trying to subdue Lymington’s in-form opening batsman, Terry Crabb.
The experienced New Zealander has crashed 196 runs in his two matches this season, having struck a pre-season century and hammered 207 in a second-team match against Ventnor.
Beck insists his side will not lay any specific trap for the opposition’s danger man and is buoyed by the form of his bowling attack, with off-spinner Ollie Shrubsole and Nick Gargaro, the evergreen left-arm swing bowler, both in the wickets of late.
It all adds up to a positive outlook for the club, who will officially open new nets at Fernhill tonight.
“We do not look at the opposition, we just do what we do,” continued Beck. “What is the point in worrying about them?
“Our bowlers have been in the wickets, especially Nick Gargaro with his new knees! Everything is good in the camp, the club is strong and everyone is happy.”
New Milton: D Wakefield, D Wakefield, N Gargaro, D Loader, T Edwards, A Collison, O Shrubsole, G Watts, M Freeman, R Hussey, T Arnold, J Haggaty.
Neighbours Bashley (Rydal), who won at Lymington last week, give a debut to former Hampshire Academy left-armer Tom Barber, who has been trialling with the MCC Young Cricketers.
They host Alton, with Kevin Nash side-lined with a groin strain, and opener Tom Gates desperate for a score after managing only nine runs in his first three knocks.
Alton are without wicketkeeper/batsman Abeed Janmohamed and leg-spinner Jack Myers, so England Disability gloveman Hugo Hammond takes the gloves. Eton College batsman Matt Pein makes his debut.
Bashley (Rydal): Gates, Digby, Page, Porter, Vaughan, Ridley, Thomson, Wilson, Watkins, Ridley, Barber.
Alton: Hammond, Heffernan, Harris, Myers, Heffernan, Hammond, Jamison, Pein, Mortimer, Hughes, Ballinger.
