South Wilts skipper James Hayward is concerned that back injuries sustained by two of his key players could have an adverse effect on the club’s prospects of landing a fifth straight ECB Southern Premier League title.
Left-hand top order batsman Eddie Abel is currently side-lined with an injury to the base of his spin and influential all-rounder James Hibberd was only able to bowl two overs in last weekend’s emphatic win over Ventnor.
The injury prone Abel is a key component in the South Wilts batting, having made some 4,400 runs for the club.
“He injured a disc at the base of his spine during one of our training sessions and, whilst he’s been to see a chiropractor and has had some treatment, I think he’s some way off playing yet,” Hayward explained.
“Eddie’s working in the City these days so we tend to only see him at weekends, but being a left-hander, he’s a key player at the top of the order.”
Hibberd may only play as a batsman against the Hampshire Academy at Bemerton, as he too has an on-going back problem.
“He needs to be careful and with tomorrow in mind didn’t play in last night’s twenty20 match against the Army,” Hayward added.
South Wilts will expect to get a second easy win under their belts against Joe Weatherley’s fledgling Academy side which includes local Bishops Wordsworth schoolboy Miles Kantolinna, who will be behind the stumps.
South Wiits: Hayward, Winter, Wade, Mynott, Cranch, Hibberd, Franklin, S Pittman, Warner, Booth, Evans.
Hampshire Academy: Duggan, Kantolinna, Weatherley, Scriven, McCoy, Holly, Gadd, Searle, Pardoe, South.
Lymington skipper Simon Beetham predicts their rivalry with New Milton will intensify following the Green and Golds’ return to the Southern Premier League top flight.
New Milton won promotion from Division One last year and make the short journey east to face their neighbours.
Both teams succumbed to narrow opening-day losses with New Milton suffering defeat to St Cross and Lymington being beaten by Bashley at BCG.
And Beetham is keen to avoid missing out on local bragging rights for a second weekend in a row.
He told the Daily Echo: “No one likes losing and if it’s your local rivals then you feel it a little bit more so, hopefully, we will get the result we want this time.
“We’ve played against New Milton several times in pre-season games in the past few years and there is a little bit of a rivalry there.
“That will most likely build up again now they are in the same league and we will see how Saturday goes.
“It is nice to have several local teams in the league. You get to know the characters and it helps in preparing for the opposition because you know a little bit more about them.”
Lymington will make a late call on the fitness of Dorset ace Ryan Scott, who is struggling with a groin injury, but is expected to play.
Solent student Rich Lock is set to be promoted from the seconds while big-hitter Darren Cowley is also due to take his place in the side.
Lymington: (from) Beetham, Ellis, McManus, Hand, Rogers, Scott, Cowley, Lock, Metcalfe, Freeman, Blake, Calcott.
Bashley (Rydal), who only just saw off a frantic Ed Ellis inspired run chase by Lymington last week, take an unchanged side in to the demanding arena of Havant Park.
Michael Porter’s side piled up 298 but still only beat Lymington by ten runs last week, so the young Bashley skipper has every reason to be wary of his bowling resources tomorrow.
“It’s always a tough place to go,” Porter said about Havant.
“They have a strong batting line-up and have plenty of options in the bowling department, so a difficult team to beat.”
Havant will be on a high after league and cup wins over Alton and Basingstoke & North Hants, none more so than skipper Ben Walker, who made a century at the Jubilee Ground. Teenage all-rounder Andy Gorvin celebrates his 19th birthday, so there's jelly and custard for tea !
Havant: Walker, Gorvin, Hindley, Bulled, Stone, Ransley, Hopson, Matthews, Prentice, Vanderslik and Atkins. Bashley (Rydal): Gates, Thurgood, Jacques, Porter, Bailiff, Watkins, Ridley, Digby, Neal, Thomson, Nash.
Burridge all-rounder Dan Stancliffe plans to continue his fine early season form as his side chase a second Premier Division win against Alton at Botley Road.
Stancliffe took five Academy wickets and then sparkled with the bat in Burridge’s ECB Cup defeat the next day.
Alton make one change, with Alex Hughes making his first SPL appearance since 2012.
Burridge: Ankers, Hewitt, Steward, Collings-Wells, Savident, Dods, Richards, Houlton, Stancliffe, Murray, McMurray. Alton: Hutton, Hammond, J.Myers, S.Myers, M.P.Heffernan, M.J.Heffernan, Janmohammed, Mortimer, Hughes, Salmon, Ballinger.
Tom Friend is back for Ventnor, who visit day one winners St Cross Symondians at Winchester’s tree-lined Green Jackets Ground.
Ventnor: Holmes, Friend, H Calloway, Snell, Glendenning, Corbin, Woodhouse, C Calloway, Cox, Horton, Willis.
Left-hand top order batsman Eddie Abel is currently side-lined with an injury to the base of his spin and influential all-rounder James Hibberd was only able to bowl two overs in last weekend’s emphatic win over Ventnor.
The injury prone Abel is a key component in the South Wilts batting, having made some 4,400 runs for the club.
“He injured a disc at the base of his spine during one of our training sessions and, whilst he’s been to see a chiropractor and has had some treatment, I think he’s some way off playing yet,” Hayward explained.
“Eddie’s working in the City these days so we tend to only see him at weekends, but being a left-hander, he’s a key player at the top of the order.”
Hibberd may only play as a batsman against the Hampshire Academy at Bemerton, as he too has an on-going back problem.
“He needs to be careful and with tomorrow in mind didn’t play in last night’s twenty20 match against the Army,” Hayward added.
South Wilts will expect to get a second easy win under their belts against Joe Weatherley’s fledgling Academy side which includes local Bishops Wordsworth schoolboy Miles Kantolinna, who will be behind the stumps.
South Wiits: Hayward, Winter, Wade, Mynott, Cranch, Hibberd, Franklin, S Pittman, Warner, Booth, Evans.
Hampshire Academy: Duggan, Kantolinna, Weatherley, Scriven, McCoy, Holly, Gadd, Searle, Pardoe, South.
Lymington skipper Simon Beetham predicts their rivalry with New Milton will intensify following the Green and Golds’ return to the Southern Premier League top flight.
New Milton won promotion from Division One last year and make the short journey east to face their neighbours.
Both teams succumbed to narrow opening-day losses with New Milton suffering defeat to St Cross and Lymington being beaten by Bashley at BCG.
And Beetham is keen to avoid missing out on local bragging rights for a second weekend in a row.
He told the Daily Echo: “No one likes losing and if it’s your local rivals then you feel it a little bit more so, hopefully, we will get the result we want this time.
“We’ve played against New Milton several times in pre-season games in the past few years and there is a little bit of a rivalry there.
“That will most likely build up again now they are in the same league and we will see how Saturday goes.
“It is nice to have several local teams in the league. You get to know the characters and it helps in preparing for the opposition because you know a little bit more about them.”
Lymington will make a late call on the fitness of Dorset ace Ryan Scott, who is struggling with a groin injury, but is expected to play.
Solent student Rich Lock is set to be promoted from the seconds while big-hitter Darren Cowley is also due to take his place in the side.
Lymington: (from) Beetham, Ellis, McManus, Hand, Rogers, Scott, Cowley, Lock, Metcalfe, Freeman, Blake, Calcott.
Bashley (Rydal), who only just saw off a frantic Ed Ellis inspired run chase by Lymington last week, take an unchanged side in to the demanding arena of Havant Park.
Michael Porter’s side piled up 298 but still only beat Lymington by ten runs last week, so the young Bashley skipper has every reason to be wary of his bowling resources tomorrow.
“It’s always a tough place to go,” Porter said about Havant.
“They have a strong batting line-up and have plenty of options in the bowling department, so a difficult team to beat.”
Havant will be on a high after league and cup wins over Alton and Basingstoke & North Hants, none more so than skipper Ben Walker, who made a century at the Jubilee Ground. Teenage all-rounder Andy Gorvin celebrates his 19th birthday, so there's jelly and custard for tea !
Havant: Walker, Gorvin, Hindley, Bulled, Stone, Ransley, Hopson, Matthews, Prentice, Vanderslik and Atkins. Bashley (Rydal): Gates, Thurgood, Jacques, Porter, Bailiff, Watkins, Ridley, Digby, Neal, Thomson, Nash.
Burridge all-rounder Dan Stancliffe plans to continue his fine early season form as his side chase a second Premier Division win against Alton at Botley Road.
Stancliffe took five Academy wickets and then sparkled with the bat in Burridge’s ECB Cup defeat the next day.
Alton make one change, with Alex Hughes making his first SPL appearance since 2012.
Burridge: Ankers, Hewitt, Steward, Collings-Wells, Savident, Dods, Richards, Houlton, Stancliffe, Murray, McMurray. Alton: Hutton, Hammond, J.Myers, S.Myers, M.P.Heffernan, M.J.Heffernan, Janmohammed, Mortimer, Hughes, Salmon, Ballinger.
Tom Friend is back for Ventnor, who visit day one winners St Cross Symondians at Winchester’s tree-lined Green Jackets Ground.
Ventnor: Holmes, Friend, H Calloway, Snell, Glendenning, Corbin, Woodhouse, C Calloway, Cox, Horton, Willis.