CAPTAIN Martin Miller believes Bournemouth's chances of promotion will virtually disappear if they fail to beat title rivals New Milton.
Bournemouth are fourth in the Southern Electric Premier League's second tier having won five and lost three of their opening eight games writes Ned Payne, Bournemouth Echo.
Second-placed New Milton are hot on the heels of Division One leaders Hook & Newnham Basics and with just one promotion spot available, Miller knows the importance of the Chapel Gate clash (1pm).
Miller said: "It's a big game for us because it could change our season. We will go in as underdogs and they will be massive favourites because they have only lost one league game and we have lost three.
"It's a derby and there is a lot riding on the outcome because if we are going to climb the table then we need to beat the sides above us.
"We beat Basingstoke last Saturday, which was great, but now we have New Milton and Hook so I would imagine the next fortnight will prove critical in the outcome of our season.
"It was unfortunate for us that the New Milton versus Hook game was rained off because with only one team going up, you need to win the league.
"Therefore, because the league is resolved on averages, you need the sides above you to beat each other if you are going to close the gap because we have lost more games than New Milton have.
"If we were to lose on Saturday then we would be three wins behind them with only nine games to play and I think it would be extremely difficult to catch them.
"Never say never but on the face of it, that's the way you have to look at it. If we were to win on Saturday of course, we would be very much in the hunt.
"I'd prefer to be in our current position rather than higher, because the higher up you are, the more pressure you have to deal with.
"But is it a must-win for us? Yes, it probably is."
Bournemouth are due to be boosted by the return of paceman David Kidner and Alan Badenhorst.
Miller added: "We've missed David the past couple of weeks, he's a handful.
“Most of the New Milton boys have played alongside him before, so they will know what to expect.
"But with the way he's been playing this year, we'll be very glad to have him back."
Bournemouth: (from) Hayward, Miller, Kitson, Badenhorst, Finnie, Hurley, Smith, Matthews, Kidner, Woodward, Pack.
New Milton: (from) J Park, N Park, Haggaty, Lawes, Edwards, L Beck, Elliott, Loader, Gargaro, Crossley, Watts.
Basingstoke and North Hants captain Chris Froud admits that his side’s batting form is a concern heading into the second half of the season.
The Bountymen have lost two of their last three Division One games, a run that has left them third in the table, adrift of the top two.
They didn’t bat well in either of the games they lost – they were skittled out for just 50 at home to table-topping Hook and Newnham Basics, and struggled with the bat again in their two-wicket defeat to Bournemouth last weekend, only reaching 200 thanks to a last-wicket stand of 50 between Chris Oliver and Rakitha Perera.
Froud said: “Our batting is a concern at the moment. Everyone needs to take more personal responsibility to dig in and work hard, because we are giving our wickets away.
“As a team, we need to adapt to situations better. The way Chris Oliver batted against Bournemouth is a good example of what more of us should be doing. He was put in a difficult position by the other batsmen but reacted really well.”
Next up for Froud’s men is a trip to struggling Calmore Sports, who have lost their last two games, and five of their last six in total.
Froud added: “We don’t know a great deal about Calmore but they are struggling, so it’s a game we will be looking to win.”
Basingstoke will continue to be without all-rounder Graham Porter and left-arm spinner Dave Pistorius, so Froud is expecting to name an unchanged line-up.
Calmore too are suffering from a lack of runs, so the bookies are confidently predicting a low scoring affair.
Division One leaders Hook and Newnham Basics face a visit from bottom side Totton and Eling as they look to reach the midway point of the season at the top of the table.
Hook have suffered just one defeat so far this season, while Totton have won only twice and look set for a second consecutive relegation.
Last weekend they were thrashed by 174 runs by Liphook after being bowled out for 130, while they have only scored more than 200 runs once this season, on the opening day of the campaign.
Hook will be unchanged for the third week running and looking ahead to the clash, captain Matt Love said: “We are taking each game as it comes at the moment and not getting too far ahead of ourselves.
“We do not know a lot of Totton players, but we will treat them with respect and see what happens.”
Richard Dibden takes his struggling Totton & Eling side to the KGV hoping to check Hook & Newnham Basincs SPL1 leadership – and at the same time enhance their own survival prospects.
Totton pulled off a fine win at Hartley Wintney a fortnight ago, but last week crashed at home to a Suman Ganguly inspired Liphook & Ripsley.
Hook’s confidence may have been shaken by an eye catching Electric t20 Cup defeat by Paultons on Sunday.
Totton & Eling: Dibden, Arnold, J Taylor, Hamid, Metcalfe, Fletcher, E Taylor, Perrin, Mooney, Jenkin, Beresford.
Newly promoted Hartley Wintney do not want to find themselves getting dragged into a relegation battle for the rest of the season. However, they have lost their last three matches, which have all been against sides in the bottom half of the table.
As a result, Hartley are just five points clear of the drop zone and this weekend they face a visit from sixth-placed Andover.
After that, they have a run during which they play three of the current top four sides in the division, so Teale feels his side definitely need a win on Saturday to set them up for the second half of the season.
Looking ahead to his side’s home game against Andover, Teale said: “It is crunch time for us now.
“I was hoping we would win our last two games as they were against sides below us, but we just have not batted for 50 overs and scored enough runs.
“We have a run of tough games coming up now and by the end of the July we could find ourselves in big trouble, so Saturday’s game is really important.”
Andover will arrive in Hartley having won their last two games, beating Bournemouth and Calmore Sports.
This is after they suffered three straight losses against the top three teams in the table.
Andover have a real danger man in David Taylor.
The former county cricketer has already scored more than 500 runs during this campaign and averages just over 100, making him the league’s top batsman.
Teale is fully aware of the danger Taylor poses, especially at Hartley’s small village ground and said: “Taylor is a player we need to get out early.
“You know that if he reaches 30, he is probably going to go on and score 80, 90 or 100.”
Hartley will make two changes to the side that lost at Rowledge as Danny Plume and Will Ross are both unavailable. Into the side will come top order batsman Matt Kerr and Jonny Kerr, who will give the village side a three-spinner attack.
Andover bring in Army cricketer Craig Ross for his SPL debut at Hartley Wintney, but expectant father Mike Adams drops out.
Andover: M Hooper, A Hooper, Treagus, Augustus, Taylor, Arnold, Ross, Souter, Duckworth, Knight, Foy.
Rowledge, who are in Davidstow Village Cup action against Sibton Park at School Lane on Sunday (1pm), are without Sydney opening bowler Alex Bloomfield (shoulder injury) against Liphook & Ripsley. Chris Yates is on a USA soccer tour.
Bournemouth are fourth in the Southern Electric Premier League's second tier having won five and lost three of their opening eight games writes Ned Payne, Bournemouth Echo.
Second-placed New Milton are hot on the heels of Division One leaders Hook & Newnham Basics and with just one promotion spot available, Miller knows the importance of the Chapel Gate clash (1pm).
Miller said: "It's a big game for us because it could change our season. We will go in as underdogs and they will be massive favourites because they have only lost one league game and we have lost three.
"It's a derby and there is a lot riding on the outcome because if we are going to climb the table then we need to beat the sides above us.
"We beat Basingstoke last Saturday, which was great, but now we have New Milton and Hook so I would imagine the next fortnight will prove critical in the outcome of our season.
"It was unfortunate for us that the New Milton versus Hook game was rained off because with only one team going up, you need to win the league.
"Therefore, because the league is resolved on averages, you need the sides above you to beat each other if you are going to close the gap because we have lost more games than New Milton have.
"If we were to lose on Saturday then we would be three wins behind them with only nine games to play and I think it would be extremely difficult to catch them.
"Never say never but on the face of it, that's the way you have to look at it. If we were to win on Saturday of course, we would be very much in the hunt.
"I'd prefer to be in our current position rather than higher, because the higher up you are, the more pressure you have to deal with.
"But is it a must-win for us? Yes, it probably is."
Bournemouth are due to be boosted by the return of paceman David Kidner and Alan Badenhorst.
Miller added: "We've missed David the past couple of weeks, he's a handful.
“Most of the New Milton boys have played alongside him before, so they will know what to expect.
"But with the way he's been playing this year, we'll be very glad to have him back."
Bournemouth: (from) Hayward, Miller, Kitson, Badenhorst, Finnie, Hurley, Smith, Matthews, Kidner, Woodward, Pack.
New Milton: (from) J Park, N Park, Haggaty, Lawes, Edwards, L Beck, Elliott, Loader, Gargaro, Crossley, Watts.
Basingstoke and North Hants captain Chris Froud admits that his side’s batting form is a concern heading into the second half of the season.
The Bountymen have lost two of their last three Division One games, a run that has left them third in the table, adrift of the top two.
They didn’t bat well in either of the games they lost – they were skittled out for just 50 at home to table-topping Hook and Newnham Basics, and struggled with the bat again in their two-wicket defeat to Bournemouth last weekend, only reaching 200 thanks to a last-wicket stand of 50 between Chris Oliver and Rakitha Perera.
Froud said: “Our batting is a concern at the moment. Everyone needs to take more personal responsibility to dig in and work hard, because we are giving our wickets away.
“As a team, we need to adapt to situations better. The way Chris Oliver batted against Bournemouth is a good example of what more of us should be doing. He was put in a difficult position by the other batsmen but reacted really well.”
Next up for Froud’s men is a trip to struggling Calmore Sports, who have lost their last two games, and five of their last six in total.
Froud added: “We don’t know a great deal about Calmore but they are struggling, so it’s a game we will be looking to win.”
Basingstoke will continue to be without all-rounder Graham Porter and left-arm spinner Dave Pistorius, so Froud is expecting to name an unchanged line-up.
Calmore too are suffering from a lack of runs, so the bookies are confidently predicting a low scoring affair.
Division One leaders Hook and Newnham Basics face a visit from bottom side Totton and Eling as they look to reach the midway point of the season at the top of the table.
Hook have suffered just one defeat so far this season, while Totton have won only twice and look set for a second consecutive relegation.
Last weekend they were thrashed by 174 runs by Liphook after being bowled out for 130, while they have only scored more than 200 runs once this season, on the opening day of the campaign.
Hook will be unchanged for the third week running and looking ahead to the clash, captain Matt Love said: “We are taking each game as it comes at the moment and not getting too far ahead of ourselves.
“We do not know a lot of Totton players, but we will treat them with respect and see what happens.”
Richard Dibden takes his struggling Totton & Eling side to the KGV hoping to check Hook & Newnham Basincs SPL1 leadership – and at the same time enhance their own survival prospects.
Totton pulled off a fine win at Hartley Wintney a fortnight ago, but last week crashed at home to a Suman Ganguly inspired Liphook & Ripsley.
Hook’s confidence may have been shaken by an eye catching Electric t20 Cup defeat by Paultons on Sunday.
Totton & Eling: Dibden, Arnold, J Taylor, Hamid, Metcalfe, Fletcher, E Taylor, Perrin, Mooney, Jenkin, Beresford.
Newly promoted Hartley Wintney do not want to find themselves getting dragged into a relegation battle for the rest of the season. However, they have lost their last three matches, which have all been against sides in the bottom half of the table.
As a result, Hartley are just five points clear of the drop zone and this weekend they face a visit from sixth-placed Andover.
After that, they have a run during which they play three of the current top four sides in the division, so Teale feels his side definitely need a win on Saturday to set them up for the second half of the season.
Looking ahead to his side’s home game against Andover, Teale said: “It is crunch time for us now.
“I was hoping we would win our last two games as they were against sides below us, but we just have not batted for 50 overs and scored enough runs.
“We have a run of tough games coming up now and by the end of the July we could find ourselves in big trouble, so Saturday’s game is really important.”
Andover will arrive in Hartley having won their last two games, beating Bournemouth and Calmore Sports.
This is after they suffered three straight losses against the top three teams in the table.
Andover have a real danger man in David Taylor.
The former county cricketer has already scored more than 500 runs during this campaign and averages just over 100, making him the league’s top batsman.
Teale is fully aware of the danger Taylor poses, especially at Hartley’s small village ground and said: “Taylor is a player we need to get out early.
“You know that if he reaches 30, he is probably going to go on and score 80, 90 or 100.”
Hartley will make two changes to the side that lost at Rowledge as Danny Plume and Will Ross are both unavailable. Into the side will come top order batsman Matt Kerr and Jonny Kerr, who will give the village side a three-spinner attack.
Andover bring in Army cricketer Craig Ross for his SPL debut at Hartley Wintney, but expectant father Mike Adams drops out.
Andover: M Hooper, A Hooper, Treagus, Augustus, Taylor, Arnold, Ross, Souter, Duckworth, Knight, Foy.
Rowledge, who are in Davidstow Village Cup action against Sibton Park at School Lane on Sunday (1pm), are without Sydney opening bowler Alex Bloomfield (shoulder injury) against Liphook & Ripsley. Chris Yates is on a USA soccer tour.