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Weakened champions may slip at strong B.A.T.Sports in week 7
Mike Vimpany - 14 June 2001
Title holders Havant fear their unbeaten Southern Electric ECB Premier League record could go when they send a weakened team to face third-placed BAT Sports at Southern Gardens tomorrow, 11.30am.
The defending champions, who won all five 50-over games before being held to a draw by Calmore Sports last week, travel to Totton minus four key players.
In-form Andy Perry, who hit an unbeaten 160 in the Calmore statemate, is ruled out with back trouble, while leading wicket-taker Phil Loat is out of the country playing golf.
Also missing are Luke Sears and medium-pace bowler Mark Copping. "It's a worry," confesses skipper Paul Gover, who plans to move himself up the batting order.
"These are four main players and to have them all missing at once is a recipe for trouble."
Nonetheless, Havant call up four more than adequate replacements in Army all-rounder Steve Hole, Matthew Ward, Graham Benton and Gover's younger brother Matt, whose fielding is sure to have an effect on the champions' out-cricket.
BAT, meanwhile, are quietly confident they can be the first team to lower Havant's sails.
They field an unchanged side, with Australian all-rounder Dave Carson showing glimpses of a return to form after back-to-back half-centuries in his past two knocks.
South Wilts skipper Russell Rowe, who has already scored over 500 runs this season, aims to notch yet another century as the Salisbury club entertain Bournemouth at Lower Bemerton.
Rowe completed a glorious hat-trick of hundreds with an undefeated 170 at Liphook & Ripsley.
Newly-wed Jamie Glasson, his long-term opening partner, makes his first appearance of the season tomorrow, but Dorset's Tim Lamb is out.
Ironically, mid-table Bournemouth are experiencing a few run-scoring problems, but Tom Webley's return should remedy things at the top of the batting order.
Provided he comes through Hampshire's current Second XI Championship match with Kent unscathed, Andy Sexton will return for Bashley (Rydal) against struggling Hungerford at Bashley Common Lane.
Sexton missed last week's seven-wicket over Andover with a damaged finger. Andover, who have sunk to the Premier League basement after a sequence of poor performances, are likely to be unchanged against Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park.
Calmore, certain to be without Mark Boston, could have Allan Hurst back after a shoulder injury, but skipper Tommy Pegler is unlikely to finalise his side until this evening.
Burridge, who entertain in-form Liphook & Ripsley at Botley Road, expect Hampshire's James Hamblin to return, while John Francis is set to make his first SPL appearance of the season after a successful term at Loughborough University in which he hit 126 against Leicestershire and 88 off the Nottinghamshire attack.
Dave Tiller, who broke his collar bone at Sparsholt last week, will mss Portsmouth's next six Premier Division 2 matches, but fit-again Ben Nolan returns for the Cove match at St Helen's, Southsea.
Second placed Lymington are unchanged at Easton & Martyr Worthy, where Andy Birch is well again. A bout of `flu meant the influential Easton all-rounder missing his first game in over ten years last weekend.
Rob Savage could be a key absentee as Sparsholt visit Old Tauntonians & Romsey, while a breakdown in Trojans' internal communication system could mean West Indian all-rounder Tim Subnaik missing the game with basement boys Old Basing.
Division 3 pace-makers Winchester KS should win easily at lowly Lymington II, but Havant II - depleted by first team calls - have their hands full against New Milton. Alton go to run-shy Leckford.
One key tussle in the lower echelons is Flamingos home match with Bashley (Rydal) - neither club being in particularly good batting form.
© SEPL
| Teams | England. |
| Players/Umpires | Andrew Perry, Luke Sears, Russell Rowe, Jamie Glasson, Timothy Lamb, Thomas Webley, Andrew Sexton, James Hamblin, John Francis, Robert Savage. |
| Tournaments | Southern Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |