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SPCL 2&3 - Youngest Academy side in Easton test
Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo) - 31 July 2002
Hampshire Second XI coach Tony Middleton is preparing to put his youngest ever Academy side into the field in tomorrow's key Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 championship clash at Easton & Martyr Worthy, 1pm.
It's a vital game in the title stakes, with just one point separating the Academy from Easton.
But Middleton isn't worried that neither Jimmy Adams nor Chris Benham, whose unbeaten 64 won last week's game with Lymington, will miss the Cockets Mead clash.
"As I've said all along, this is a development exercise and it will be great experience for these youngsters to learn what it's like going to places like Easton.
"They are a super little village side, very difficult to beat in their own little bowl – and a team that, above all, will be going full tilt to beat us," he said.
Easton, narrowly beaten at the Rose Bowl earlier this season, will be looking to Australian country boy Francis Gill and the Green brothers to fire them.
Lymington, who fell behind in the promotion race after last weekend's two wicket defeat by the Academy, send out an unchanged side against Sparsholt at the Sports Ground.
With Kevin Foyle now available, Sparsholt have a greater middle-order presence, but will need to be wary of how their bowlers cope on Lymington's shirt-front pitch, which is usually a batsman's paradise.
United Services, effectively out of the contest after three successive defeats, should get their season back on course at Hungerford, who are not yet safe.
Trojans face a `must win' home game against arch rivals Old Tauntonians & Romsey at Stoneham Lane.
They are falling behind in the relegation survival stakes and, if Rowledge happen to beat Winchester KS, could find themselves cast adrift at the bottom.
Dave Booton has a broken finger and may also miss Rowledge's National Village Championship quarter-final tie with Langleybury on Sunday.
Purbrook have stolen a seven-point march on St Cross Symondians at the top of Premier 3 after last week's dramatic two-wicket win.
They will expect to win at Leckford, while St Cross face a difficult home test against in-form New Milton, who have climbed in to a challenging position after winning five games in a row.
Third-placed Hursley Park go to Flamingo, with Alton aiming to halt a run of three successive defeats at Hook & Newnham Basics, who are gradually inching away from trouble.
Hartley Wintney will slip further into the mire if they fail at Havant II, where skipper Matt Gover is beginning to reassert his bowling authority with eight wickets in the past fortnight.
© SPCL / Daily Echo / Mike Vimpany
| Players/Umpires | Tony Middleton, James Adams, Christopher Benham. |
| Tournaments | Southern Electric Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |
| Grounds | David Roth Memorial Ground, Cockets Mead, Easton |