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SPCL 1 - Andover with key pair for Havant visit
Mike Vimpany - 24 May 2002
Andover's bid to cling on to their new found ECB Southern Electric Premier League leadership has suffered a double blow.
They go into the key match against Havant at London Road 14 points clear at the top - but minus broken-wrist victim Toby Radford and former skipper Jeremy Hayward.
It's a bitter blow for Andover, who boast the only unbeaten Division 1 record after three straight wins against South Wilts, Calmore Sports and Liphook & Ripsley.
Radford, the former Middlesex and Sussex batsman who joined Andover from Hungerford in the close season, broke his wrist in last Sunday's Hampshire Board match against the Channel Islands.
His place goes to Marc Kavanagh, with Ian Gardner's reward for a 2nd XI century last weekend a call up as Hayward's replacement.
"It's obviously a great shame we've lost Toby and Jerry, but I've every confidence that Marc and Ian will come in and do a good job for the team," said Andover skipper Roger Miller.
In contrast Havant, who saw their unbeaten start perish at the hands of Bashley (Rydal) last week, expect to be back to full strength.
MCC Young Professional Steve Snell and all-rounders Mackie Hobson and Bevis Moynhan, who all missed the Bashley defeat, should return for Havant.
Dominic Carson, anticipating a stern workout, says : "Andover will be buzzing after three straight wins and we haven't forgotten the defeat they inflicted on us at Havant Park when we took the title a couple of seasons ago."
"London Road is a difficult place to win at normally and with Andover top of the league, it promises to be doubly difficult."
Watching the outcome with interest will be reigning champions BAT Sports, who lie in second place. They expect to be unchanged and at full strength for the visit of Bournemouth, whose season has hardly got off the ground.
"We've had two blank weeks out of three so far and lost to South Wilts, so we desperately need to get ourselves motivated," said Bournemouth skipper Matt Swarbrick.
"We've assembled a pretty decent, balanced side at Bournemouth, butwhen you can't get out and play it's difficult - almost impossible - to get anything together."
Bournemouth go into the match minus Somerset's Tom Webley, whose place goes to Andy Bell.
Fourth placed South Wilts have a weekend double against Portsmouth, who visit Lower Bemerton for a Premier League match tomorrow and an ECB Club Championship third round tie on Sunday.
Hampshire's James Tomlinson is on British Universities duty, so Rob Down comes into the South Wilts bowling line up. Portsmouth, bottom of the pile after two defeats, are back to full strength, with Lee Savident returning from holiday.
Burridge have opening batsman Paul Hawkins back for the visit to revitalised Bashley (Rydal), who should have opening bowler John Whiting fit after missing the Havant victory because of a hamstring problem.
Neil Taylor lines up three spin bowlers for Bashley - Chris Sketchley, Ross Grierson and Andy Sexton, who took three Havant wickets last week.
Calmore Sports look to their top order batsmen to get amongst the runs against Liphook & Ripsley at Loperwood Park.
The Totton club's first five batsmen were bundled out for just 29 runs by South Wilts last week and skipper Tom Pegler is demanding more application from his senior players.
© SPCL
| Players/Umpires | Toby Radford, Roger Miller, Mackie Hobson, Matthew Swarbrick, Thomas Webley, James Tomlinson, Lee Savident, Andrew Sexton. |
| Tournaments | Southern Electric Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |