Academy aim to improve their limited over form

Hampshire Second XI coach Tony Middleton will be looking for his young Academy side to reproduce their Time game form in limited-overs cricket when the ECB Southern Electric Premier League returns to its 50-over format tomorrow.

The Academy team clinched the Time pennant when they ended BAT's long unbeaten record last weekend.

It was the Young Hawks' fifth win in eight Time matches and enabled the county youngsters to pip BAT to the pennant by three points.

"It was a tremendous achievement by the lads, who won five of their eight matches by playing some very positive cricket, particularly against Havant and BAT recently," praised Middleton.

The Young Hawks haven't fared as well in the limited-overs game, but Middleton says : "It's all part of their cricketing education to play the different formats of the game.

"They are in the habit of winning now and I'm hopeful it will continue." If the Academy complete the double over Bournemouth - they recorded a fine 83-run win at Chapel Gate in June - they could step up the pressure on BAT at the top.

Bournemouth are unlikely to relish a return trip to the Rose Bowl, just four days after suffering an agonising SEC Cup defeat against Havant in midweek.

Chasing Havant's modest 121-7, Bournemouth cruised to 75-0 ... only to finish nine runs short in the end.

BAT will expect to strength their position overall with a win at Calmore Sports, who have been cast 31 points adrift at the bottom after losing ten of their 12 matches.

They were routed by a massive 209 runs at Southern Gardens in June - the day when Dan Goldstraw returned a season's best 8-29.

BAT will be strengthened by the return of Damian Shirazi tomorrow, while Calmore will be looking to reproduce the spirited performance they produced at Liphook & Ripsley last week.

Chris Sketchley is back for Bashley (Rydal),who entertain struggling Portsmouth at the BCG.

Bashley lie fourth in the log, compared with second-to-bottom Portsmouth, whose announced title challenge has not quite materialised.

Cambridge-bound Bevis Moynan is out of the Havant team, which celebrated an improbable Contracting Cup success on Tuesday night.

But Steve Snell, Chris Wright and Matt Cox, who missed the final, will all be back against Liphook & Ripsley at Havant Park.

The South Wilts-Andover derby will be preceded by the unveiling of an Honours Board in the Lower Bemerton clubhouse in memory of Gordon Gay, the Salisbury club's late chairman and president, who died last summer.

Jason Laney returns to the South Wilts line up alongside Hampshire's James Tomlinson, while Chris Travers makes his Andover debut.