Sarisbury Athletic are actively preparing for the new cricket season, having been given the all-clear to play top flight cricket in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League this summer.

Their promotion has been rubber-stamped following the club’s ground at Allotment Road being accredited by the Hampshire Cricket Board for Premier Division cricket, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

Sarisbury’s original promotion was denied them in 2012, when they first won the Division 1 title.

The boundary on one side of their Allotment Road ground was too short for ECB Premier Division accreditation purposes.

But the club has spent upwards of £50,000 on ground improvements – a large slice of which went towards extending the playing area so that top flight cricket can take place on the ground this coming season.

Last summer they won the Division 1 championship for a second time in three seasons – and in ten weeks time will be locking horns with triple champions South Wilts, Bashley (Rydal), Havant & Co in a split format of all-day ‘time’ and 50-over cricket.

“Winning the league again at the end of August and now being given the promotion go-ahead is great news for everyone at the club – a lot of people have put so much effort it,” said skipper Dave Banks.

Sarisbury Athletic, who were playing Hampshire League cricket as recently as 2008, will begin Premier Division life with two home games.

They host Alton on May 2 and seven days later will entertain the Hampshire Academy.

Banks’s old club, Totton & Eling – SPL champions four times in their heyday as BAT Sports – make way for Sarisbury, having been relegated for the first time.

Totton experienced a miserable 2014 season, with all three of their teams being relegated.

The first team finished bottom of the Premier Division, winning won only once in 14 outings last summer, and losing ten times.

One club the Eels will not face in their new surroundings come May are historic Hambledon who, despite finishing sixth, are demoted into Division 2.

Falling ground marks over the past five years have culminated in the accreditation for Hambledon’s Ridge Meadow being downgraded to ‘bronze’ which is insufficient for Division 1 cricket.

Hambledon’s relegation is good news for Calmore Sports, who are promoted after finishing third in Division 2 last year.

SPL2 champions Rowledge and runners-up Hartley Wintney were automatically promoted, having both been relegated at the end of 2013.