by Mike Vimpany

Calmore Sports have received a double boost on the eve of tomorrow’s British Gas Southern League Division 1 meet-up with Sarisbury Athletic at Allotment Road (1pm).

Opening batsman Tam Goodrich and all-rounder Paul Proudley are back – giving skipper Mark Lavelle a welcome opportunity to drop down the order.

Lavelle has struggled for runs in his somewhat unwanted opening role, instead letting his bowling do the talking, with 18 wickets already this season, in addition to the 27 he took last summer in leading Calmore to the Division 2 title.

With five wins from six outings, Calmore enjoy a seven-point lead over Basingstoke & North Hants, with Sarisbury third from bottom.

Sarisbury Athletic: Journeaux, Rawlins, Floyd, Freemantle, Dunn, Sanders, Hill, Mottola, Wright, Challis, Jewell Calmore Sports: Lavelle, Goodrich, Cook, Johns, Perry, Rutter, Manning, Proudley, Rose, Newton, Croft.

Second-placed Basingstoke have opener Dan Belcher back for the trip to Portsmouth, where the Bountymen took a heavy beating last season.

Brad Neal is promoted from the seconds after his match winning 80 against Alton II last week Basingstoke & North Hants: Stokes, Belcher, Metzger, Phillips, B Neal, Nurse, Griffiths, James, Jolley, Thankachan, Connor.

Third placed Bournemouth, who host the Lashings World XI in a tea-time T20 Challenge at Chapel Gate today (FRI), call up Andy Hayward for the visit to basement side Tichborne Park.

Bournemouth: C Park, Hayward, Matthews, N Park, Woodruff, Hurley, Bollom, Jones, Pack, Clutterbuck, Michalowski.

Ventnor, in need of a win as the threat of a second consecutive relegation looms, have Neil Westhorpe back to strengthen their flimsy batting line up against Liphook & Ripsley at Newclose.

James Cheek will be promoted to open alongside Ben Woodhouse, allowing all-rounder skipper Rob Snell a chance to drop down to eight on the card.

Snell is delighted to welcome home teen spinner Dan Cox, who has transferred back from South Wilts after a somewhat strange decision to switch to the Salisbury club.

“We’re delighted to have Dan back to strengthen our bowling options: we have certainly missed him,” Snell said.

Ventnor: Woodhouse, Cheek, Van Greunen, Miller, Westhorpe, H Calloway, Corbin, Snell, Cox, Zeph Wells, Willis.