PREDICTION TIME      

Time for a little digging to find out what's in store this season for our First XI along with my predictions.

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Back to back promotions for Bransgore who came up from County 4 South as runners up. They finished last season with a 12-1-2 record having tied with Paultons.

Certainly a good all round side topping their divisions batting and bowling points. Simon Jones Club Captain at Bishops Waltham predicts they'll be around 5th place this season.

J.Page topped the batting with 688 runs @ 49.14 (wish ours would) and C.Taylor 293 runs @ 32.55. Bransgores batting point average an impressive 5.87.

With the ball equally impressive 4.47 per game with T.Newton taking 34 wkts @ 12.2 well supported by K.Finch 21 wkts @ 13.2 & E.Page 26 wkts @ 16.4.

I predict a few years consolidation now for Bransgore.

A much stronger season in 2012 saw Mansbridge to Runners up in County 4 North with a 9-2 record - this after losing 2 of their first 3 games.

K.Hall topped County 4 North's batting averages with 475 runs @ 79.2 with 4 other batsman hitting over 200 runs for the season. Denplan averaging 5.55 batting points per game. In the bowling department they averaged 4.18. Hall also took 20 wickets and was well supportd by C.Hall 18 wkts, A.Butler 16 wkts and L.Wolfe 16 wkts.

Have a strong feeling they may do an Idlers and waltz through the divisions.

Finished bottom of County 2 last season despite beating our First XI. Bowling was certainly their weakness last season (only 2.79 average points per game).

This once well thought of club on a downward slide I feel.

Eights seasons on a trot for Hartney Witney have in County 3 - Hythe's opening day opponents finished 7th last season with a 6-6 record.

Averaging 4.83 points per game with the bat - two players made centuries Colin Jolly & Jonty Rowe yet no one made it into the top 20 HCL batting averages

As a team with the ball they averaged 4.17 per game - Phil Horwood took 21 wkts @ 15.33.

Where they finish will decide in their strength in depth as a club - another year in County 3 I feel

2012 will be Higfield's 6th consecutive season in County 3. Our Former Chairman Ian Kenworthy's side finished 9th last term with a 5-6 record (only playing 11 games).

Averaging 5.36 points per game with the bat - only M.Isherwood (297 runs) & S.Taylor (237 runs) passed 200 but there were useful contributions by several other players who played few games. They struggled with the ball however (only 3.4 points per game) despite Gerald Scott took 21 wkts @ 16.95. The next best was 8.

Ageing side I fell - lower mid table finish.

Came up as County 4 North Champions where Holybourne had the impressive record of 11-1. Their one defeat coming at the hands of Sparsholt 2nd XI.

Good all round side - Jordan Taylor 264, Keith Harsham 216 and Trevor Rosati 199 were the main run getters as they averaged 5.25 batting points per game. Their bowling too was impressive 4.75 per game. Bradley Taylor took an amazing 35 wickets. He was well supported by Tim Parker 20 and Keith Harsham 19.

Holybourne will be there or there abouts. May ned one more season before progressing.

Surprised to see these guys go down with Hythe & Flamingo. For a side in the bottom 3 an average points of 5.50 with the bat per game was highly impressive.

Chris Wheeler hit a magnificent 599 runs in the season whilst Ian Watson 272, Robin Lutman 262 and David Worthy 262 supported well.

Sadly though the bowlers struggled (3.50 per game) with Charlie Prendergast 13 wkts their top wicket taker.

Mid table prediction unless they have a lot of good colts coming through.

Liphook finished 6th last season with a 10-4 record and their young side could be one of the favourites to go up this term. G.Tyler topped the batting averages 386 runs @ 38.6 as Liphook averaged an impressive 5.71 per game with the bat. T.Hugh Stanton & R.Covey both scored tons as well.

With the ball D.Elliott took 24 wkts, E.Hawkins 17 wkts and S. Burton 13 wkts as L&R averaged 4.21 per game the divisions 6th best.

Couldn't decide if these or Holybourne would finish 4th but they'll do well.

Longparish finished 4th last season with a 10-4 record - their best finish for 3 seasons. Batting was certainly their strength as they averaged 6.14 batting points per game easily the best in the division including the 3 sides that went up. William de Cani was the star with the bat - 499 runs @ 38.4

With the ball Ross Stewart (29 wkts) & Barry Blackmore (23 wkts) lead an attack that averaged 4.14 bonus points per game.

Another mid table finish I reckon.

Surprising to see O.T's only finish 10th last term knowing what a fine bunch of youngsters they have in the club.

The Romsey club used 24 players in the 2nd XI last term which probably tells you that they never had a settled side. G.Eldridge hit 345 runs with Mike Trodd 291. Their bowling P.Wyatt took 23 wickets @ 17 and M.Whytehead 14 @ 19.64.

Much of the same in 2012 I feel.

Paultons came up as Champions of County 4 South last season with a 10-1-1 record.

Bishops Waltham were the only side to beat them last term though Paultons apparently were under strength that day. Jonsey feels however Paultons will end up mid table in County 3 this year. MV disagrees he understands Paultons as a club have several new recruits this year which should make the 2nd XI stronger

Paultons averaged 5.75 with the bat per game - Andy Wakely topped the batting 214 runs @ 42.8 supported by Jamie Cooper 295 @ 36.9. Tom Cotterrill 222 runs and John Harris 204 runs also passed the 200 mark.

With the ball they averaged slightly less than fellow promotion side Bransgore from the South Division - Chris Dunn took 17 wkts @ 11.4 & Mark Weaver 17 @ 19.4. Simon Price & Graham Pike both took 14 wkts a piece.

Mike Vimpany informed me they have several new players within the club and after seeing some good youngsters in their 3's last year - these are my prediction as Champions .

Old foe's Purbrook II's finished 14th last term using 29 players in the process.

Graham McCoy is still going strong and topped the batting averages with 366 runs @ 36 whilst 2 players topped the wicket taking at only 10 a piece.

With a 2.92 average per game for bolwing points it was easy to see where Purbrooks weakness lies. Only Without an influx of players it could be another difficult season for the Purbrook

Good club shame to see them dropping and I feel they'll be doing battle down the bottom end of the table.

Return of a once a regular fixture - Ropley finished 5th last season with a 9-4 record - largely thanks to 743 runs from Greg Marks.

Ropley averaged 5.92 per game with the bat (second highest in the division). Their bowling was 3rd highest in the league averaging 4.38 per game. Alex Stogdon 25 wkts @ 15.9 topped the bowling. So apart from finishing off games they would have made the top 3.

Availability was always a problem for Ropley though they usually have an overseas on hand. Top half finish

12th place finish for South Wilts III last term must have been disappointing. Darren Sargent topped the batting with 314 runs & Tim Cowley 263 runs

Bowling South Wilts struggled - only 3.36 average per game despite 22 wkts from Stephen Kidd & Matt Newman 19.

Difficult to predict this but saying mid table.

Great escape artists Steep ended last term in 13th place with a 4-8 record after wining their final 3 games of the season.. They averaged 5.33 with their batting boosted by the runs from D.Knight 422 & G.Knights 348.

Bowling struggled on the whole but J.Smith took 6-22 in the fight for survival.

Hope they don't view this but I say bottom three.

Old buddies US finished 8th last season with a 8-7 record. Batting they averaged 4.67 per game with Adam White topping the batting averages 274 runs @ 39.14.

As in previous seasons bowling was their weakness despite Mark Toogood topping the bowling averages taking 11 wkt @ 11.73.

Availability always a problem for consistency - mid table finish

Winterslow finished 11th last term with a 5-7 record after promotion the previous season. Their strength was their batting where Ankush Mohod scored 476 runs supported by Russell Rowe 356. An average of 5.33 batting points per game.

Bowling they only averaged 3.67 per game but Pete Pearce took 18 wickets in only 65 overs including a 5 for 2.

Same again I feel - mid table

Where will we finish in what is new territory for us.!! Love to say top two but I think we may just scrape third place behind Paultons who will be strong and Denplan Mansbridge.

Matt Young's runs will be vital and with more runs I feel to come from the skipper and Rob James this year - the batting will improve on 2011. Dave Guymer & Shaun Anderson should add strength to the batting and Zac Millar & Tom Richards will do well.

Bowling is a slight concern - who will step upto the plate and get Harry's share of the wickets. I would still play the Chairman still one of our most consistent bowlers in the club but Ozzie Shaikh and Shaun Anderson will get wickets.

Top six is my gut feel - Heart says 3rd

I asked Hampshire's Mr.Cricket Mike Vimpany who he felt would do well this year. ' Half the sides are SPL Second XIi's, I've noticed.

Longparish and Ropley will go well ... Hartley Wintney may be the best of the 2nd XI pack ... Holybourne, Denplan & Bransgrore.  Paultons have new players, so there's my 7 in no specific order !!! '