MICHAEL Porter says lightning left-arm paceman Tom Barber will have a "point to prove" when Bashley clash with Hampshire Academy tomorrow.

Barber was released by Hampshire two years ago but hit back to win a professional contract with county champions Middlesex this season.

The 21-year-old produced a devastating four-wicket salvo to rip through Andover's top order last week and is now set to turn his guns on his former club in the Southern Premier League contest.

Porter insists his team cannot afford to slip up at Hampshire, with victory potentially enough to propel Bash to the Premier Division summit, if leaders Lymington come unstuck on their trip to Havant.

He told the Daily Echo: "We have to make some changes to the team but it will be just as strong as the one that beat Andover last week.

"Tom is still available and I am sure it is a game he is looking forward to after being released by Hampshire a couple of years ago.

"I imagine he has a bit of a point to prove to them.

"We know the academy team have a lot of players back this week, so they are going to be tougher opposition than they have been recently.

"But it is a game we want to go and dominate. They are all young, talented lads – that is why they are in the academy system. Their batters have the potential to produce a match-winning innings and the bowlers can all deliver decisive spells.

"We can not just turn up and walk it. We will have to really apply ourselves. And with Lymington at Havant, it makes it twice as important for us to not drop points."

Porter says his team's cause will be further boosted by the return to the fold of off-spinner Sam Thomson. And he confirmed the club are doing all they can to cling onto overseas star Pat Page for as long as possible.

"We definitely have Pat for the next five weeks, at least," added Porter. "We were told at the start of the year he would have to go back to Australia for pre-season games but we are doing our very best to prolong his stay.

"Having Sam Thomson back this week is a huge bonus. Although we have won big in the past couple of weeks, he is a huge influence around the changing room. And he has been our best bowler in recent years."

Bashley: Porter, Digby, S Ridley, Page, Jacques, C Ridley, Thomson, Wilson, Watkins, B Currie, Barber.

Lymington go to Havant targeting a sixth successive victory. The hosts' own three-match winning run crashed to a halt when they were bundled out for 94 to lose by 153 runs at South Wilts six days ago.

Lymington: Beetham, Lake, Dickinson, Hand, Lock, Ellis, Calcott, Metcalfe, Freeman, Woodward, Baxter.

Third-bottom New Milton will try to open up a gap between themselves and Andover when they host the basement side at Fernhill.

New Milton: R Beck, L Beck, Loader, Watts, Haggaty, R Hussey, A Hussey, Shrubsole, Wakefield, Gargaro, Arnold.

In Division One, Bournemouth travel to lowly Sarisbury Athletic looking to record back-to-back victories.