Hampshire kick-off their Twickenham-bound challenge in the County Championship Plate competition tomorrow but they are sorely understrength for the visit of neighbours Dorset & Wiltshire.
With Portsmouth involved in the league play-off, Newbury still having a National Two league game and Jersey playing their annual Siam Cup game with Guernsey, it has denied the county a host of players.
Tom Radbourne, Ogi Ofuasia, Dave Needham, Tom Wells and Steve O'Brien are all unable to participate in the game at Trojans while a hoard of Havant are also missing.
It has been a nightmare week for the coaches and team manager Steve Appleby and they were still scratching around during the week to fill their missing berths, particularly in the back row where the main problems are.
With Simon Appleby, Matt Morgan, Dylan Raubenheimer, Ali Ramus, pictured, Jon Barfoot and Matt Harrison all unavailable for a variety of reasons, it has meant that urgent calls to Gosport vice-captain Chris Thompson and Winchester's Andy Short could prove fruitful.
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