BASINGSTOKE and North Hants will look to repeat last season's impressive 186-run win when they travel to Oxford and Horspath tomorrow.

Only a crushing defeat would suck the May's Bounty side into a relegation battle in the final week of the Home Counties League season.

Currently, they are 33 points clear of the drop zone, with two games to go. Reading are the visitors to May's Bounty for the final division one game of the season, a week tomorrow.

In the first meeting with Oxford and Horspath, in June at May's Bounty, the visitors were 76-9 when the game was halted due to rain.

Since then, Basingstoke captain Lee Nurse has lost South African paceman Charl Willoughby - on international duty for South Africa A - and he will again be without his former strike partner Chris Chandler, who completes a two-match suspension.

The captain praised the contributions made by spinners Keith Harris and James Morris in last Saturday's draw against visiting Potters Bar.

Nurse said: "Both Keith and James bowled really well to limit the runs and take a few wickets. I have been told Oxford is not the nicest ground to play at, but we will go there looking to pick up as many points as possible to take the pressure off us for the final game."

Nigel Williamson is unavailable to travel, so the captain will take over behind the stumps at Cowley.

Basingstoke II look could be relegated from Thames Valley League division one, after a crushing nine-wicket defeat at Marlow last Saturday.

The visitors were bowled out for 86 after 32.5 overs and it took the home side just 16 overs to secure their victory.

Basingstoke are now 46 points adrift of Marlow Park with the first of their two remaining games at home to Harefield tomorrow.

Basingstoke V slipped out of the promotion picture as they suffered a second consecutive defeat in division 7a - by two wickets at Wokingham Oaks and Acorns.

The visitors, batting first, were soon in trouble at 11-4 before recovering to 135 all out.

Chris Heeps was the visitors' top scorer with 34 and Jamie Gray finished unbeaten on 30.

The home side struggled to reach their winning target, with Ken Goddard taking 5-19 from 15 overs, but they eventually got home with just two balls to spare.

Julian Wood this week helped equal a Berkshire fourth-wicket partnership against Herefordshire. His 139 shared with Tom Fray matched the 1992 effort of Gary Loveday and Barry Jackson.

Berkshire's bid for the Minor Counties western division title was spoiled by rain, however, with no play possible on the last two days.

Skipper Wood made 85 and Fray 96 in a Berkshire total of 319. Herefordshire were 61-3 after 24 overs in the drawn match.