BAT Sports send out their strongest available side with a double mission at Southern Gardens tomorrow (11.30am).

One is to avenge an early season defeat by Portsmouth - the other to try to close the 21-point leeway between themselves and South Wilts at the top of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League.

The defending champions have won their last two games against Andover and Old Tauntonians & Romsey at a canter.

But they cannot afford to fall any further behind if they are to still be in the title race when the do-or-die final series of matches involving BAT, Havant and South Wilts takes place in the last three weeks of the season.

Skipper Richard Dibden, out of first team action and looking at shoulder surgery this summer, said: "We need to get a big total on the board against Portsmouth tomorrow and that means all the top order firing. I still believe we are the best side in the SPL, but we've got to go out and prove it."

Dibden, who plays as a batsman for BAT's 2nd XI at Hythe & Dibden, is hoping New Zealander Neal Parlane can get among the runs. Last year's record league run-getter has struggled to score 152 runs in the opening three months of the season and is overdue a big one in tomorrow's BBC Radio Solent feature match.

Portsmouth, who reached the Southern Electric Cup final with a seven-wicket win over Bournemouth in midweek, are without key bowlers Paul Jenkins and Peter Hayward.

Hampshire's James Tomlinson will be a significant absentee when leaders South Wilts go to Andover, where they lost an early season Electric Cup tie. Adam Smith, who took three wickets against Lashings, takes his place.

Back into the South Wilts line up comes 16-year old Eddie Abel, who hit an unbeaten double-century for Wiltshire Under-17s this week.

Havant left-arm spinner Chris Morgan gets an opportunity to show his prowess for the Hampshire Academy at winlesss Liphook & Ripsley. He takes the place of opening batsman Stuart Ransley, who returns to Havant 2nd XI duty.

It's an enormous weekend for Havant, who follow tomorrow's home match against Bashley (Rydal) with a visit to High Wycombe in the Cockspur Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, 1pm.

Paul Gover, Luke Sears and David Wade return against Bashley, while Hampshire YC's opening bowler, James Ingram, is ruled out of both games with a torn calf muscle.

Bashley (Rydal) head into a difficult three-week period which sees Matt King's side facing Havant, defending champions BAT Sports and local rivals Bournemouth.

Allan Hurst gets the nod as teenager Max Waller is off to the ESCA Bunbury Festival.

Bournemouth have an ideal opportunity to put their midweek Southern Electric Cup semi-final exit behind them when they entertain strugglers Old Tauntonians & Romsey at Chapel Gate.

Their prospects of repeating last season's cup final visit to the Rose Bowl were dashed by a seven-wicket defeat by Portsmouth on Tuesday evening. Skipper Richard Scott, whose side made 123-8 in 20 overs before slipping to defeat, wants Bournemouth to boost their play-off claims with maximum points tomorrow.

"Old Tauntonians have lost virtually every match they have played this season and are the favourites to go down, so we must make sure we cash in," he said.

David Kidner, absent from last week's win at Andover, returns to the side.

Already in deep trouble at the bottom, OT's travel west minus skipper Jodey Brown, leg spinner Phil Wyatt and Dorset Development squad bowler Henry Lamb. All-rounder Max Smith is doubtful with a dislocated finger - and even scorer Steve Vear is laid up!