BASINGSTOKE face another tough test tomorrow, when last season's league champions High Wycombe travel to May's Bounty.

The Buckinghamshire side are currently second in the Home Counties League, chasing early pace-setters Henley as they try to retain their title.

Both sides will be hoping for better luck with the weather tomorrow. When Basingstoke travelled to High Wycombe earlier in the season not a ball was bowled in the contest.

Last season, when these teams met at May's Bounty, the visitors won by three wickets. The venue has proved a happy hunting ground for High Wycombe with three wins and a draw since the start of the league four seasons ago.

Basingstoke did well last Saturday to earn a deserved draw at Reading, thanks to some good tail-end batting, especially from Jon Govett, with 59 not out on his return to the side after injury.

Tomorrow Basingstoke will be without both Julian Wood and James Morris as the pair are away on a two-week cricket tour of Sri Lanka with Bradfield College.

The May's Bounty side could also be without all-rounder Scott Dyer, who suffered an elbow injury while fielding against Reading.

The odds looked shacked against the home side as skipper Lee Nurse will be forced to promote from the second team.

The captain said: "High Wycombe are a strong side but we will take the positives, especially from the batting of the middle and lower order against Reading and take that into the game."

Before jetting off to Sri Lanka, Basingstoke duo Wood and Morris helped Berkshire to a seven-wicket win over Wales Minor Counties in the Minor Counties Knock-Out Cup in Swansea last Sunday.

Berkshire skipper Wood took 2-3 in two overs as the Welsh side were bowled out for 164.

He then scoring 25 not out and shared an unbroken 58-runs stand for the fourth wicket with former Essex star Paul Prichard.

Victory earned Berkshire a semi-final tie against either Suffolk or Bedfordshire on August 15 at Finchampstead. A win there would book a trip to Lord's.

Last Saturday, Basingstoke II were celebrating their first win of the season in Thames Valley League division one after beating visiting Marlow Park in the bottom-of-the-table clash.

The home side posted an impressive 245-6 with Richard Vinn 83 and Steve Dummer 47 topping the scorecard.

In reply, Keith Harsham returned his best bowling of the season with 6-32, while Rob Bowen chipped in with three wickets as Marlow were shot out for 113.

Basingstoke V kept themselves in the promotion hunt in division 7a with a four-wicket win in the last over at Bagshot.

The home side recovered to 175-7 after being 40-7 as Dutch Holland (4-65) and Ken Goddard (3-35) led the bowling.

Basingstoke's reply of 176-6 was built around a fine innings of 56 from Graeme Steers and 40 from Steve Coulston.

Last Sunday in the Three Counties League, Basingstoke beat visiting Frimley by 41 runs.

Chris Froud top-scored with 64 in a home total of 248-9. Frimley were then bowled out for 197, with Graham James taking 5-45.