AFTER an absence of several years, Hampshire make their return to the Home Counties League on Sunday (10am) against Surrey.

Four rinks will be at Riverside and four at Camberley. Sussex and Dorset complete the group and the section winners will go forward to meet the top side from the other group involving Berkshire, Bucks, Kent and Middlesex for the HCL title in the spring.

The competition gives Hampshire a chance to blood some bowlers and even take a second look at others in preparation for the next season's Liberty Trophy.

One rule of the HCL is that counties may not field more than a dozen current Liberty Trophy bowlers in their side.

Hampshire rinks at Riverside: R Gadd (Palmerston), J Macknee (Havant), N O'Donovan (Palmerston), G Jones (Havant); K Brown, D Smith, A Sprake, T Bailey (all Havant); L Young (Riverside), M Hammond (Victory), S Doig, E Bates (both Riverside); D Cole, C Taylor (both Longmeadow), R Curtis (Palmerston), G Standley (Longmeadow).

At Camberley: T Vosper, G Hillier, I Hayward, R Rosier (all Longmeadow); J Blair, T James, D Simns, M Sallis (all Chawton Park); K Langfield, D Dunford, P May, L May (all Rushmoor); T Morgan, R Voller, C Lewis, D Morgan (all Loddon Vale).