HAMPSHIRE will be backing a return to the round-robin format for the Liberty Trophy in a questionnaire circulated to counties by the English Indoor Bowling Association over the future of the national indoor championship.

At present the Liberty Trophy is a knock-out tournament from the word go, but Hampshire - and, it is believed, a majority of counties, - want the championship restored to round-robin groups in the qualifying stages before becoming a straight knock-out from the quarter-finals onwards.

The EIBA have also asked counties to vote on the format of matches. Should they be three rinks home and three away, or six rinks at the challenger's venue, six rinks at a neutral green or, if the round robin is restored, six rinks at home with the fixture being reversed the following season?

The other question is; how should the draw be conducted - on a regional or an open basis?

The EIBA need at least 25 of the 32 county associations to respond to the questionnaire by end of February and the game's ruling body will abide by the majority decision which would determine how the Liberty Trophy is to be run over the next four seasons starting in the 2001-02 campaign.

Hampshire team manager Peter Line cannot wait for a switch back to the round-robin style: "At the moment one defeat and the season is over - that's what happened to us last year when we lost in the first round to Essex.

"In the competition's present state so many counties do not have the chance to build for the future whereas playing three times in a qualifying group helps them to do that.

"The current format means every game is like a final - you just don't get a second chance."

Hampshire have yet to decide how they would like matches to be conducted but they are sure about the question of the draw.

County secretary David Spence said: "We would not support an open national draw under any circumstances. If we drew someone like Cumbria, the travelling would make it far too expensive."