SPORTS Centre provide three of the six new faces named in Hampshire's side for the opening Middleton Cup match of the season on Saturday (2pm).

Adam Tidby, Mick Slade and Jody Bright have been called up to face Berkshire at Suttons, Reading, as Hampshire set out on that elusive path to Worthing.

Although Tidby is a recent arrival to Hampshire outdoor bowls, he is no stranger to the competition having represented Dorset over many years including when they reached the 1990 final and the semi-final four years later.

County manager Rod Rosier has welcomed him with open arms because, besides his vast experience as a Middleton Cup skip, Tidby is an England indoor international and outdoor trialist and has gained national glory at Worthing in the triples and pairs.

His rink at Reading includes clubmates Slade and Mark Hammond, the county junior champion. Slade's selection is a reward for his consistency over the years while Bright number two in Graham Standley's rink shone when reaching the semi-finals of the county triples last summer.

The other newcomers are David Coulson (Pyestock), Richard Garrett of Knyveton Gardens and Old Basing skip Peter Gentry.

Coulson is another who has Middleton experience elsewhere before moving to a Hampshire club while Garrett skipped the county to Worthing in the under-25 double rink championship last season. Gentry also shone in the county triples last summer by reaching the semi-finals with Graham Hillier and the pair line up in the same rink on Saturday.

Although Hampshire beat Berkshire 16-6 at Atherley in 2005, the margin was only 118-112 and in the final table Berkshire finished above Rosier's men, top spot going to Oxfordshire.

Rosier knows that a winning start is imperative and he has demanded at least another 16-point haul to boost confidence for the other group matches against Isle of Wight (June 10, Atherley), Middlesex (June 17, away) and what could prove the crunch' against Oxfordshire (June 24, Atherley).

Rinks: Dave Coulson, Chris Cranham (both Pyestock), Colin Thresher (Sports Centre), Leo May (Pyestock); Kevin Philip (Aldershot Traction), Jody Bright (Sports Centre), Chris Daniels (Boscombe Cliff), Graham Standley (Sports Centre); Michael Hutley (Boscombe Cliff), David Oakes (Kingsclere), Jim Marsland (Aldershot Traction), Peter Ward (Ringwood); Ian Rawlinson (Bournemouth), Darren Clark, Dean Morgan (both Boscombe Cliff), Paul May (Banister Park); Mick Slade (Sports Centre), Richard Garrett (Knyveton Gardens), Mark Hammond, Adam Tidby (both Sports Centre); Graham Hillier, Peter Gentry (both Old Basing), Colin Hayward (Milton Park), Charlie Bailey (Fareham).

Reserves: Barry Bendall (Banister Park), Ian Churchman (Aldershot Traction), Simon Doig (Fleming Park), Alan Geary (Boscombe Cliff), Barry Stafford (Rowner), Gary Starks (Southsea Waverley).

l On Sunday Hampshire face Kent in the new Double Rink championship (which replaces the Top Rink competition this year) at Crawley (10.30).

Rinks: Rawlinson, Leo May, Standley, Ward; Morgan, Hammond, Paul May, Tidby. Reserves: Hayward, Philip.