The first of the four Australian Academy recruits to the Elite International Academy – Damien Mortimer and Jaron Morgan – have arrived in readiness for a season of SEPL and summer-long training at the Ageas Bowl.

Ironically the pair, who played for Australia in the recent ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, are due to play in opposing sides when the Premier League season begins tomorrow.

Sydney-based Mortimer will play for Lymington and Morgan, from the Joondalup Grade club in Western Australia, for Bashley (Rydal).

Mortimer, played in five of Australia’s six matches in the recent World Cup and hit a top-score of 43 against Afghanistan. The right-hander didn’t bowl in the UAE-based tournament, but expects to be beefing up Lymington’s seam attack this season.

Left-hander Morgan is one of WA’s brightest prospects, having been on the fringe of the Perch Scorchers squad for this winter’s Big Bash t20.

But it looks highly likely their respective debuts on English soil will have to be put on hold as the BCG is saturated, with the Bashley-Lymington New Forest derby expected to be called off. Highly rated South Australian all-rounder Cameron Valente, who has joined Totton & Eling, will miss the opening round of Premier Division games as he has yet to arrive in the UK.

l Ed Kemp has returned to the Fair Oak fold in SEPL Division 3 and is listed for a top order batting berth against last year’s unbeaten Hampshire League champions Waterlooville at Lapstone Park.

Ville have signed former Hambledon captain James Scutt and recruited Warren Ekstraal to replace fellow South African Byron Haycock, who led last season’s County Division 1 title chase with over 1,100 runs.

Haycock is playing for Andover this season.

Fair Oak: R Oxley, G Stewart, S Freemantle, N Feltham, A Mash, J Featherstone, R Featherstone, A Abbas, E Kemp, A Bass, T Hockenhull.

Relegated Tichborne Park give a debut to 22-year old Queenslander Jake Roach against South Wilts II.

Tichborne Park: W Allam, T Allam, M Cheyney, E Primmer, Henry Don, E Berry, W Gerrard, A Pond, J Roach, J Skinner, D Butler.