BASINGSTOKE and North Hants open their Southern League Division One campaign this weekend with a home game against relegated Sarisbury Athletic.

The Bountymen are among one of the favourites for promotion this season, after a busy summer of recruitment.

Mitch Stokes has returned to the captains role having been at the helm during the club's Thames Valley League days in 2007 and 2008.

He takes over from opening bat Chris Froud who led the team to promotion to Division One in 2014.

Basingstoke have a new overseas player in 22-year-old Australian Ben Julin who is an all rounder being a top order batsman as slow left arm bowler.

He has played A grade cricket in his native Australia for the past two seasons for Glengarry.

He is one of four new faces joining the team this season along with Dan Belcher, Chris Jolley and Matt King.

Belcher is a former Basingstoke junior and returns to the club after being Old Basing captain last season and is a hard hitting top order batsman.

Seam bowler Chris Jolley, who can also score useful runs lower down the order arrives from Southern League rivals Hartley Wintney.

King is another former Basingstoke junior and has been playing for the MCC Young Cricketers at Lord’s and will add even more options to the batting and bowling attack.

New captain Stokes said: "The lads are buzzing for the season to start and competition for places is something the club hasn’t had for a while. Our aim is to get promoted from Division One, but we need to be mentally stronger when it comes to our batting and build partnerships.

“We gave our wickets away too easily last season.”

It will be a big weekend for the Bountymen as on Sunday they travel to Havant for the second round of the National Cup, hoping to follow up their impressive first round victory over Totton and Eling.