BASINGSTOKE and North Hants have strengthened up their batting line-up ahead of their second campaign in the top flight of the Southern League.

Last season the Bountymen finished fourth in their first summer in the Premier Division, winning 10 of their 16 games.

Once again Mitch Stokes is captain of the side, which will have a number of new faces.

These are new overseas player South African Brad Porteous , plus Jordan Hobday from Hook and Tom Allam from Tichborne Park.

Porteous hails from the same club the Dolphins of Durban where the Bountymen’s impressive overseas player Sibonelo Makhanya came from.

Big hitting Hobday scored 503 runs last term at Hook at an average of 50 and Allam was second in the Division Two scoring with 742 runs from 15 innings and also took 22 wickets.

Stokes said: “Brad is a batter who can bowl a bit and along with Jordy and Tom we have added some depth to out batting, which was missing last season.”

“I think this year will be very competitive and there will not be any easy games. We were good in the limited over games, but I am looking for us to improve our all day form this year.”

The Bountymen start their campaign at home to newly promoted Bournemouth.

The second team open their Southern League Division Two campaign also on Saturday with a trip to Liphook and Ripsley.