Young Hampshire side to battle the Crusaders

Injuries to paceman Alan Mullally and wicket-keeper Nic Pothas sees Hampshire go into their Norwich Union League Division Two match with Middlesex with their youngest side yet.

Second XI keeper Iain Brunnschweiler steps in for Pothas, who strained ligaments at the back of his knee and is rested in an attempt to get him fit for the vital Championship visit to Hove on Thursday. Brunnschweiler will make his competitive first XI debut having played in tourist and university first-class games.

James Adams keeps his place from that beaten by Surrey in the floodlit clash at The Oval, while James Hamblin and Lawrence Prittipaul are also included.

But there is no place for John Crawley, who has been ordered by the England management to rest before the fourth and final npower Test match against India at the Oval, starting on Thursday.

Team: Jason Laney, Neil Johnson, James Adams, John Francis, Will Kendall (capt), James Hamblin, Lawrence Prittipaul, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shaun Udal, Iain Brunnschweiler (w-k), James Tomlinson.