Keech and Savident join Portsmouth

Former Hampshire cricketers Matthew Keech and Lee Savident are set to link up with their old county team-mate Raj Maru and play for Portsmouth in the Southern Premier League Division 2 this summer.

The City club are looking to the pair to boost their prospects of promotion to the ECB-graded Premier Division 1 in 2002.

They finished runners-up to Liphook & Ripsley in the Second Division last season.

Keech, 30, who spent six years on the Hampshire staff, will be making the switch from Portsmouth's neighbours United Services.

He played at Burnaby Road last summer, topping the SPL Division 2 batting averages, twice scoring centuries among his 721 runs, made at an average of 55.46.

Savident, 24, the first ever Channel Islander to play First Class cricket, was forced to retire from the Hampshire staff last summer because of persistent back problems.

Also joining Portsmouth is Hampshire Under-19 all-rounder Ben Nolan, who began last season with Bashley (Rydal) before joining Keech at United Services. Portsmouth are to play their Southern Premier League match at the St Helen's ground on Southsea sea front this season.