GREAT Alne are hopeful of staging the opening fixture of their Cotswold Two campaign.

The outfield and the square have been prepared at the club's Henley Road home but captain Craig Millard has a doubt over batsman Rob German.

German has yet to decide whether he will play this season but is unavailable for the visit of Hockley on Saturday (2pm start) in any case.

And first teamer Simon Chester admitted he knew little about the opposition.

"Hockley are one of the Tapster sides to be merged with our league this season," he said.

"We don't know anything about them but they are a big town who have had a slump in recent times like Henley."

Attempts to play an inter-club game at Alcester High School at the weekend were thwarted by a soggy pitch.