WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: THE 23rd season of the Wiltshire League gets underway tomorrow (Saturday 3 May), with 80 teams playing in eight divisions.

Ramsbury have withdrawn from Division Four.

From last season we say farewell and good luck to the Division One champions Box, who will be playing in the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire League Division Two.

In their place we welcome back Purton, who were relegated and who last played in the Wiltshire League in 1993.

In Division Eight we have newcomers in All Cannings 2nd XI, Blunsdon 2nd XI and Corsham 4th XI.

These sides replace Bradford Town 3rd XI and Wootton Bassett 4th XI.

In Division One, Purton will obviously be seeking a quick promotion and should have an early chance to gauge their strength when they entertain newly promoted Collingbourne.

Biddestone, Calne and under-achievers Westinghouse will look to stake their claims, but perhaps they should look over their shoulders for last season's Division Two champions, Nationwide House, who have gained promotion each year since they joined the league in 1999.

On last year's end of season form, Beanacre and Potterne might well struggle.

Relegated Buscot Park should do well in Division Two, with strong challenges from perhaps, Lechlade and Sutton Veny.

Great Bedwyn and Swindon Civil Service, along with promoted Cherhill and Urchfont, could also feature.

In Division Three Swindon 3rd XI could well be the pace setters.

Promoted Blunsdon and Heytesbury should do well but as with last season I can well see this being the most tightly contested from one to 10 of any.

I expect Lambourn to set the pace in Division Four, along with Mildenhall, Corsham 3rd XI and, if the latter part of last season is a guide, a rapidly improving Coates.

Promoted Avebury and Warminster 3rd XI should settle in well but look out perhaps for Bradford Town. After their struggles in the past couple of seasons in the higher divisions they should be able to consolidate and rebuild.

In the remaining divisions, United Churches have a good opportunity to gain promotion from Division Five while Purton 2nd XI are obviously an unknown quantity.

It will be interesting to see how last year's only unbeaten side, Division Six champions Swindon Litten Tree, perform.

In Division Six, Nationwide House could well be the side to beat, with perhaps Westinghouse 2nd XI and Wootton Bassett 3rd XI also in the frame.

In Division Seven, Beehive Bradford, last year's run-away Division Eight winners, along with Bath Civil Service 2nd XI and perhaps United Churches 2nd XI could feature.

Division Eight, with three new sides, is difficult to call but one certainty is that Devizes 4th XI will be looking to break their duck.

Much could depend in the higher divisions on the calibre of overseas players, while at the lower levels 2nd/3rd/4th XIs' results could depend upon how settled their sides are or affected by senior eleven call-ups.

l Full Wiltshire League fixtures list for tomorrow: Page 58