DARREN Cowley is determined to pick up the gauntlet after being axed by Dorset for their Minor Counties Trophy tie at Bedfordshire on Sunday.

Cowley, 34, and Glyn Treagus, 32, were both dropped after county selectors opted to take a more youthful squad to Dunstable for their must-win showdown.

The pair, however, will line up for Dorset in their T20 double-header against Gloucestershire at Sherborne School today (5pm) and against Hampshire at Dean Park on Monday (2.30pm).

Cowley and Treagus will also play for Lymington in their Southern Premier League clash at Havant tomorrow (1pm) and in their SPL T20 first round tie at Fareham & Crofton on Sunday (3pm).

Responding to his Dorset omission, Cowley told the Daily Echo: “I am going to try to prove them wrong and am pretty sure Glyn will feel the same.

“When we walk out to bat against Gloucestershire, who won’t have as strong a bowling attack as Hampshire, we will be looking to get some runs under our belt so we can say ‘we’ve just done it against the pros, there is your mistake’.”

Cowley, who skippered Bournemouth in the SPL, joined Lymington at the start of this season after helping Suttoners win back their place in the top flight of the Dorset League.

Explaining his decision, the son of former Hampshire star Nigel Cowley said: “I felt that if I wanted to carry on playing for Dorset, I had to play the highest possible standard of club cricket. My form had dipped because I wasn’t facing better players or batting on better pitches.

“I feel like a new cricketer after joining Lymington and the buzz is back. We are not the strongest side in the division but we have got excellent team spirit and that is going to win us games.

“Lymington rely on people like me, Glyn and Damian Shirazi to get the bulk of the runs and I quite enjoy that responsibility. I’ve played four games in the league and the standard hasn’t changed. It is still good and there are some good players around.”

Shirazi’s return means Lymington skipper Christian Pain is able to name a full strength team for the first time this season.