Cricket clubs confident ahead of new season

Both clubs are on home soil with Bexhill welcoming Steyning to The Polegrove and Sidley entertaining Stirlands at Gullivers on Saturday April 29.

Both also have a new captain and Bexhill supremo Chris Topp, who has won the Premier Division title with Hastings Priory, is hoping to improve on last season's mid-table finish.

"I think this year we're looking a bit more upbeat about things," said Topp, who has introduced a stricter training discipline. "There's a lot of plus points this year and hopefully we can do a bit better. Providing we work hard and put in the time and effort anything is possible. I think we've potentially got a very good side and we've got to be looking to set our sights high."

Hearts would have been warmed by an encouraging performance in last weekend's narrow friendly defeat away to Hastings.

Bexhill, for whom Aussie Josh McLean made 70, lost on the final ball, but Topp thought they should have beaten their higher rank neighbours.

They expect to be just about at full strength tomorrow and, although they currently have a similar squad to last summer, Topp is still hoping to recruit.

Sidley are also seeking improvement after they required a vote of the league's member clubs to maintain their status as a result of their basement finish in 2005.

"Everyone's pretty confident about this year," commented skipper Jonathan Haffenden. "I definitely want to improve. I'm not going to push the boat out and say we're going to finish top or anything, but mid-table has got to be a goal for us."

Most batsmen enjoyed valuable time in the middle during an in-house game between players from their first and second teams on Saturday.

But Haffenden begins his reign with a few problems because Peter King and Paul Thompson are serving one week bans, Scott Woodroffe doesn't return from Australia until May 14 and overseas player Mandla Mashimbyi isn't due to arrive from South Africa until the weekend.

The Sidley side is likely to have a more youthful look about it during the club's centenary year following the return of Chris Deeprose and Simon Barden, plus the emergence of Jake Beale.

Both matches start at 1.15pm as do the two second team fixtures, which are both away to the same clubs.