COLCHESTER and East Essex are set to have Reece Topley available for their trip to play Chingford tomorrow.

The Essex seamer is expected to turn out for the Castle Park outfit again, fresh from the county’s progression in the Royal London One Day Cup on Wednesday.

Topley is likely to be available to play for Colchester in the Shepherd Neame Essex League premier division this weekend, with Essex not in action again until their quarter-final tie against Yorkshire next Thursday.

That will be a boost for Andrew Kennedy’s side, who are fourth in the table heading into this weekend’s match with three games remaining.

Colchester lie 45 points behind leaders Brentwood and skipper Kennedy believes they still have a chance of winning the title, if they can finish with three wins.

He said: “We want to finish the season strongly.

“We’re still 45 points adrift of the top of the table and there’s still an outside chance that we can win the title.

“It’s been a good season for us back in the premier division so far and we want to get a few wins between now and the end of the season and end on a high.”

Colchester lie side by side with fifth-placed Chingford in the table but have a 45-point cushion on the hosts, heading into this weekend’s clash.

“Chingford are comfortably fifth in the table going into the game and we’re a place above them in fourth, so it should be a good contest,” said Kennedy.

Colchester will be aiming to build on last weekend’s draw with Buckhurst Hill, where some impressive individual performances caught the eye.

Julian Russell hit a century and Sam Foster made 95, while Greg Stephens claimed four wickets in the match.

Kennedy said: “Julian played really well against Buckhurst Hill and Sam Foster has been in excellent form and has had knocks of around the 90 mark, in the last couple of games.

“They were good individual performances and Greg Stephens did well with the ball, taking four wickets.”

Colchester’s second team host Shenfield at Castle Park in the second XI premier division tomorrow. In third XI division one, Colchester III travel to play Loughton.