COGGESHALL Cricket Club are ready to step back into the top flight of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship this weekend.

Having been relegated after being docked points for an administrative error over playing an overseas player in 2016, the Harefield side claimed the division two title last year and they are geared up for life back in division one - starting at Woolpit on Saturday.

George Blackwell, who has taken over the first-team captaincy again this year, said: "We feel we are back where we belong, but we're not setting any targets.

"We want to compete with the best in the division and we will see where we are.

"We haven't been there for a year so we don't know if it has changed much, but we will quietly go about our business and I'd like to think we can be in the top half.

"We'll see where we are and if we can drop our hat in the ring towards the end of the season then that would be great.

"I think we have a pretty strong top five or six and we have some young players who were able to develop in division two last year, so hopefully they can push on in division one now."

The club start life back in division one at Woolpit on Saturday, before their first home game of the campaign on April 28, when Wivenhoe will be the visitors and a special Fun Day is being planned with live music, a barbecue and events for all ages.

Blackwell added: "It's a tough start for us, - at Woolpit and then Wivenhoe at home and Witham after that, so that's three sides who could easily be the the top three come the end of the season.

"It is tough but we have to play them at some time in the season."

Blackwell said Coggeshall would have New Zealand batsman George Hanham as their overseas player again this year after he scored more than 800 runs for them in 2017 as he finished second in the division two batting averages in 2017.

The club are geared up for a busy year at Harefield.

As well as having their firsts back in Two Counties division one, the seconds are in division four and the thirds gained promotion last year to division eight, while their Sunday team will be in North Essex Cricket League action again.

Blackwell said the colts section is also ready for action, with more than 100 five to 16-year-olds being coached by former Surrey and Glamorgan captain Alan Butcher and Coggeshall have also entered under-19 and senior sides in Essex Cricket Board T20 competitions.

There is also the annual Coggeshall Cricket Week to look forward to at the end of July, including another visit by the Lashings World XI when some legends of the game will be on show at Harefield and Essex seconds will be facing Kent seconds.