COLCHESTER and East Essex Cricket Club captain Andrew Kennedy believes the Shepherd Neame Essex League premier division will be nip and tuck this season.

The Castle Park side host bottom club South Woodford today, hoping to follow up their first win since their promotion as division one champions, last year.

Colchester claimed an impressive seven-wicket win at Brentwood last weekend, with Ben Stephens claiming eye-catching figures of 6-25 in his nine-over spell.

And as he prepares his side for another home game, Kennedy is predicting a competitive top-flight division this year.

Kennedy said: “It looks like the league will be quite tight, this season.

“Everyone has won so far, apart from two teams.

“If you play well on the day you can beat anyone and at the same time, if you play badly then you can easily lose.

“In our next two games, we play the two teams who currently occupy the bottom two positions in the table in South Woodford and then Harold Wood.

“We’re still playing timed cricket and if we can get at least two wins from our next three games before limited overs come in, I think we’ll be satisfied.”

Colchester will be hoping to ensure South Woodford’s poor start to the season continues, this weekend.

The Highfield Road side have lost both of their opening two league matches and will be without leading batsman Nick Browne, who has been featuring for Essex of late.

However, Kennedy has warned Colchester cannot afford to underestimate the threat the visitors will pose tomorrow.

“Nick Browne’s being doing well for Essex and he’s a key player for them but they do have some good bowling options,” said Kennedy, who is also Colchester’s club chairman.

“It will be a tough task for us and it’s important that we’re not over-confident or complacent, after the Brentwood win.

Colchester will be without Australian opener Julian Russell against South Woodford. And Ollie Bocking and Henry Foster are still at university in Leeds and are unavailable.

However, Cameron Rule is available, while Kemsley Robb will come in for Ollie Lovejoy.

Colchester’s home game against South Woodford takes place at Castle Park today, 11.30am start.