FOLLOWING an outstanding first season back in the top flight of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship, Braintree Cricket Club captain Will Jackson believes his team can push on even further next year.

Braintree came up as division two champions last year with the aim of consolidating their position in division one and they have managed that comfortably as they finished seventh in the final standings and well clear of any relegation danger.

A defeat in the final over of their final game by Coggeshall wasn’t the ending that Braintree wanted, but shouldn’t detract from what they have achieved this year and the captain believes they can aim even higher in 2017 Jackson said: “To stay up was always the aim for us this year and out of the promoted teams we have finished highest so we have to pleased with that.

“Seventh place is a great achievement considering a lot of teams yo-yo between the divisions.

“We’ve never felt out-classed or that we don’t belong at this level and I think that it’s been a fantastic effort from a small squad without any division one experience.

“It shows the spirit that we’ve got and I think we can carry that forward into next year. I feel that it we strengthen a bit further over the winter then we can push on next year and become an established top-half side.

“We have given ourselves a good base, however, looking at the teams coming up and Woolpit coming down from the Premier League, it will be a different challenge for us.

“It will be tough and we can’t rest on our laurels, but I believe we can push on.

“There have been so many positives, like Chris Leech stepping up with his batting at the top of the order and getting as many runs as he has and Dan Chalk, who is still young, really cementing a top-four spot in the order. Dean Bass has made a great all-round contribution with bat and ball, but everyone has contributed really and in reality there has been no one person who we have had to rely on.

“Last year, people said it was Lachlan (Ford) who was the main reason why we got promoted, but this year everyone has contributed in each of the games.

“In every game, more than one player has stood up and it has been a real team effort from everyone.”