THERE could be a youthful look to Braintree Cricket Club’s first-team as they look to “salvage a bit of pride” from the end of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship season.

An eight-wicket defeat at Haverhill last weekend has left Braintree’s division one position hanging by a thread and although they are not mathematically down, captain Will Jackson said they had accepted that their two-year stay in the top flight was almost over.

So with three games remaining - starting at home against Frinton on Saturday - Jackson said young up-and-coming players would be given chances to impress as they set about rebuilding for the future.

Matt Hollingsworth is one youngster who has done well this year and 16-year-old Grace Poole was another who came in against Haverhill and did well in a first-team debut when she made club history.

Jackson said: “Matt has come in and opened the bowling for us and that’s great for a young player to do and Grace Poole was another who came in at Haverhill.

“I think she is the first female to have bowled for the club in division one first-team cricket in our 138-year history so that’s a real achievement for her.

“She plays for Essex Ladies, so is a real talent, but that’s the type of player we want to give chances to now.

“We have three matches to play and start developing the team for next season.

“We want to get youngsters in the team so we can expose them to division one cricket and have a core of players to take into next year.

“So it will be a younger side that faces Frinton, but we are still looking for wins.

“We want to end of a positive to salvage a bit of pride and show that we’re not just rolling over. I want the team to show there is still spirit there so we can come into next season with the momentum of having had a strong finish to this one.”