BRAINTREE Cricket Club captain Will Jackson wants his team to seize the home initiative once again when they return to Panfield Lane to face Haverhill in Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one today.

Jackson’s side continued their Jekyll and Hyde run at home and away last weekend when they lost by 115 runs at Woolpit as they struggle to repeat strong performances on their own wicket when going on their travels.

While their four away games have all been lost so far, Braintree have won two of their three home fixtures and felt aggrieved not to have got something from their defeat at Panfield Lane in the third outing when Maldon chased down a sizeable total set by the home batsmen.

So they know how important home fixtures are and are keen to record another success to take advantage of their strong form on their own surface.

Jackson said: “We have won two out of three at home and we know we should have beaten Maldon as well so we are definitely stronger at home.

“We’ll be looking to do well again on Saturday as we expect to have a full strength line-up and it’s a big game for us.

“We beat Haverhill at home and away last year and did well against them the year before as well so we feel well set.”

He said he expected the experienced trio of Gareth Fisher, Barry Stephens and Rory Ainsley to all return for the visit of Haverhill, although Dean Bass is a possible doubt due to a knee injury.

Braintree will be looking for a better batting display than they had at Woolpit last weekend, but Jackson said there had been positives to take from his team’s fielding and bowling displays.

He added: “Once again it was on our travels that we didn’t give a full account of ourselves.

“We restricted them to 224 and that was a good effort as we were down to ten men in the field at one point due to an injury.

“It is a big ground and was a good wicket and we felt confident that we could have a good run chase, but you can’t forget that they came down from the East Anglian Premier League last year.

“I’d say it was the best bowling attack that we’ve come across this year so far and we just couldn’t get going with the bat.

“It was pleasing that we matched our fielding and bowling from the week before and it has been a massive improvement in the last three weeks, but the batting just isn’t firing on the road.

“I don’t see it as a worry, but we’ve just got used to being blessed by the wicket at Braintree.

“It wins the best wicket award every year and we just need to adapt better to being away to grind out the runs that we need.”