Currently involved in a three-way race for the First Division championship and about to open their defence of the Eastern Counties crown, Bailey's Bay have plenty to play for this summer.

And new coach Ricky Hill believes the boys from Sea Breeze Oval are up to the challenge.

Hill, who recently took over the post from Noel Gibbons who has returned to coaching in England, said:"At this stage we realise we have the Eastern Counties coming up and we are definitely preparing for that. The club have set goals that we hope to accomplish."

One of those, Hill explained, is prolonged occupation of the crease.

"What we're trying to emphasise in coaching is to try to do all of the right things all of the time - no matter who the opposition may be.

"So the emphasis at this point is on batting for longer periods - even though it's limited overs. If you can calculate 50 overs at six runs per over then that's 300 runs and we would challenge any other team to get that target.

"Most of the runs are scored in the last ten overs. In some cases a hundred runs can be scored in ten overs. If you are cruising at 180 after 30 overs then that doesn't concern me as long as we have wickets in hand because we will be looking to push on and possibly score a hundred runs in the last ten overs. So we are really emphasising the importance of occupying the crease and staying in as long as possible."

Hill described playing in the lower division as a `blessing in disguise' - though he admits the opposition have not been of high quality.

"Playing in the First Division isn't that bad. As you can see, we've been able to remain consistent. In the bowling department we've been able to bowl teams out quite cheaply while only losing one or two wickets chasing runs.

"In one instance I think we batted against Flatts and scored 226 and in another game we scored over 300. So we haven't been getting many opportunities to bat first and maybe staying in and scoring big runs. But nevertheless, the Eastern Counties, of course, is being played in two sessions. I think in the first session a team could be batting 70 overs with the second team batting 40. But my team is now concentrating on occupying the crease for as long as possible.

"One of the things I could say is that most of the teams we have been playing against haven't been of the quality that Bay has been used to playing against. But we still have to play the game in its rightful fashion. So actually going down might have been a blessing in disguise."

Hill, a multiple winner of championships during his career at Bay, is now hoping to reap similar success as a coach.

"We are looking to win the division, the KO Cup (First Division) and being very competitive in the Combined KO Cup," he declared. "We have been drawn against St.David's and we are looking to do well in that competition."

The coach also has a new weapon, namely a bowling machine, to aid in his players' batting technique.

"We have acquired a bowling machine that I find helps to get a lot of things done. There's no manpower and we can rest our bowlers. It helps to specifically work on an individual's batting technique and we can pitch it up or bowl it short whichever way you want it," said Hill.

However, he said the training device was available to any other club interested in renting it for a reasonable fee.

Bay, meanwhile, will have their ranks reinforced with the long-awaited return of skipper Irving Romaine from injury while Stephen Outerbridge is nearing the end of a seven-week cricket course at Lord's in England. There's even whispers about the possible return of Glenn Blakeney to the club's county ranks while son of the soil, Charlie Marshall, will also be back for this month's all-important Eastern Counties clash against Cleveland at St.David's on July 19.