All of Halstead Cricket Club’s Saturday teams face a day that could possibly define their seasons today.

The firsts are back in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one danger zone after a defeat by Mistley last week, but today’s home game against Maldon is the first of back-to-back fixtures against bottom-two sides.

Captain Josh Wells said: “If we can win this game (against Maldon) it should make things a lot more comfortable for us and set us up well for the week after against Elmstead.

“It’s a must-win game really.

“It would relieve some of the pressure on us.

“A few people have been getting a bit concerned, but if we can win this game then the pressure will be released.

“We just have to look to play our cricket and hopefully play as we did the first time we met them this year.

“I think that was probably the best performance that we put in this year.

“We made 258 and bowled them out for 104 so a repeat of that would be very pleasing.”

Darren Hutchison and Sam Walter are both unavailable, but Oli Grayson and Wajahat Bukhari are back in contention.

While a win for the firsts would give them a chance to get clear of relegation peril, the seconds and thirds have their minds focused on the other ends of their respective tables.

The seconds, who are top of division four, head to second-placed Haverhill seconds knowing another win could put them in an unassailable position in the title race, while Halstead thirds have an important game in division eight south at West Bergholt.

It is one of two games the second-placed third team have in hand over leaders Copford and they know a win could strengthen their own title bid.