BURNHAM Sports are going to have to pull off a Houdini act if they are to avoid relegation from the T Rippon Mid-Essex League premier division.

Sports have reached the halfway stage of the season without managing to chalk up a single success. However, with Little Baddow, High Roding and Hatfield Peverel also struggling for any kind of momentum, survival remains a possibility.

This Saturday, Jamie Hamilton’s men, adrift at the bottom of the table, entertain Great Baddow, hoping to avenge a narrow defeat in the reverse fixture.

“Being realistic, we’ve got it all to do if we are to stay up,” Hamilton admitted. “I’d say we need at least three wins to have any chance of survival, probably four.

“We’ve got to beat all the teams around us and we didn’t manage to get the better of any of them in the first half of the season.

“On the plus side, we continue to show spirit.

“We’ve managed to enjoy certain aspects and will stick at it.”

Last Saturday, Sports played Old Chelmsfordians, the league leaders, and were left to reflect on a 126-run defeat.

The Old Boys smashed 324 for eight from their 45 overs – the highest total any team has ever accumulated against Burnham, who replied by making 198 all out.