BRIDGES go into Saturday's final game of the season knowing a win will guarantee their Premier League survival after they produced a fine team performance to secure a nerve racking draw against Hastings.

On Saturday, Bridges skipper Mark Newell decided to bat first having won the toss despite some of the recent rain producing a damp wicket.

In a decent effort three players made half centuries with Mark Newell making an unbeaten 59 while James Chadburn and Dan Alderman made an even 50 apiece. Mick Glazier was the chief wicket taker picking up 4-73 in a long spell of well controlled spin.

Skipper Newell declared with the total on 246-6 leaving the hosts 53 overs to make the chase.

Hisam Ul-Haq and Chris Brightwell took the new ball and both looked dangerous, especially Hisam who was swinging the ball prodigiously. It was Hisam who made the breakthrough having Dale Payne caught at mid-on.

However, it was Ollie Blandford who turned the innings round for Bridges as the 15-year-old produced a magnificent first spell to claim 3-15 removing Tim Elridge, Jeandre Jumat and Harry Finch.

When Dan Alderman got lucky with a caught behind shout to remove Max Finzel, Bridges felt that it might just be there day with Hasting struggling at 68-5.

Hastings have a depth of resources though and with the highly dangerous pairing of Jason Finch and George Campbell in at six and seven Bridges knew there was much to be done.

This pair played really well to haul Hastings back into contention as they put on well over a hundred in good time.

Things looked gloomy until Dan Alderman returned for a second spell and immediately had Campbell well caught at deep square leg by Brightwell for 63.

Finch continued to dominate however and with the home skipper there the odds were in their favour.

It took a fine catch from Josh Price to wrest the momentum away from Hastings as Finch fell caught at deep mid wicket for a super 79, again of Alderman. George Elridge soon went in the same fashion as Alderman had four wickets and when Joe Lamb was run out on the last ball of the penultimate over Hastings were 15 short and nine down with six balls remaining.

Josh Poysden played it safe and decided to block out the final over with men round the bat.