CHRIS TREMLETT reckons the Hampshire Hawks need two more wins to stay in the totesport National League's first division.
Fast bowler Tremlett returns to the Hampshire side for the first time in a month against champions-elect Glamorgan Dragons tomorrow.
In his absence, Hampshire have lost to Northants and Glamorgan at Cardiff either side of their only win in five games.
That dismal two-month run has seen the Hawks slip from title contenders to relegation candidates - but Tremlett believes that two wins from the last three games will be enough to ensure a second successive season of first division one-day cricket.
After tomorrow's encounter, Hampshire have two games left, at Northants next week and against Gloucestershire at the Rose Bowl on August 30.
They currently lie fourth, but are only six points clear of third-from-bottom Kent, and the bottom four all have a game in hand.
Tremlett said: "It's quite close down there and, in terms of staying up, we probably need another two wins.
"Obviously we will be looking to win all three and finish as high as we can but winning the title is unlikely so we're setting our sights on staying up."
Tremlett has not played since limping out of the Twenty20 Cup win against Kent at the Rose Bowl on July 15, with a stress reaction to a metatarsal bone in his right foot.
But he is confident that he can now help Hampshire stay in the National League's top flight - and win promotion in the championship.
He added last night: "I've been bowling little stints over the last four to five days. Today I bowled eight overs, four in the morning and four in the afternoon, off a shortened run-up.
"It was a bit sore earlier in the week and it took a while to get used to putting all my weight on it again but the foot seems to be ok now."
If all goes well tomorrow, Tremlett should play his first championship match in eight weeks when Hampshire take on Somerset at Taunton on Wednesday.
He is joined in Hampshire's squad of 12 by Will Kendall, who is in prolific form for the second XI, and James Hamblin, who is expected to open the batting with Jimmy Adams.
Michael Clarke will be playing his last game of the season for Hampshire, as Michael Kasprowicz will be for Glamorgan.
The pair fly out to the Netherlands from Heathrow with the rest of Australia's ICC Champions Trophy squad on Friday.
Glamorgan have a second National League title in three years in their sights and include Andrew Davies and Alex Wharf, who have both recovered from the hip injuries they suffered against Hampshire last month.
Hampshire: Hamblin, Adams, Clarke, Crawley, Lamb, Pothas, Mascarenhas, Warne, Udal, Tremlett, Mullally, Taylor.
Glamorgan: Croft, Elliott, Powell, Maynard, Hemp, Dale, Wallace, Wharf, D Thomas, Kasprowicz, Davies, I Thomas.
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