Former Eastbourne No. 1 Scott Nicholls has been cleared to ride in what could be the meeting of the year at Arlington on Saturday (7.30pm).

A star-studded Coventry side also includes ex-Eagles Adam Shields and Edward Kennett plus British champion Chris Harris.

Hosts Eastbourne Eagles can counter that with arguably the best reserve pairing in the Elite League.

Simon Gustafsson, now top of the Eagles averages this season, returns after a seven-week lay-off with a broken collarbone to ride alongside the improving Ricky Kling.

Gustafsson came through a fitness test in Sweden yesterday and will practise at Arlington on Saturday afternoon alongside Lukas Dryml, who missed Wednesday’s win at Poole.

Eagles will also have No. 8 Chris Schramm ready in case Gustafsson suffers any problems.

Shields is in as guest for Rory Schlein for the Bees.

Eastbourne team manager Trevor Geer said: “Simon was happy with his workout in Sweden. The shoulder felt good.

“Lukas is all right too. He was following the Poole meeting from back in the Czech Republic and texted me as soon as it finished to say ‘well done, can’t wait for Saturday’. The team sprit is fantastic.”

Gustafsson is averaging 8.25 paid points per four rides while Lewis Bridger’s figure is 8.24, from a tougher programme, after his supershow at Poole.

Eagles: Watt, Norris r/r, Bridger, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Gustafsson, Schramm.

Coventry: Nicholls, Sitera r/r, Kennett, Shields, Harris, Kseziak, Auty.