Nick Anderson was the star turn as Marks Tey salvaged a tie from their Osborne League division three showdown with Halstead Fenns.

All-rounder Anderson smashed 52 and took four for 32 as Fenns battled in vain to overcome their target of 175.

They got off to a flying start and raced to 120 for two - largely thanks to John Barker's plucky 49 - before three quick wickets left them reeling on 170 for seven.

Tey then gave themselves a lifeline by claiming another brace of wickets - leaving the hosts stranded on 172 for nine.

With the match balanced on a knife-edge, Anderson came close to scuppering his team's chances by bowling a wide. Fenns then hit two more runs off the first ball of the 42nd over to leave the scores level.

With the home side needing just a single to steal victory, bowler Mark Frost came to Tey's rescue by catching the last Fenns batsman.

It was the second time a league match has been tied this season, following Frinton and Real Oddies in division five.

The result leaves Fenns rooted to the foot of the table, despite beating Shalford by 40 runs the previous day for their first triumph of the season.

Elsewhere in division three, Roger Moss was the hero as Dedham pipped Tiptree by 18 runs. Moss cracked 87 as his side piled up a total of 241 for six.

In reply captain Steve Turner hit 45 as Tiptree reached 223 for seven, but his sterling effort proved fruitless.

In division two Kelvedon racked up the biggest league total this season - a mammoth 345 for four - as Ross Burt (90), Mick Warner (68) and Neil Brice (53) hit top form against Silver End.

Silver End eventually collapsed to a 216-run defeat after being skittled out for just 129. Only Royston Joyce (58) looked capable of offering any resistance.

Colchester are the new leaders of division one after beating Abberton by 15 runs, having accumulated 205 for nine.

Jon Ward hit back with a half-century but was run out on 51 when the Colchester bowler spilled a return catch on to the stumps with the non-striker out of his ground.

Mid-table West Mersea tumbled to a six-wicket defeat by Clacton Ramblers after amassing 184 for nine.

In division five Chappel and Wakes Colne beat Tiptree by a single wicket, crawling to 112 for nine in reply to Tiptree's 108.

Meanwhile, Abberton finally made their division five debut - despite having only ten men- after a succession of wash-outs.

But they slumped to a five-wicket defeat - reaching just 93 in response to Real Oddies' 97 for five.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.