BILLERICAY 250 all out

FIVE & HERONIANS 251-7

(Fives won by three wickets)

Billericay suffered a double blow as they became the latest victims of the resurgent Premier Division champions.

The Rutters Field club lost both the game and key wicketkeeper Paul Southgate, who injured his Achilles when pushing off for a quick single.

Southgate is expected to be missing for some time and his loss causes a massive selection headache for the club - their other first-team wicketkeeper, Andy Rethall, is currently travelling in Australia.

It was also a personal disappointment for Southgate, who was progressing nicely with the bat before the injury.

A drop of Brandy always helps in these situations and so it proved as middle-order batsman Damian Brandy (79) and opener Richard Swile (88) continued their rich vein of form to help Billericay to maximum batting points.

However, Fives showed exactly why they are the League champions by setting about the Billericay target with relish.

After three losses in their first four games, Fives won their second match in a row here, despite spirited bowling from seamer Nolan Williams (two wickets) and spinners Faizal Sharif (two) and skipper Nathan Batson (three).

The Fives innings was anchored by Shay, whose 67 runs formed the backbone of their 251 total.

Billericay spokesman Gary Marshall said: "Fives were never in any real danger and always seemed to have enough in hand all the way through."

Duncan paves victory path

HADLEIGH 201-9

CHELMSFORD 161 all out

(Hadleigh won by 40 runs)

Duncan Paveling turned in a match-winning all-round performance as Hadleigh ruthlessly swept aside the Premier Division's bottom club.

Opener Paveling, an off-season acquisition from Westcliff, is very much in the Alec Stewart mould because he opens the batting and also keeps wicket.

In this game he top-scored with 61 as Hadleigh put on 201-9, then took four catches and two stumpings in Chelmsford's reply.

He was assisted by Indian star Devang Gandhi, who made up for a relatively disappointing 17 with the bat by taking 5-36 from 19 overs of tight off-spin, and medium pacer Paul Corps (4-49)

Hadleigh spokesman Jon Wagstaff said: "It was a great score, not just from Duncan but from the whole team, as we'd played without key batsmen Mike Chapman and Neil Goodman, who'd been stung by a wasp."

In the end it was Hadleigh who stung their opponents as they won the toss and elected to bat on a difficult wicket.

Paveling, Paul Corps (24), Glenn Geeson (33) and Paul Baker (23) all scored well as newly-promoted Hadleigh put on a decent total of 201 from 66 overs.

Hadleigh took maximum points and now play high-flying Saffron Walden next week.

Division One: Horndon claim a moral victory

HORNDON 276-3

WICKFORD 219-5

(Match drawn)

Horndon claimed a moral victory after two of the Division One high-flyers fought out an exciting high-scoring draw at Wickford.

On a batsman-friendly wicket, the title-chasing rivals put on almost 500 runs between them, but it was Horndon who came away the happier after earning maximum batting points.

Delighted spokesman Julian Vereker said: "The important thing when playing rivals at the top is to make sure you get more points than them - winning is not necessarily important.

"We got ten batting points to their five and that could prove vital come the end of the season. We decided to bat first to try to ensure we didn't lose and got at least a draw."

Horndon's 276 was anchored once again by skipper Dave Stitson, whose 119 was a typically quick-fire affair.

But Stitson was by no means the only player to feel at home on the Wickford wicket. Steve Cole hit a half-century and Jason Plom weighed in with 45 as Horndon compiled a massive total of 276.

Although the pitch was yielding runs all over the place, Wickford knew they would be in for a tough time in chasing such a large total.

However, they made a brave attempt at surpassing it, with Michael Gray (80), Gareth Wright (47 not out) and Quentin Friend (29) all making creditable scores.

Horndon's efforts to bowl out Wickford weren't helped by the absence of main strike bowler Kevin Price.

The pick of their bowlers was Terry Hills, a stalwart of the Essex over-50s side, who plugged on gamely with no reward and suffered two dropped catches.

Vereker added: "We feel we haven't really been at full-strength yet, for one reason or another, and we'll have a decent side once everyone's available."

Morss code - Wickford's Bernie Morss bowls during his side's high-scoring draw with Division One rivals Horndon

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Westcliff fall agonisingly short

ORSETT 185-9

WESTCLIFF 180 all out

(Orsett won by five runs)

Westcliff's game attempt at reaching Orsett's total fell agonisingly short as the Division One club lost by just five runs with four balls remaining.

After Orsett scored 185, Westcliff looked comfortably on the way to victory in their reply, despite losing early wickets.

But it all fell flat in the end and skipper Tim Wade said: "We left ourselves a lot to do after a poor start to our innings but we kept on chasing until the death."

In fact, Westcliff's last man Steve Geddes was caught in the deep as he went for the winning runs with four balls left.

There were no special batting scores for Westcliff, but there was strong bowling as Vince Bird (5-42) and Ian Cunningham took all nine wickets between them.

Orsett were wobbling at 155-9 but somehow managed to put on an extra 30 runs, a fact which did not please skipper Wade.

He said: "It was 30 runs more than they should have scored and if that hadn't happened I'm sure we'd have won the match."

Division Two: Old Boys miss victory chance

OLD SOUTHENDIANS 250-4

HUTTON 246-9

(Match drawn)

Old Boys saw victory slip through their fingers when skipper Chris Bunce's valiant attempt at a match-winning catch fell inches short.

Both sides had been in position to claim the victory on the final ball, with a six for Hutton or a wicket for Old Boys being enough to claim maximum points.

However, Bunce's attempt at a spectacular one-handed catch at second slip didn't quite come off and the teams settled for what in all probability was a fair draw.

Bunce said: "We weren't too disappointed because it was a really good day's cricket. At the end of the day we've got 12 points - the maximum you can get for a draw - and it should be enough to keep us in second spot.

"After last week's disappointing batting effort against Buckhurst Hill, when we collapsed to 151, it was good to see the batsmen return to form."

In fact, the Old Boys batting attack put last week's disappointments firmly behind them with a 250 total on a good batting wicket and lightning-fast outfield.

After choosing to bat and losing openers James Blackmore (5) and Alan Draycott (11) quite cheaply, Des Beckett (75) and Australian all-rounder Ian Vaughan (69) steadied the ship with 120 for the third wicket.

Skipper Bunce then led by example with a knock of 78 as Old Boys reached 250 - and maximum batting points - from just 49 overs. The only bowling resistance for Hutton came from Steve Cotton (2-76).

Hutton themselves started to compile a big score, with Andy Clarke proving the mainstay of the innings with a top score of 86.

This came despite the bowling efforts of Old Boys batsman Blackmore (5-73) and all-rounder Vaughan (2-41), plus the fielding of club stalwart Andy Baker, who came on as substitute fielder following an early back injury to Dave Slaughter.

Hutton needed 25 runs from the last five overs, but Old Boys battled on gamely to set up the final ball drama.

Division Three: Duke's century proves in vain

SOUTHEND 196-6

HAROLD WOOD 141-8

(Match drawn)

Southend were forced to settle for a draw against one of their Division Three championship rivals - but it was a match they could so easily have won

A commanding performance from the seaside club saw them fall just shy of 200 in their innings following an excellent knock of 103 from opener Simon Duke.

They then had their opponents on the rack at 12-4, only to be continually frustrated by the dogged Harold Wood batsman who steered their club to the draw.

Skipper Craig Porter said: "We're a little bit disappointed, but in fairness Harold Wood are at the top end of the league and I would have settled for the six batting points before the match.

"In hindsight, however, it was disappointing not to bowl them all out and also collect the two extra batting points for reaching 200."

Porter had earlier put his team into bat after winning the toss, and the decision paid off as Duke, Numan Khan (40) and Porter himself (22) kept the score rattling along.

At one stage Southend were 173-2 and only lost four quick wickets at the end as they went all out to snatch the extra points for reaching 200.

The bowling attack also enjoyed early success, with the left-arm seam bowling of Lee Stace proving especially effective.

Stace took 5-37 from his 17 overs, with improving right-arm quickie Ben Wathen weighing in with 2-47 from his 15.

At 12-4 Harold Wood were really struggling but M Higham (29), A Mullett (33) and M Sowell (36) steadied their nerves to snuff out Southend's hopes of victory.

Positive spin from Basildon skipper

BASILDON 164-9

HARLOW 166-3

(Harlow won by 7 wickets)

Basildon skipper Mark Ayres paid tribute to his battling side - despite a fourth loss in fives games that leaves them propping up the Shepherd Neame.

Ayres said: "Heads could easily have dropped but not one has yet. I take a lot of hope from this game because it's the first time we've scored batting points this season.

"Now we've got to combine the bowling and batting in one match. We've got to stop losing every week, even if it means just grinding out a few draws."

Basildon took four batting points from the game as they achieved their highest total of the season.

Top scorer was Danny Gray (46), with excellent support coming from Jon Good (22) and Tony Williams (21).

But a very good Harlow side wasted no time in attacking that total, with their Indian-led top order doing most of the damage.

S Munir scored 61 and B Odedra chipped in with 35 in spite of strong bowling from skipper Ayres (1-20), Lee Lewis (1-35) and Wayne Morgan (1-47).

Basildon, who took one bowling point, next face a local derby against Stanford.

Benfleet foiled by ruthless Ongar

BENFLEET 147-9 dec

ONGAR 149-3

(Ongar won by seven wickets)

Benfleet's hopes of snatching a draw were shattered by a decisive fourth-wicket partnership from their strong Ongar opponents.

In defence of their total of 147, Benfleet had made promising inroads into the Ongar reply through seamers Troy Burns (2-43) and Stuart Wiggins (1-32).

But their hopes were sent crashing by Ongar's D Powell (23) and Aussie J Stewart (53 not out), whose partnership of 88 carried Ongar to victory with four overs to spare.

Disappointed Benfleet skipper Jon Wright said: "It was a shame because we'd worked really hard until they put on the 88.

"Their skipper actually told me he was really worried at one stage because we had them on the ropes and were really containing them.

"We didn't bat well, but we're not too downhearted because Ongar are a really strong side who ought to be in the promotion frame at the end of the season."

After being put into bat on a hard but curiously slow wicket, Benfleet batting laboriously and needed a strong 30 from opener Nigel West to build up any early momentum.

They were also helped by an unbroken last-wicket partnership between promising 15-year-old Jon Edwards (9 not out) and Andy Fereday (15 not out), who between them put on a quick-fire 25.

Their total was not enough to prevent Ongar enjoying a seven-wicket victory, but skipper Wright was nonetheless pleased with his rebuilding side's continued progress.

Second XI Premier Division: Leigh left to rue suicidal batting

WOODFORD WELLS 207-7

LEIGH-ON-SEA 176-8

(Match drawn)

Leigh skipper Simon Burch was left to rue a minor batting disaster as the Division One leaders were held to a draw by bottom club Woodford Wells.

Woodford, relagated from the Premier last year, played a lot better than their league placing suggests, but Leigh were disappointed not to have made more of a commanding position and win the game.

Chasing Woodford's total of 176, Burch's men needed around six and a half runs per over with 20 wickets left and eight wickets in hand.

However, they lost six more wickets quite cheaply, including the run outs of Neil Jackson and Lee Wilson, and had to settle for the draw.

Burch said: "Woodford may be bottom but they're a good side, especially batting, and this is a ridiculously tight division.

"We're relatively happy with the draw but it could have been a lot better."

Leigh had earlier suffered at the hands of 18-year-old Woodford batsman Richard Marshall, whose knock of 117 did much to push his side to 78 without loss and then 207.

Leigh could find no answer to his batting, although there was solid bowling from Jerry Holmes (3-42), John Elliott (two wickets) and Norman Puckering (two wickets).

Leigh started brightly in their reply, with Nigel Holmes scoring 60 and Mark Sexton weighing in with 36. But the batting went to pieces and Leigh had to settle for just six points, with Wells claiming 11.

Other results: Vincent's 80 proves decisive

WICKFORD 228-4

SOUTHEND 229-4

(Southend won by six wickets)

Brian Vincent knocked 80 and Darren Windeatt scored an unbeaten 47 as Wickford ran up a fine total of 228.

However, Southend knocked off the total with six wickets to spare, despite good bowling from S Carter (3-53).

Finch finds his form

HORNDON 95 all out

WICKFORD II 96-3

(Wickford won by seven wickets)

Wickford cruised to victory against the Horndon second side following an excellent bowling performance from Nigel Finch.

Finch took an astonishing 8-47 as Horndon were skittled out for just 95.

From there it was a stroll to victory, with Darren Smith (26 not out) among the top scorers for delighted Wickford.

Century man - Horndon's Dave Stitson on his way to 119 against Wickford

Picture:ROBIN WOOSEY

Paul's ton not enough

HEYBRIDGE 178-9

WICKFORD V 151 all out

(Heybridge won by 27 runs)

Paul Etchells knocked a splendid 104 in this game - but still couldn't deliver a victory for Wickford's fifth team.

Paul's total was even more remarkable when you consider his side only scored 151 in total. However, strong performances also came from nine-year-old Dean Etchells (one wicket) and 13-year-old Ian Strutt (two wickets).

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