For more information about the Shepherd Neame Essex League, click here Southend 205-2

Basildon 108

(Southend won by 97 runs)

Basildon continued to struggle in the Shepherd Neame League Third Division as dropped catches cost them dear in the Mopsies Park clash with Southend.

The seasiders, put into bat, made merry with Brad Everett (seven fours and three sixes in his 102) and skipper Craig Porter (70 not out) putting on 153 for the second wicket.

However, Everett was put down after scoring only ten and Porter was also dropped. Skipper Mark Ayres took 1-10 and Luke Daw 1-26.

When Basildon replied they were always struggling to reach the required total.

The best knocks came from the number seven and eight pair of Ayres (30) and Dave Murdoch (41) who, with a stand of 37 in 16 balls, came to the rescue when the new towners were shell-shocked at 29-5.

Four of the first six Basildon batsmen went to lbw decisions.

For high-flying Southend, who look to be in with a great chance of promotion this term, Ben Wathen kept up his exceptional bowling form by taking 3-11 in nine overs, four of which were maidens.

Jim Lawford had 3-32 and Mike Gridley's off-spin reaped 3-33.

Said Ayres: "All credit to Southend - they're a good batting side, but you can't expect to win matches if you put down catches in the fashion we did.

"We didn't field well, but otherwise felt that the general standard of our play wasn't that bad.

"To be honest, our best chance of not being beaten in the end came when light rain started falling in the latter stages. If it had got heavier we might have got an abandonment! Seriously though, take nothing away from them. They fully deserved to win."

Said Porter: "Things are going very well for us at the moment and we're all delighted.

"You had to give credit to Mark Ayres and Dave Murdoch for going for their shots when they came in at a time when Basildon were really struggling. However, all in all this was a game we always looked like winning."

(Right) Swing is the thing - Southend skipper Craig Porter in action with the bat

(Left) Ton up - Southend century man Brad Everett strikes out during his side's 97-run win over Basildon. Full details of all the weekend's Shepherd Neame action on pages 34 and 35 Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

Battling Benfleet taste success at long last with two-wicket win

Epping 125 all out

Benfleet 126-8

(Benfleet won by two wickets)

The old adage "everything comes to he who waits" never had truer meaning than for Benfleet, who at last tasted success in the Shepherd Neame League Third Division.

The Woodside Park outfit, very much in the throws of rebuilding, battled on gamely last term without picking up a League success and it had been the same story so far in the current rain-sodden campaign.

However, all that changed on Saturday as skipper Jon Wright's men pulled off a four-wicket home success.

Epping won the toss and elected to bat - a decision that surprised Wright who would have put them in if the coin had come down his way.

The visiting side's steady progress to 55-2 was rudely halted when they lost four wickets on that total and they were eventually bowled out for 125 in 50 overs.

Troy Burns (3-36 in 17 overs) captured the main bowling honours along with Stuart Wiggins (2-17) and Phillip Wright, eldest son of the skipper, (2-9).

Benfleet suffered early problems when they lost star man Nigel West, who has already hit three half-centuries this term, with the score on five.

However, old campaigner Dave Nash hit 20 and Phillips Wright grabbed a similar score, being unbeaten, to pave the way for Luke Slatford to come in and win the game from number seven.

He batted beautfifully and showed great timing with an unbeaten knock of 26 in 19 balls and Benfleet won the game with just under two-and-a-half overs to spare.

Skipper Jon Wright admitted: "With our second team also winning there was quite a celebration down at our Woodside clubhouse on Saturday night.

"We're certainly a far stronger side than last season and, if we had been at the top of the table, I feel sure we would have already picked up a couple of wins.

"However, things like luck often seem to go against you when you haven't won for such a long time, but we made no mistake here."

Nash, a real Benfleet stalwart who had not played for the club in recent seasons after moving away from the area, exemplified the spirit.

He is currently driving down from Oxford every week to boost the Benfleet revival and his skipper said: "Dave's been a tremendous influence. He never stops encouraging others, particularly in the field, and the spirit he shows is a great inspiration to us all.

"I think we've got a good blend of youth and experience in the side now and we'll cetainly be looking to build on this win."

For more information about the Shepherd Neame Essex League, click here

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