RAYLEIGH FAIRVIEW 240-2

RANKINS 239-4

(RAYLEIGH WON)

Spencer Collins' truly outstanding show of stylish power enabled Rayleigh to further ease their Mid-Essex League Division Four relegation fears in the most convincing way possible.

Woods displayed fine drives in his 103 for highly-placed Rankins, who saw opener Warner bat solidly for 52 and Bates add a swift 37 at the end of their 45-over innings.

Medium-pacer Dave Simpson claimed 3-41 for Rayleigh.

Then, though, Fairview opener Dave Webster (67 not out), who put on 71 in 20 overs with Russell Shearman (16), proceeded to form the ideal foil in Rayleigh's innings.

Collins' clean, clinical hitting included seven sixes and six fours, amid a 14-over, second-wicket stand of 118.

Skipper Richard Casey, who hit an undefeated 40 in a six-over partnership of 52 runs, ensured that Fairview triumphed with five overs to spare.

Seamers do the trick

RAYLEIGH III 146-8

RAYNE 99 all out

(RAYLEIGH WON)

Seamers Ken Merton (5-32) and Terry Faires (3-10) guided Rayleigh to victory after Ian Mitchell (45) and captain Bob Smith (24) had earlier kept their innings together.

Fleming fires Hadleigh victory

HADLEIGH & THUNDERSLEY III 251-4

WANSTEAD III 218 all out

(HADLEIGH WON)

An amazing transformation belied Hadleigh thirds' bottom-of-the-table status as they overcame second-placed Wanstead by reducing them from 165-2 to 218 all out.

Hadleigh, who won the toss, rattled up a more than useful 47-over total, thanks to Keith Klein (51), 16-year-old Adam Fleming's 51, Solanki (54) and 46 not out from skipper Jon Wagstaff.

Wanstead, who were cruising on 165 with 20 overs left on a fast outfield, suddenly floundered.

Off-spinners Klein (3-28) and vice-captain Godfrey Isaacs (3-36) were backed up by leg-spinner Fleming, whose 3-44 came in 15 overs.

Powell sparks last-gasp win drama

WOODFORD WELLS II 269-6

BILLERICAY II 272-6

(BILLERICAY WON)

Billericay IIs clinched their second successive penultimate-ball win - on a Blunts Wall Road pitch labelled a batsman's paradise.

Billericay, gallantly electing to field first in the scorching heat, saw their opening bowlers perform commendably.

However, May (97) and Kuru (34) punished the hosts with a second-wicket stand of 138 once the shine had worn off the ball.

Jolly (40) and Murphy (36 not out) kept the runs flowing for Woodford Wells, although Adam Samouelle, Matt Hill and Gary Marshall took two wickets apiece.

Billericay openers Colin Thornton, whose 64 included 11 fours, and Stuart Powell, with 13 fours in his 87, put on 151 - including 123 before drinks were taken after 80 minutes.

Samouelle (22) and Barry De Goode's unbeaten half-ton helped see Billericay home, although the winning "runs" were four byes..

Etheridge bats seconds to much-needed win

HAINAULT & CLAYHALL III 238-4 declared

BILLERICAY III 242-5

(BILLERICAY WON)

Staurt Hynes (57) and Mike Etheridge (78) set up lowly Billericay thirds' much-needed win with a second-wicket stand of 126.

Hainault had thrived through Isles (67) and Ashraf (74), then Whitehead (32) and Sams (22 not out).

In Billericay's reply, Hynes and Etheridge provided security against a mid-order stutter that followed.

Then skipper Mark Mayhook, with two sixes and eight fours in his typically-swashbuckling 54, and Ian Etheridge (23 not out) sealed their victory.

Mighty Billericay succumb

BILLERICAY IV 98 all out

WALTHAMSTOW IV 100-1

(WALTHAMSTOW WON)

Table-topping Billericay crashed to defeat - despite grabbing a wicket in the first over of Walthamstow's reply.

Alan Campbell (31) and Andy Callaby (33) seemed to have revived Billericay from their early decline to 12-3, but White came on to claim 5-10 and decimate the leaders.

Warner (48 not out) and Coster (unbeaten on 20) took Walthamstow to victory.

Pitch can't stop fifths

BILLERICAY V 162-9 declared

HOCKLEY III 114 all out

(BILLERICAY WON)

Billericay fifths triumphed on a suspect pitch, with Roger Hayward (38), Brian Garrett (14) and under-13 player Jack Etherington (17) performing solidly.

Youngsters Tom Rome (14 not out) and Neil Rutland (ten not out) showed sound technique in their last-wicket partnership.

Rowe, in fact, claimed two wickets in Hockley's first over, before Tanton (50) and Neighbour (34) threatened to take the game away from Billericay. However, Brian Gray came on to take a match-winning 5-16, while Jack Etherington produced a superb catch.

Stylish Ambulance finish in style

Southend Ambulance finished their season in style with a comprehensive win over Rayleigh Fairview in the Centurion Southend Evening Cricket League.

Gordon Appleton's 47 saw the ambulancemen to 113-3 off 15 overs and, despite McKellar's 32, David Toplis took 3-7 to ensure Rayleigh fell well short with 78-6.

Aviation continued Chequers' losing run in Division Two when Homer led the way to 112-3 off 12 overs.

Cornwell made 41 not out, but Chequers only made 97-4 off their 12 overs.

However, Chequers broke their duck in the return match thanks to Baxter's 79 not out in their 12-over total of 125-2.

Aviation made a good attempt to reach the target, largely through Andy Nunn's 35, but fell short at 106-5.

Two games in a week proved too much for Aviation and Midland Bank took full advantage against nine men.

Mark Hardingham (58 not out) and Jim Lawrence (53) helped Midland to 155-2 in their 12 overs.

Aviation's weakened side could only manage 79-7 in reply, with Homer the top scorer with 27.

Off you go - Southend's Newman Khan is bowled in his side's Shepherd Seaside Division Three draw with fellow promotion outsiders Harlow.

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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