HAROLD WOOD 189

BENFLEET 110-6

(DRAW)

Benfleet put Harold Wood into bat with intention of bowling them out and taking all 18 points.

Things started off well when the visitors reduced Wood to around 100-6 after 38 overs.

However, Benfleet had not reckoned with the batting prowess of Matt Sewell who produced an amazing display of skilled hitting to give the home side the edge.

He scored 50 off of 17 balls with Kirk Wood also notching up a half century as Wood reached 189 all out. Chris Carlton bowled 2-75 and Jon Hunter 2-26 for ninth-placed Benfleet.

In reply Benfleet made 11-6 off 40 overs with Jon Hunter (27 not out), Andy Jarett (26) and Andy Faraday, who was unable to bowl because Benfleet's other bowlers were doing well, scoring 14.

Left-arm spinner Matt Hyam was the pick of the Harold Wood bowlers with 3-15 off six overs.

"We are now in the second round of games and last time they got 18 points and we got none," said skipper Jon Wright. "This time they got eight and we got four, so we did better from that point of view.

"Overall. I was not unhappy. If it was not for Sewell I think we could have had a good chance and could have restricted them to 150."

Wright is still confident Benfleet will win one or two games before the end of the season after drawing four of their ten matches.

They take on bottom-placed Basildon next week at home in a local derby which Wright thinks will be a good game. "Whoever wins should finish above the other team and we will give it our best shot," the skipper added.

Skipper pleased as Westcliff win

HORNDON 161

WESTCLIFF 162-7

(WESTCLIFF WON)

Winning skipper Tim Wade was pleased with this win which saw Westcliff move up into fifth place in Division One.

"It was a good all round performance from beginning to end," the captain said after his 3-35 and Jonathan Clarke's 3-38 had helped do the damage.

"We bowled very well and John Pratt took a very good catch," he added.

Horndon's Kevin Price was king of their bowlers after taking an extremely impressive 6-60 in 21 overs.

However, Westcliff's batting was able to withstand the Horndon attack to claim the victory which saw them leapfrog Orsett, who were beaten by second-placed Colchester.

Wade made 37 not out for Westcliff and Rom Paul added 31 to the innings.

The Westcliff skipper is now setting his sights on another win when his side host Ardleigh Green next weekend. They lost to fourth-placed Chingford on Saturday and lie in ninth position.

Wickford defeat rivals for first win

BILLERICAY 187

WICKFORD 198

(WICKFORD WON)

Bottom-placed Wickford claimed their first victory of the season by taking the scalp of Premier Division rivals Billericay.

It is the first time Wickford have beaten Billericay for many years and the only think to sour their celebrations was the fact that Woodford Wells, who are one place above Wickford, also recorded their first win of the season.

Billericay went into the game bolstered by a draw against leaders Saffron Walden last week following a fortnight of indifferent form.

Chris Sharp led Wickford's batting with a fine 88 with Michael Gray adding 26 as their batsmen held firm and were eventually bowled out for 198 from 58 overs. John Walford was Billericay's best bowler with 3-21 with Ian Pont on 2-34.

Billericay's chase suffered a blow when their first wicket fell for nine runs. The score had only reached 32 when two more wickets were lost.

Paul Southgate (32) and Damien Brandy (85) put on a partnership of 78 for the fourth wicket and helped to steady the ship.

Their work was in vain however as the Billericay's backbone fell apart and four wickets fell for the addition of only six runs.

Five batsmen managed to make double figures for Billericay and three of those were in the low teens as Wickford bowlers Bernie Morss (4-41), Andy Baker (2-27) and Steve Hammond (2-36) kept up the pressure.

Delighted club captain Tony Beane said: "Even though we had not won a game all season, they are extremely buoyant before a match and think they will win.

"The lads enjoyed themselves yesterday and were thrilled by winning this game."

Billericay's Gary Marshall blamed the lack of backbone for his side's "fairly disappointing" defeat.

He also pointed to the absence of left-arm spinner Andy Maxwell, who is a "fairly vital cog in the wheel", as hampering his side's attack.

Billericay will be looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to Woodford Wells next weekend, while Wickford host mid-table Gidea Park and Romford, who drew with third-placed Wanstead in a high-scoring match.

Owzat - Wickford's Gareth Wright lines up for a shot during his side's win over Premier rivals Billericay

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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