BILLERICAY 195-8

FIVES & HERONIANS 196-2

(FIVES WON)

Depleted Billericay slumped to their second successive defeat.

Danny Law, on 12th man duties for Essex, was among five regulars missing as Billericay dropped to sixth, 49 points behind leaders Saffron Walden, just two weeks after being second.

Openers Jon Walford (32) and Richard Swile (21) put on 53, before visitors Fives & Heronians claimed five wickets for 88 runs.

Scot Noble (44) and Steve Ash (37) - usually second-teamers - then compiled 79, but were both out with the score on 167, just when they were hoping to accelerate.

After that, the only real batting contribution was a fine 19 not out from skipper Ian Pont. Billericay declared after 66 overs, Paul Harvey having taken 5-41.

The hosts' seamers toiled well in response, but Fives generally remained in command.

Opener Gary Edwards (77 not out) put on 62 for the second wicket with Orchard-Lisle (43), before Terry Ballard (an unbeaten 55) came in to secure the visitors' comfortable Premier Division win after 47.5 overs.

The win leaves Fives in second place and 29 points behind Saffron Walden.

Paul Corps - was Hadleigh and Thundersley's most effective bowler in their defeat at the hands of Colchester

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

Batting hiccup hits Hadleigh

COLCHESTER 233-5

HADLEIGH 169 all out

(COLCHESTER WON)

Colchester's Essex and England under-19 batting stars Ian Flanagan and Graham Napier - then Hadleigh's woeful collapse - sent the visitors spinning to a last-ball defeat.

Colchester had been rewarded for winning the toss by seeing Flanagan (63) and Napier (76) set up a useful but tantalising declaration after 45 overs.

Paul Corps (2-44) was previously-unbeaten Hadleigh's most effective bowler at the Lower Castle Park ground.

Hadleigh's reply seemed steady enough when Glen Geeson compiled 47, while Mike Chapman (31) and Neil Barry (43) chipped in solidly.

However, Hadleigh's last five batsmen totalled just four runs between them.

A Kennedy claimed 3-40 - and Napier took the final wicket off the final delivery. This rare batting failure left Hadleigh with just five points.

Bat pair set up Southend win

SOUTHEND 215-4

BASILDON 105 all out

(SOUTHEND WON)

Openers Brad Everitt (84) and Craig Porter (71) led dominant Southend's much-needed victory - and left Basildon skipper Mark Ayres offering a brutally frank assessment.

Aussie Everitt and vice-captain Porter - whose side had been put in - scored so fluently that Division Three promotion hopefuls Southend were able to declare as early as 4.15pm.

Then they skittled out struggling Basildon with plenty of overs to spare.

Ayres said: "We knew Southend had a good batting line-up. We didn't bowl too badly - they were just too strong for us on the day."

Luke Daw took 3-85 for the new towners, but Southend's 215 always looked beyond Basildon, who never recovered from losing two early wickets.

The seasiders' bowling honours were spread around, but Lee Stace finished with 3-11 and Jeremy Lawford 3-23.

Basildon's only notable batting came from Trevor Wilson's brisk 28.

Southend captain Nigel Green, whose side rose to third, said: "It was a thoroughly-good performance and everything went properly for us - batting well and scoring quick runs, then performing well in the field.

"We badly needed to start winning, and hopefully we can get a run going."

Nonetheless, Hutton and leaders Upminster have something of a cushion at the top - while Basildon are second bottom, one place and five points below Benfleet.

Bowling prevents climb up the table

BRENTWOOD 229-8

HORNDON 167-9

(DRAW)

Horndon vice-skipper Julian Vereker blamed his side's modest bowling for denying them the victory chance that would have put them joint second in Division One.

He said, after seeing captain Dave Stitson (90) once again steal the limelight: "Our fielding was better than it has been, but we didn't really bowl tight enough, and perhaps didn't get through our overs quickly enough.

"It puts our batsmen under pressure when they have to chase 230-odd off just 38 overs.

"We didn't get any partnerships going, and a couple of us got out when it was important we developed our innings."

Horndon were buzzing early on after reducing lowly Brentwood to 25-2.

However, Danny Hazle (60) and M Davis (80) put on 108 steady runs, enabling the visitors to compile what Vereker called a "fairly solid" 229.

Dave Goldstone finished with 5-72 in 16 overs, while Kevin Price took 2-29 in ten.

Reliable Stitson's knock once again dominated Horndon's reply, although Cliff Jeyes (20) and Vereker (23) offered some support.

Horndon pursued their outside chance of victory until the loss of Stitson, at 168-9, changed their stance to caution.

Left-arm paceman Terry Kayani (7-89) was seventh-placed Horndon's main tormentor as they were left clinging on, with six points.

Vereker said: "We were very disappointed not to win, as it was a game we thought would give us the chance to rise up the table."

Stars shine at Hadleigh

A host of international stars are heading for one of the most exciting events in the south Essex cricket calendar at Hadleigh & Thundersley - and it's all free!

Legendary Viv Richards and fellow West Indians Jimmy Adams, Roger Harper and Alvin Kallicharan are part of a Hadleigh World Invitation side facing a Centurion XI, who include Courtney Walsh, Phil Simmons, Aussie Justin Langer and Indian pair Ashish Kapoor and Arun Laz Kumar.

TV and radio pundits Henry Blofield and Michael Holding will be commenting on the 40-overs-a-side match on Tuesday, July 20, at 2pm at John Burrows Recreation Ground in Hadleigh.

Hadleigh spokesman Jon Wagstaff said: "There will be a lot of Test stars, past and present, and promises to be high-quality and very good entertainment. Food will be available all day along, and the bar will be open, so there is something for all the family."

The World XI also includes South African Mike Rindell, while Phil Tufnell and Mark Ramprakash are among the domestic stars who could be in the Centurion line-up - if England commitments allow.

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