Halstead racked up a new record score for the league when they smashed an almighty total of 441 for five off 45 overs in their 1st XI League Cup clash against nine-man Achilles.

The cup holders, whose top side now play in the East Anglian Premier League but are still eligible for the Two Counties Cup, also recorded the biggest margin of victory in the league's 29-year history - 327 runs.

The Star Stile side fielded just three first-team regulars but were still way too strong for the Ipswich-based division three club.

Skipper Paul Harris made 154 and fellow opener Paul Cooper hit 114 as the pair put on 223 for the first wicket, 179 coming off the first 15 overs.

Halstead next travel to Braintree who beat Ipswich and East Suffolk by a five-run margin.

In a rain-affected game, Braintree made 164. Ipswich were 12 for two early on, then recovered, only for Fulgrabbe to take three wickets in one over.

He bagged two more to leave IES 139 for nine, but their last pair added 20 before Dave Hale returned to bowl the 33rd over and trapped East lbw.

Division two Coggeshall knocked out top-flight Frinton with a four-wicket win.

Rick Stephens took four for 56 to help the visitors restrict Frinton to 226 for seven.

Frinton looked to be in charge throughout the first 40 overs of the Coggeshall innings despite a superb 86 from Andy Packer.

But Simon Townrow whacked 43 not out, as Coggeshall hit 43 from the final five overs to win the game with four balls to spare.

There were also cup wins for Brightlingsea and Clacton, but last season's runners-up Maldon crashed out to Browns, losing by 34 runs.

In division one, Frinton added to Witham's woes with a 100-run success, completing the double over their opponents.

Tony Stubbs demonstrated his dominance of the Witham attack with 84 not out, and Paul Truby batted superbly to make 58 out of Frinton's 227 for six.

The game was effectively over as a contest by the 12th over as Witham's top order was roasted by Frinton's second team skipper Dennis Bacon who took four for eight in six overs to leave them 19 for five. Bacon went on to take five for 40.

Sudbury went down to unpredictable Colchester and East Essex at Castle Park.

In a thrilling match, Colchester triumphed by one wicket, reaching their 171 target with a bye off the final ball.

Tom Rodda, Ian Flanagan and Simon Wild all contributed to the run chase but it was left to last man James Crafford to scamper through for victory.

The weekend's big match in division two saw the top two, Maldon and Braintree, clash at Drapers Farm.

Maldon emerged victorious, ending their rivals' unbeaten start with a 37-run triumph.

Braintree gained some revenge in the second XI encounter, winning by 117 runs with Andy Ledgerton scoring 104 not out and Tony Livermore taking seven for 49.

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