Cricket round-up: Batting of the highest order

Billericay started the first ever Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division campaign at home to Saffron Walden and the runs positively flowed from both sides on a very flat wicket which gave the bowlers no help at all.

The visitors batted first and former Essex man Steve Plumb soon showed his liking for the new 11.30am starts in the Premier by posting a century on the board before lunch.

The man who now plays Minor Counties cricket eventually made 136 and Saffron Walden, who lost their first wicket with 48 on the board, then had Plumb and Giles Ecclestone putting on 200 plus for the third.

Ecclestone was eventually run out two runs short of his ton and Plumb was dismissed in the same way. However, the visitors were well-satisfied with their total, which came in 65 overs at a rate of well over a run a minute.

Billericay, in reply, were looking in a potentially dodgy position when they stood at 10 for 2.

However, Essex man Danny Law, on his way back from injury, weighed in with 66 and got good backing from Damion Brandy (57) in a third-wicket partnership of 119.

Billericay then lost a couple of wickets, but were put back in the frame by Danny Pryke's 65.

Barry De Goode (35) and Adam Samouelle (22 not out) helped things along in the closing stages with the result in doubt until very near the end.

Billericay collected 10 points and the visitors 12 from a very creditable draw for both sides.

Early-season tester - Billericay's experienced bowler Ian Pont finds his line

(Right) All-round star - Billericay's Danny Pryke, who later hit 65, bowls flat out

Pictures: ROBIN WOOSEY Brown blitz lifts Basildon

Basildon 203-7

Ongar 176-5

(Match drawn)

Runs certainly weren't in short supply at Mopsies Park where Basildon got the better of their Shepherd Neame Essex League Division Three encounter with Ongar, collecting 10 points, with six going to their opponents.

Trevor Wilson's unbeaten 63 led the way for the new towners, who were given a massive boost later on when Marcus Brown weighed in with a hefty 37 in only three overs.

Top score for Ongar was also an unbeaten 63 and the result was in doubt until late on. Seconds

Ongar 2nd 224-7

Basildon 2nd 101-9

(Match drawn)

Basildon just clung on for a share of the spoils, but only collected three points. Thirds

Basildon 3rd 177-9

Ongar 3rd 88

(Basildon won)

Captain Lee Lewis led by example by scoring an unbeaten 63, obviously the total of the day, and then capturing two wickets as Basildon thirds started the season with an 18-point maximum.

They beat Ongar by 89 runs. Injury blows hit Horndon at Hadleigh

Hadleigh & Thundersley 220-8

Horndon 177-8

(Match drawn)

Horndon will be hoping that the old adage about trouble coming in threes doesn't prove true.

Having lost Paul Bennett with a broken leg while playing in a soccer final at Roots Hall in midweek, Digby Ray suffered a broken finger in yesterday's Shepherd Neame Essex League Division One opener.

Although Paul Corps (35), Gleb Geeson (31) and skipper Neil Barry (49) all contributed good knocks for the Hadleigh visitors, a great bowling spell from Dave Goldstone (6-45) kept the total down to 220-8 in 50 overs.

A fine 65 from Dave Stitson and Julian Vere-ker's unbeaten 55, kept Horndon's hopes alive.

However, they were down to 10 men due to Ray's absence and eventually had to shut up shop with eight wickets down.

They finished on 177 for 8, with Barry continuing his captain's display by capturing the Hadleigh bowling honours with 4-25 in 12 overs.

Points went Hadleigh's way, with 11 coming to them and six to Horndon.

Horndon will be anxious to avoid further fitness problems with their National Village Cricket competition clash with Matching Green, who they struggled to beat last term, coming up next Sunday.

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