Colchester and East Essex shrugged off the disappointment of a Shepherd Neame Essex League draw with a great win in the first round of the Evening Standard Cup.

Captain Andrew Kennedy's big challenge for league honours was dealt a blow by first match opponents Gidea Park and Romford at Castle Park.

But Colchester bounced back in true style 24 hours later with a first-round ESC win over Cockfosters.

Greg De Silva top scored with 84, supported superbly by Marlon Dias, who weighed in with a half-century, in Colchester's score of 258 all out.

Medium pacer Omar Ahmed and Alex Young both took two wickets as Cockfosters' reply was restricted to 215 for seven.

Colchester now wait to see who their second-round opponents will be.

Meanwhile, Gidea Park and Romford had them hanging on by the skin of their teeth for a first XI premier division draw on 208 for nine after scoring 253 for seven declared themselves.

And Kennedy - away on international hockey umpiring duty - had his new Sri Lankan overseas star Malintha Gajanayake mainly to thank with a time-eating knock of 77 while ocuppying the crease.

Gajanayake also shared a middle order partnership with Tom George, who got 47. Sadly, the home team's innings fell away after that.

Gajanayake also proved relatively successful with the ball when it was Gidea Park and Romford's turn to bat.

The off-spinner bagged two wickets, while medium pacer Nick Gibbs claimed three, with former Essex opening bowler Andrew McGarry and leg-spinner George Brown taking one each.

An inspired piece of captaincy by Ian Oxborrow almost paid very handsome dividends for Colchester at Loughton in the second XI premier division.

Robbed of players because of first-team calls, the skipper promoted teenage batsman Gareth Fisher to opener from his regular position of eight or nine in the order.

And the 18-year-old repaid his captain's faith by carrying his bat for a brilliant, undefeated 114.

Fisher hit at least four sixes as Colchester totalled 205 for nine and it was mainly his outstanding defiance that earned his team a battling draw after Loughton, who scored 270 for two, looked set to take the spoils.