After returning early to Castle Park wet, miserable and still searching for their first Shepherd Neame Essex League premier division victory of the season on Saturday, Colchester and East Essex served up a most thrilling encounter as the weather relented on Sunday.

Their trip to Ardleigh Green proved fruitless, as the match was abandoned with the visitors finding the going tough on 59 for four.

Julian Russell (39 not out) was the only player to take any satisfaction from the journey to East London, as Ben France, Matt Austin, Malintha Gajanayake and Tom George all went for single figure scores before the rain began.

However, Andrew Kennedy's side made up for the lack of cricket on Saturday, by coming out on top at Castle Park on Sunday when they beat Hainault and Clayhall in the Cockspur National Knockout Cup.

Colchester won by virtue of losing fewer wickets in a tie which featured more than 520 runs.

Not only did it produce a climax to match any game on the world stage, it also marked the first major contribution to the club for opener Ben France.

He scored 92 in an innings which featured eight fours and two sixes, putting on 134 with Russell (67), whose season is also up and running now.

Greg De Silva (44) kept the momentum going once Russell was out and skipper Kennedy added some trademark blows.

His 31 not out came from just 14 balls and included four fours and a six.

Both Marlon Dias and Alex Young were run out before the innings ended - Young having the ignominy of being dismissed without facing a ball - as Colchester finished on 267 for five.

France halted Hainault's early assault, after Gareth Fisher and Andrew McGarry's opening spells were wicketless.

Young removed former Essex batsman Zoheb Sharif for 18, but opener Irfan Shah's aggresive approach paid off, scoring 92 off 117 balls with three sixes.

The game was neck and neck as Young took another wicket to finish with two for 58, while France took his second before holding his nerve as he was handed the ball for the final over with five needed.

The Suffolk all-rounder came up trumps, conceding only four to leave the scores tied, but Hainault had lost seven wickets to give Colchester victory.

Colchester's second team drew for the second week running in the Shepherd Neame Essex League second XI premier division.

Visitors Woodford Wells were invited to bat first and made 246 for seven.

Mark Gaisford (17-1-74-2) and Gareth Fisher (16-1-82-2) were the most successful bowlers, while Lewis Groves and George Brown each took a wicket.

Colchester were never up with the required run rate, as they received 41 overs in return, compared to the 51 bowled to Wells.

Gaisford (54) made it difficult to keep himself out of the game, while Marlon Dias (37) and Matt Mehen (40) made valauable contributions, but Colchester finished on 200 for six.