Weekly Round Up

Division One

There was no let up between the top two in Division One in Week 10, with both Witham and Clacton recording victories.

Witham made the trip to West Bergholt, and after winning the toss and electing to bat made heavy weather, as Joe Smith (3 for 24) and Mustafa Irshad (3 for 16) shared the first six wickets with not a lot of runs on the board. Jack Bamford (63) rescued the innings, and a good last wicket stand between Benjamin Hunt (17no) and Cam Wilson (15no) got Witham up to 161 for 9 from their 40 overs. In reply, Bergholt were soon in trouble as Cam Wilson (4 for 20 from 9) decimated the top order. Dean Conybeare (21) and Lee Greenleaf (20) were the only batters to reach 20, as the host were bowled out for 109 to leave Witham victors by 52 runs.

Victory was much more simpler for Clacton, as for the second week running Colchester & E.E. conceded, resulting in them receiving a 10 point deduction.

Sudbury scored their first victory of the campaign with a six wicket success over neighbours Halstead. Halstead batted first after winning the toss at Star Stile, and not for the first time were indebted to Ryan Vickery (77) for the bulk of their score. A dramatic mid order collapse saw the hosts slip to 108 for 7, before the last three batters helped Vickery to add a much need 78 runs to get them to 186 for 9. In reply, Sudbury slipped to 48 for 3, before a 122 run partnership for the fourth wicket between Hamad Ashad (57) and Jonathan Amos guided Sudbury to the brink of victory. Arshad was dismissed, but Amos went to complete an unbeaten 84 as Sudbury eased to victory in the 33rd over.

Division Two

Eight Ash Green got the better of a close fought encounter at Fordham Heath, over Galleywood. Batting first the Green posted 189 for 6 from their 40 overs, with half centuries for Felix Friedlein (54) and Jack Axon (58) standing out. Ethan Wyatt also added 43, while Ekansh Boddu (2 for 18 from 8) was the pick of the Galleywood bowlers. A good opening spell from Oscar Spence (3 for 27) put the visitors behind the rate, that they were never able to catch up. Kamran Raja (44) and Paul Sturton (32) top scored as Galleywood were restricted to 176 for 9 and defeat by 13 runs.

T20

T20 action began on Thursday night with Colchester & E.E defeating Wivenhoe by 124 runs at Castle Park. Joe MacGregor was the catalyst for a big score, hitting an unbeaten 119 from 57 balls, which included seven sixes. Simon Fernandes (49 from 29 balls) was almost as ruthless as the hosts posted 229 for 4. In reply, only openers Jakob Kelly (24) and Matt Durrell (24) reached double figures as Wivenhoe were restricted to 105 for 7, Adithya Ashok (2 for 4 from 4) and George Offord (2 for 9 from 3) bowling particularly miserly spells.

On the same night, Springfield conceded their game at Mistley.

Springfield were back in action on Sunday, when they travelled to Coggeshall. A half century from Jack Whisker (51 from 24 balls) and solid knocks from Jonny Evans (27) and Andrew Oval (27) put the visitors in a handy situation going into the latter overs. However, they were unable to capitalise and from 102 for 3 struggled to reach 133 for 8 by the end of the innings. Coggeshall openers then put the game quickly to bed with an opening stand of 119, Edward King (54) falling shortly before reaching the target while Eben Botha (53no) was undefeated as Coggeshall cruised to a nine wicket win.

T30

Kelvedon maintained their position at the top of the T30 league with a 51 run win over winless Brightlingsea. Batting first Kelvedon posted 200 for 3 from their 30 overs, with retirement fifties for Ashley Griffiths (50), Murray Lane (53) and Mark Cottee (50). In reply, Brightlingsea posted 149 for 4, with Josh Gregory (38) and James Griffiths (33) the top scorers, John Bowen (2 for 18) and Rumaan Malik (2 for 13) sharing the wickets to fall.

Copford kept the pressure up on the leaders with a 23 run win at Witham. Early wickets saw the visitors in trouble before Alan Godley (43) and Piers Comonte (22) recovered the innings. George Pucker (4 for 33) picked up both their wickets and it was down to a vital 26 from Roland Mallinson that saw Copford up to their total of 168. Witham’s reply was undone dramatically at the start with five wickets falling for very few runs, before Ruben Rowe (35) and Philip Streetley (37) were able to conjure up a partnership. Edu Dee (2 for 5 from 4) and Noah Hummerstone (2 for 16) causing early trouble. A valiant last wicket stand between Dylan Patel (42no) and James Streetley (10no) got Witham to 145 for 9.