With only two matches remaining, Wickford and West Essex, who both have 180 points, share top spot in the Ibex Sunday League Premier Division.

Wickford maintained their joint pole position with a 131-run triumph over Harold Wood, as run blasters Greg Ricketts (89) and Ian Letch (56) helped the eventual victors clock up a total of 249-6.

Bowler Jamie Went finished off the job for Wickford, who claimed maximum points, as he claimed 4-21, leaving Harold Wood to struggle on to 118 all out.

Mid-table Hadleigh and Thundersley's 209-6 was not enough to chalk up a win as they handed Hainault and Clayhall their first success of the campaign.

Relegation-threatened Hainault won the game by a solitary wicket, despite the best efforts of bowler Tim Lowes, who took 3-31.

Southend Trinity's game ended before it started with a gifted victory as their visitors South Woodford failed to fulfill the fixture because of a lack of players.

East Division action saw wins achieved by the leading trio of Broomhill (212 points), Broomhills (194) and Orsett (171).

Leaders Broomhill, now face an anxious wait to see if have they landed the championship crown, following their 98-run win over Stanford-le-Hope in their final match.

Before their dismissal, Broomhill made a modest total of 158 runs as Stanford bowler Michael Gray picked up 5-36.

However, Broomhill skittled their opponents out for a paltry 60 as bowlers Don Miles (5-9) and Jeremy Lawford (3-7) annihilated Stanford's batsmen.

Second-placed Broomhills, who have a game in hand over their similarly-named rivals, had to work somewhat harder for their points in their home clash with Old Southendian and Southchurch.

J James hit 63 runs for the visitors, whose 178-8 total fell 41 runs short of Broomhills' 219-8, in which John Pratt batted a magnificent 102 runs. J Shillingford was the victors' top bowler with figures of 3-22.

Orsett, who have two games left to play, kept the heat on the top two as Ken Sandeman (71) inspired a 51-run triumph against Springfield, as the third-placed side notched up a score of 227-6.

John White hit 61 for the losers, who were undone by T Johnson's bowling, with 3-22.

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