BUCKHURST HILL 189 all out

OLD SOUTHENDIAN 192-7

(SOUTHENDIAN WON)

Recalled batsman Andy Hathaway blasted promotion-chasing Old Southendian to a narrow victory that skipper Chris Bunce hailed as "exactly what we needed".

Hathaway averaged two runs for every delivery he faced as his unbeaten 45 helped the Old Boys recover from a mid-order slump.

Andrew Russell, bowling left-arm round the wicket for Buckhurst Hill, and often turning the ball heavily, achieved the rare feat of claiming four victims lbw in his 6-89.

Buckhurst, who won the toss, had been dismissed in 47 overs, with Ian Russell (80) relying mainly on Andrew Russell (23) for support.

For more information on the Shepherd Neame Essex League, click here Chris Sorrell took an early wicket, then Dave Evans (4-39 in 17 overs) and Dave Slaughter (3-66 in 18) tore the heart out of the visitors.

James Blackmore finished Buckhurst off at the end, taking 2-20 in three overs.

Southendian, in res-ponse, seemed to be cruising when Blackmore (50) and Peter Gray (35) compiled 90 for the first wicket.

However, after the innings wobbled severely, it needed Hathaway to seal the Old Boys' 18-point maximum with two of their 47 overs to spare.

He received vital support from another newly-promoted player, Malcolm Carradus (12) - the pair having come into the side for unavailable duo Simon Harwood and Alan Dray-cott.

Bunce said: "I was pretty pleased. We had to win to stay in touch.

"To be honest, I would have batted first if we'd won the toss - to help us get as many points as possible - so maybe it was lucky I didn't win it."

Ayres unhappy as time runs out

BENFLEET 233-4

BASILDON 123-6

(DRAW)

Basildon and Benfleet remain locked at the bottom of the Shepherd Neame's lowest division after a dull draw.

New towners' skipper Mark Ayres said: "We felt that Benfleet batted too long and that setting us about 200 would have been fairer.

"That turned out to be right because, although they brought on their spinners, there was not enough time left."

Basildon, who won the toss, saw their hosts thrive through Lewis Edwards (79), Mike Tremain (61) and Tom Hanson (51 not out) in a 44-over innings.

Ayres himself took 2-20 in nine overs.

The new towners promptly lost a wicket in the second over of their reply.

Basildon's innings, in fact, was dominated by a second-wicket stand of 67 between Danny Gray (29) and John Good (26).

Stalwart Brian Waterman later made an unbeaten 20, but a stalemate - which undoubtedly offered greater encouragement to Benfleet - always looked the most likely result.

Benfleet picked up ten points, compared to Basildon's one, and are 27 clear of the new towners.

Horndon lifted by teenage sensation

HORNDON 230-6

COLCHESTER 231-3

(COLCHESTER WON)

An astonishing inn-ings from teenage prodigy Reshad Mulboccus left Horndon's stand-in skipper Julian Vereker looking on the bright side after his severely-weakened side slipped closer to the relegation zone.

Mulboccus, just 17, hit a superb 96, before his side's clear bowling weaknesses were exploited awesomely as second-placed Colchester blitzed their way to victory.

Vereker said: "We knew Reshad was a fantastic prospect, but he came of age with this brilliant innings.

"We've got five or six key players out at the moment, so I was pleased to reach 230-odd and pick up eight batting points."

Reshad and fellow make-shift opener Dave Goldstone (54) underpinned Horndon's reasonable 52-over total.

Yet Colchester - even though they were without England under-19 pair Graham Napier and Ian Flanagan - sailed to victory.

John Butcher (57), Arthur Wormington (76 not out) and Andrew Kennedy (an unbeaten 65) saw them home in 34 overs.

Kevin Price took all three Colchester wickets to fall in his 11-over spell, at a cost of 36 runs.

Vereker said: "Kevin did well again, but all our other bowlers suffered and we're over-reliant on him.

"The Colchester wicket is excellent - fast and true - and the outfield is very quick.

"Our problem was that we could never exert any control when they batted. It's difficult to do that when you are conceding eight to ten runs an over."

Third-from-bottom Horndon are 19 points clear of the two relegation spots.

Vereker said: "We know relegation is something we have to think about and we've got vital games against the bottom two, Walthamstow and Ardleigh Green.

"Our situation is largely due to early in the season when we tried to be positive. We were going for wins, batting second and not quite making it."

Cliff Jeyes (available next week) and free-scoring fellow opener Dave Stitson (the week after that) will soon be back from holiday to bolster the Horndon side.

Spinner Digby Ray, a long-term injury victim, could also return within a fortnight or so.

Vereker said: "He's absolutely crucial to our attack."

Westcliff cruising

ARDLEIGH GREEN 147

WESTCLIFF 150-1

(WESTCLIFF WON)

Steve Green blitzed 102 from 70 balls as a strong all-round Westcliff display dumped Ardleigh Green on the bottom of Division One.

Yet Romford-based Ardleigh had seemed handily placed early on at 62-0 and 81-2, only to collapse against Nick Cooper (4-31 in 16 overs) and Romesh Paul (3-24 in 11).

Hosts Westcliff raced to victory in 23 overs - 28 fewer than the visitors faced. Ever-reliable Green hit two sixes and 15 fours in his match-winning ton.

Westcliff skipper Tim Wade said: "It was a good win, starting with good fielding."

His side are now fourth, four points behind Hadleigh, following their fifth 18-point maximum in 12 games.

Pacemen on form

HADLEIGH 227-5 dec

CHINGFORD 142-6

(DRAW)

Supremely tight bowling from opening pacemen Steve Brown and Elliott Wilson was not enough to turn a dominating draw into victory for third-placed Hadleigh at the side immediately below them.

Hadleigh, whose declaration score included an excellent 95 from in-form vice-skipper Paul Corps, had felt their 227 total was maybe 25 runs short of ideal. Instead, Chingford plodded to a very disappointing 142-6 off 41 overs.

Corps' main backing in Hadleigh's 52-over innings came from Neil Goodman (31) and Neil Barry (53 not out), with Jim Runciman claiming 3-32.

Then Chingford were tied up by Brown, whose 3-12 in ten overs included six maidens, and Wilson (2-38 in 11 overs).

Hadleigh, who have still got to play their return fixtures with top two Chelmsford and Colchester, picked up ten points to Chingford's three.

On target - Chris Sorrell took an early wicket for Old Southendian as they bowled out Buckhurst Hill for 189

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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