TOM Ullyott felt Colchester and East Essex’s impressive batting display against newly-crowned champions Wanstead and Snaresbrook was a positive way for them to finish the season.

Colchester hit 301 for six on the final day of the Shepherd Neame Essex League premier division campaign, at Overton Drive.

They then had Wanstead wobbling on 14 for two but then the rain arrived to scupper the visitors’ chances of victory.

The match was eventually abandoned at 5.30pm, leaving both sides with six points apiece.

Ullyott believes it was a good way for Colchester, who have finished sixth in the table, to end the season.

Skipper Ullyott said: “I thought we batted very well as a team and that was a positive way for us to finish the season.

“The wicket was not a 300-run wicket at all and I think we would have been content with more than 200, at the start.

“It was very dry and their seamers ended up bowling about eight overs – the rest of their 64 overs came from their spinners.

“But our batters played out of their skins and we batted a bit more sensibly that of previous weeks.

“We beat Wanstead earlier in the season at Castle Park and we knew that they were beatable.

“And after we scored more than 300, I’d have been very surprised had they got near that total.

“But unfortunately the rain came at the wrong time for us and it summed up our season a bit.

“But Wanstead are deserved winners and they’re probably the best side in the division.”

Ullyott top-scored for Colchester with 84, while Jack Hebron (73) and Joe Austin (51) also made significant contributions.

“Joe (Austin) and I batted very nicely – we were getting four an over with ones and twos and the occasional boundary,” said Ullyott.

“And once Joe was out, Jack (Hebron) and I did a similar thing.

“I played a daft shot to get out and miss out on a century which was frustrating.

“But the batting was good and it was a great collective effort.

“Our bowlers also did well before the rain came and the players expressed themselves well.

“The pressure was off a bit with it being the final game of the season.”

Colchester’s second team (171-8) have also finished sixth after they were comfortably beaten by Wanstead and Snaresbrook II (173-0), in the second XI premier division.

Colchester III (180-8), who have been relegated from third XI division one, only had nine players in their abandoned match against Hainault and Clayhall (106-2).