Ian Flanagan cast off his tag as a budding Essex batsman to post career best bowling figures for Jaygate Homes Two Counties Championship hopefuls Colchester and East Essex.

There was an equally remarkable bowling performance from Braintree's hat-trick hero Dave Hale, while Abberton, Harwich and Clacton 2nds were all involved in exciting ties.

Having already recorded a bowling CB of 6-89 in a Shepherd Neame Essex League encounter at Horndon-on-the-Hill just a month earlier, emerging 19-year-old all-rounder Flanagan went one better.

He returned a new best of 7-45 from 14.4 overs while bowling Colchester to a narrow three-run win with just two balls remaining at first division rivals Copdock and Old Ipswichians in the latest test round of Two Counties matches.

Flanagan achieved his new milestone with his own brand of "quick off-breaks" and with a niggling back injury that has been troubling him for some weeks.

He said: "I had to talk my way into action because our skipper didn't even want me to bowl."

"I had tried to bowl a couple of overs of seamers in our Essex League match against Brentwood the day before, but had to cry off because my back was hurting me.

"But when things weren't going particularly well for us against Copdock I eventually managed to talk my way on to bowl.

"I didn't do anything remarkably different, I simply set out to keep things as tight as I could. In fact, my figures aside, I felt Copdock lost the game rather than Colchester winning it.

"That said, it was very enjoyable - but I genuinely thought we were always going to lose and suddenly the last three wickets fell very quickly."

Copdock, who went on to total 213 in reply to Colchester's 216-4, at one time stood just eight runs from victory with three wickets still in hand until Flanagan had the last word.

The talented Essex youngster also had the first word thanks to a catch behind the stumps by his wicket-keeper father Roy Flanagan.

Young Ian had earlier set the seal on his good day with a knock of 48 opening Colchester's innings. Skipper Andrew Kennedy weighed in with 50 exactly in 30 minutes from just 41 balls.

Hale, meanwhile, ran riot in a devastating spell of 7-31 - including a hat-trick - from 13.5 overs as Division Two pace-setters Braintree (86-2) coasted to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Suffolk rivals Stowmarket (85 all out) at Chilton Way.

Hale actually finished off Stowmarket's batting with his hat-trick as Braintree bounced back in great style from their first league defeat a week earlier.

Marcus Fullgrabbe remained 61 not out in Braintree's innings.

The Abberton v Harwich second division tie proved a real thriller in every way.

Abberton were dismissed for 177 leaving Harwich a vital extra over to reach their target. Martin Alexander set them on the way with 76, but needing two to win off the final delivery last man Bushell was run-out with the scores all square.

Joe Early claimed figures of 5-72, but more remarkably Mike Booker held four catches fielding at mid-off.

Clacton's division A tie with Browns featured 96 from John "Mr Reliable" Stuck as both teams finished on 221-9.

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