Eight Ash Green's second team are the only side yet to record a win this season in the Osborne League.

But they could not have come closer to success than in their division three match with Tendring on Sunday.

The Green set an impressive enough target of 180 for seven, John Stonehouse hitting 108 of them.

But Charlie Flood (88) kept ten-man Tendring in the hunt until the final over. The scores were levelled off the penultimate ball, but then Steve Houghton snapped up a catch off the bowling of skipper Colin Hammond to salvage a tie.

Hammond finished with four for 36 with David Merriday taking four for 41 and Stonehouse pocketing three catches.

There was another close finish elsewhere in division three with Halstead Fenns easing past Cavaliers' 119 with one wicket to spare, helped largely by Neil McDougall's 47.

Tollesbury cut it just as fine against division two promotion rivals Halstead.

After being dismissed for 149, Tollesbury left their visitors with 46 overs to secure victory. But Jamie Phillips then took four for 24 from ten overs and John Gallant three for 29 from nine to leave Halstead just one run short.

Runs of any sort were at a premium in division five where the season's poorest total of the season was lowered three times.

First Frinton were skittled out for just 54 in 31 overs at Tendring, Mike Puntchart taking five for 14. But the seasiders promptly whisked out their hosts for 48 in just 18.1 overs to secure an unlikely four-run victory.

Hambrook took five for 26 and Blake four for 19.

Then, on Sunday, Maldon lowered the mark still further, mustering just 37 as Pirates romped to a 177-run success.

Other bowlers among the wickets were Rupert Haxell, whose five for 22 helped Great Bentley to beat Maldon on Saturday, and Ben Wright, who took five for 35 as Wormingford beat Chappel.

In division four, Colchester leg spinner Martin Bashall claimed six for 14 to set up a six-wicket success over Witham. But the biggest bowling success of the weekend was Chappel's Brett Patmore who took four wickets in four balls in division one as his side beat Shalford by 16 runs.

Those excelling with the bat included, inevitably, Stuart Hammond, whose unbeaten 107 helped Eight Ash Green to an eight-wicket win over Colchester which kept them on top of the league. Nick Shuttleworth hit 106 for St Osyth, Colin Dixon adding 80, as they beat Abberton by 42 runs.

And in division two, Mick Warner hit 103 for Kelvedon as they eased past Great Totham's 189 for eight with seven wickets to spare.

The highest team total of the weekend was recorded by Ardleigh. Joe Bland scored an unbeaten 85 and dad Phil 76 as their 263 for three proved more than enough to complete a second win of the season over Kirby.

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