Belhus 1st 272-9
Harlow Town 1st 212-9
BELHUS maintained their position at the top of the Shepherd Neame Essex League division two with another strong performance at North Stifford on Saturday. Joe Joyce fell just three runs short of a century and the home total was boosted further by Daniel Dreher’s cameo of 47 runs from just 22 deliveries. Good supporting roles were played Liam Wilson, 30, and Roy Heffernan with 23 runs. For the visitors, Daniel Farmer and Joe Elston picked up three wickets each.
In a rare occurrence, there was a period during the Harlow Town innings when both batsmen had a runner! Neil and Jason Gladwin were the additional cast members, but eventually left the stage as Belhus picked up wickets at regular intervals. Scott Anderson was run out by Wilson for 41, while Farmer struck 30 runs. Neil and Jason eventually returned to the action as batsmen with both ending the match on 13 not out. Danny Norris, Dreher and Wilson picked up two wickets to secure a win by 60 runs in the first 50-overs-per-side fixture of the season.
The Belhus second and fifth elevens had their matches abandoned due to rain. The seconds had scored 175 for the loss of eight wickets after 32 overs at Fives and Heronians. Wayne Read hit 46 , George Maidment impressed with 43 while Charlie Lewis chipped in with 26. The fifth team also batted first in their aborted match and scored 126-3 from 23 overs. Jack Thomas struck 90 runs until he was caught at third man.
Belhus 3rd 236-7 dec
Basildon and Pitsea 3rd 176-5 (match drawn)
Chris Baker led the way with a fine undefeated 63 while Stuart Morris hit 51 to enable to Belhus to declare in a strong position at Langdon Hills recreation ground on Saturday. However, Chris Debond responded in kind for the home team with 53 while Phillip Murdoch’s 36 runs provided valuable support to ensure Belhus could not find a way through the Basildon and Pitsea middle order to force a win. Earlier, Jack Plane and Russ Blackburn provided support in the visitors’ innings with 36 and 38 respectively, while the Belhus father and son combination of Alan and Billy Maidment claimed two wickets apiece.
Hutton 5th 54 all out
Belhus 4th 57-2
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jack Day excelled in this match at Ockendon Recreation Ground on Saturday. Day scored a match-winning 29 not out in difficult conditions to add to his two stumpings earlier in the piece. In favourable bowling conditions, Rob Long picked up 3-10 from eleven tidy overs which included six maidens, while Amit Gohil bagged three wickets for just nine runs from seven overs (three maidens). Home captain John Wilson mopped up the Hutton tail with two wickets for as many runs from only nine deliveries. Belhus third and fourth elevens join their first team in being top of their respective Shepherd Neame divisions after six weeks of league cricket.
Ends.
