Belhus 2nd 170 all out
Old Southendian and Southchurch 2nd 173-4
BELHUS travelled to their table-topping hosts at Garon Park on Saturday, but found the going tough as they succumbed to a six wicket defeat in this Shepherd Neame Essex League second eleven division two encounter. Martin Guilbert crafted a fine half century, while support came from Wayne Read with 12, Mark Sansom, 26 and Jack Martin-Hussey with 15. However, no further Belhus batsman managed to reach double figures. For the home side, Henry Williams and Kyle Smith took three wickets each while Evan Johnson bagged two victims and there was one wicket apiece for Gary Threadgold and Ben Seaden.
After the break, Belhus missed an opportunity to dismiss the Old Boys’ opener Vijayakrishnan Valalveettil early in the piece when a routine catch was shelled and the were made to pay dearly as Valalveettil raced to 55 from 39 balls. He was eventually caught by Guilbert to become one of three wickets taken by Billy Maidment (3-38 from seven overs). With fellow opener Gareth Bull hitting 42 from 29 deliveries and Threadgold scoring 26, Connor Mortlock and Dan Chilmaid reinforced the Southendian presence at the top of the table, being undefeated on 28 and 8 respectively.
Belhus 5th 90 all out
Springfield 3rd 91-1
After choosing to bat on what looked a dry and flat pitch at Chelmsford’s Coronation Park, Belhus started their innings well with Jack Thomas and cousin Connor scoring quickly. But when Jack reached 30 runs, he was bowled by a ball that kept very low. The surface then became one of varied or no bounce and the rest of the batsmen were either undone by rash shots or the unpredictable surface. With only Jordan Sullivan joining Thomas in double figures with 12 runs, Belhus were dismissed for just 90 runs. After a very good tea and a sharp downpour which seem to flatten the pitch, Springfield reached their small target for the loss of only one wicket. Jordan Sullivan took the lone wicket to fall when he bowled Freestone for ten runs but remaining opener Nice scored 51 not out.
Horton Kirby 2nd 118 all out
Belhus 2nd 78 all out
Cliff Cansdale bagged five wickets for just eleven runs from 7.2 overs but it wasn’t enough to stop Belhus sliding to a 40-run deficit at the picturesque Franks Lane venue on Sunday. George Maidment claimed 3-18 from eight overs while Billy Maidment picked up 2-34, also from eight overs. For the home side, opener James Martin scored 51 until he became Cansdale’s first victim, caught by George Maidment at cover. After the break, Liam Waters and George Maidment top scored with 14 runs each, in the face of a 3-9 return from a five over spell by George Hughes. Belhus were left teetering as Rees Clow and Nick Toomey shared four wickets and the visiting collapse left Teddy Waters high and dry with 4 not out at the close of play. All remaining Belhus senior matches were either cancelled or abandoned due to the adverse weather.
