Rayne concession assists Witham

Rayne's inability to field a team to play Witham certainly helped the 2006 Champions, as their nearest rivals, the current Champions, Coggeshall dropped four points after being given a stiff test by Chappel & Wakes Colne at Notley. Now Witham have a seven point lead. Braintree Youth moved into third place as they gained their first victory of the season at this Centre as they defeated Bocking by two wickets.

Three cornered fight

Kelvedon gained fifteen points, but no satisfaction, from the no show by the University team, to give them a nine point lead at the top of Division Two. Now they may, or may not, remain in pole position at the top of the table, but right now it looks like being a three cornered fight for the runners-up berth whomever eventually takes a firm grip on the Championship. Now just seven points covers second to fourth positions. Helions Bumpstead defeated Terling by five wickets to gain fourteen points, while Elmstead Grasshoppers and Shalford both claimed thirteen from their four wicket victories over Rayne Reserves and Coggeshall Reserves respectively.

Braintree cut the lead to one point

Braintree currently have the privilege of being the League's leading run scorers and that position they enhanced by thumping 184-3 off just eleven overs to demolish Great Totham by 98 runs. Now they are just one point behind Boreham despite having lost two more matches. Boreham dropping three points in defeating Coggeshall A by 24 runs. Both the top two benefited as a result of Braintree College's one run victory over Dunmow. Only a tie could have done Boreham and Braintree more favours. Sampfords beat Kelvedon & Feering Reserves by 24 runs in the remaining match.

Three Fields and Braintree Reserves maximise their positions

Three Fields and Braintree Reserves could not have wished for a better evening. Three Fields had little trouble in collecting a six wicket won over Rayne III's but then Braintree Reserves matched that with a similar result over promotion chasing rivals, Sampfords Reserves, and not with a twenty-seven point cushion between second and third places, the pair are looking good bets to take the two promotion places. Halstead collected their first "real" victory of the season to end a 14 match losing run as despite only have five men, they defeated Kelvedon & Feering III's by 15 runs. Boreham Reserves are now cast adrift at the foot of the league ladder after a 53 run defeat against Coggeshall A Reserves.

Current League Tables>>

January 27th 2008

A good day for the divisions leaders

Kelvedon & Feering made sure of remaining on top of Division Two for a couple of weeks as they defeated Terling by three wickets at Notley, and this after being reduced to 6-3 inside two overs when chasing 75 for the win. Elmstead Grasshoppers moved into second place in front of Helions Bumpstead by also gaining a three wicket victory over Coggeshall Reserves. Shalford then pushed Helions Bumpstead down into fourth place as just scraped home to a one wicket win over Rayne Reserves.

Braintree moved, temporarily at least, to the top of the Division Three following a two wicket victory over Coggeshall A at Notley. Braintree do seem to like making hard work of winning as they presented Coggeshall A with 31 extras as they closed on 100-5. Chris Leech, 27, Warren Celiz, 26 not out, and 23 from Geoff Eveling saw Braintree through to 101-4 with two balls to spare. The loss of a wicket when the scores were level may yet prove costly. Braintree were also none too happy about two leg before decisions given against them with the batsmen going forward. Boreham then recaptured the lead by defeating Great Totham by three wickets. So now have a two point advantage. In mid-table Sampfords closed the gap between fourth and fifth to just five points as they defeated Braintree College by five wickets. Dunmow kept their challenge going with a five wicket win over Kelvedon & Feering Reserves.

The runs flowed in the three late matches in Division Four at the Leisure Centre. Little Bardfield Village maintained their unbeaten record in league matches by defeating Witham Reserves by 52 runs after scoring 156-3 themselves. Bocking Reserves are now second after hitting 161-3 against Helions Bumpstead Reserves who replied with just 41. There was also an identical winning margin for Shalford Reserves over Margaretting. Shalford Reserves hitting 175-1. Earls Colne defeated High Garrett in the mid-table contest by three wickets.

Three Fields kept their vice-like grip on their Division Five Championship aspirations with a six wicket win over Halstead, Braintree Reserves remain second after defeating Boreham Reserves by five wickets. Sampfords Reserves edged ahead of Coggeshall A Reserves after the winning the contest with them by three wickets, and Rayne III's moved a little closer to Kelvedon III's in the table following a 15 run victory.

February 3rd 2008

Braintree Youth win the classic encounter but there are no shocks

The undoubted tie of the day as the First Round ties of the BDICL Cup were played at the Leisure Centre was the contest between two of the "heavyweights", Coggeshall and Braintree Youth, and the contest did not disappoint, unless you leaned towards Coggeshall. Braintree Youth struck an early blow with the run out of Jim Rees without scoring, but Dave Denny and Sam Blackwell fought hard to restore the balance and although Dave Denny was caught on 24, Sam ended on 36 not out as Coggeshall's innings closed on 123-5. Braintree Youth started worse as they lost two early wickets as Simon Jones and Andy Ledgerton departed to the bowling of Dave Denny to leave them on 6-2. David Hale and Andrew Sherry got them back in the match and ahead of the asking rate. David Hale retired but Andrews Sherry matched David Denny in being dismissed for 24. Steve Hale entered the fray, and ultimately won the match for his team. He retired with 25 which included four sixes. Braintree Youth seemed home and hosed but there was a late twist as David Hale was sensationally caught and bowled by David Denny for 35. David I don't think he could believe he had been caught. Steve Hale then had to climb to the top of the mountain on his own, but two more sixes to make it seven in total, and a four took Braintree Youth to 126-5, and his own total to 49 not out.

The other ties produced some good cricket, but no shocks. Helions Bumpstead hit 153-1 on their way to defeating Boreham by 42 runs. Earls Colne punched way above their weight to test Terling to the full. Dave Brooker's 48 not out, and Steve Willsher's 35 taking Colne to a creditable 135-3, but Terling moved into cruise control, and made it to 140-0 with ten balls to spare. Emstead Grasshoppers made it three Division Two teams definitely in the draw after Rayne conceded. 42 not out from Justin Rose helped Bocking close on 132-3. Kelvedon & Feering gave almost as good as they got, and with Stuart Warner hitting 50, and Ed Smith, 39, they almost defeated the Division One team, but ended up ten shy of victory on 123-5. Witham, the Cup holders, kept their hold on the trophy with a 34 run victory in the day's other all Division One contest against Chappel & Wakes Colne. Jake Wakelin top scored with 44 as Witham clobbered 153-3. Chappel were well and truly in the hunt when they were 107-1 but then the slump came as they slid to 119 all out. Dunmow had the easiest victory as they defeated High Garrett by six wickets, after dismissing them for 69. Shalford tested Cressing to the max as well before the Division One team prevailed by just eight runs. Cressing closed their innings on 118-3, but Shalford ran out of steam needing sixteen off the final over and were all out for 110.

Three Fields were the second team through to the last eight of the Reserve League Cup, Rayne III's already being there after the draw gave them the bye yet again. However, Coggeshall A Reserves made them have to work very hard to gain that slot. Nigel Chinnery suffering in one over when three no-balls he bowled were all hit for six by Parker, who ended with 30 as Coggeshall A Reserves closed with 109-4. John Blackwell adding 28 not out. Three Fields made a decent start to their reply but did lose Alan Turner, retired hurt, and from 58-0 from five overs the tempo slipped so that three overs later they had moved to only 68-1. The Pickles boys both taking a wicket as Three Fields began the final over on 96-2, needing 14 to win, but Jeremy Jennings and Nick Oliver got them home with one ball to spare. Shalford Reserves were staring defeat in the face against Halstead. James Mickley's 32 not out had taken Halstead to 91-4, but that target looked quite large as Shalford Reserves stumbled to 37-4, and later, 62-5, but Lee Godding could not be removed from the arena, and his 54 not out saw Shalford Reserves through to 93-5 with three balls to spare in an eleven over match. The holders, Bocking Reserves were not troubled by Kelvedon & Feering Reserves, a 51 run victory ensuing in an eleven over match, the match ending with the final wicket going into the records as "obstructing the field". Braintree Reserves looked impressive in hitting 127-3 against Kelvedon & Feering III's, who reached 90-4 in reply. Barry Stephens top scoring for Braintree Reserves with 48 not out, aided by 27 not out from John East. Coggeshall Reserves must be favourites to win the Cup but Helions Bumpstead Reserves made them work for their five wicket victory, gained with just seven balls remaining, as they chased a target of 92 to win. Rayne Reserves against Sampfords Reserves was the only Division Two versus Division Five contest of the round, a little surprise that Rayne Reserves, last season's beaten finalists, won by five wickets after dismissing Sampfords Reserves for 66, with Richard Dawson taking 3-5. Finally, Witham Reserves ran up the days biggest win. After being bowled out for 116 themselves they dismantled Boreham Reserves for just 18 in less than four overs. Two wickets for Jamie Rogers and three for Michael Headley.