Mixed performances at Chelmsford CC

Several teams recovered well from bad starts, but others squandered chances to improve their league standings. More promisingly, however, the Sunday 1st team progressed into the semi-final of the Essex League Cup.

The Saturday 1st XI drew with Hutton. Highlights came from the Prowting brothers' twin 50s and the bowling of James Arnold and Neil Fergus, who took three wickets apiece.

The second team were less fortunate, losing to Hainault & Clayhall by four wickets. Despite a superb 97 from David Thrift, Chelmsford struggled to 209-9 and wickets from Nigel Bond and Mark Drain could not prevent a successful chase. They remain top of the table - but only by a point.

An accomplished team performance helped the third XI to a comfortable victory over their Brentwood hosts. After a terrible start, Chelmsford rallied to post 200, and the combined talents of Craig Thompson, Imran Akhtar, Ken Jones and Neal Abhyankar bowled the home side out for just 77.

Chelmsford's fourth team were also victorious, beating Basildon & Pitsea by five wickets. Anthony Holland rose above a poor fielding performance to take 5-48, finishing the innings with a hat-trick as the visitors closed on 186. Lee Cranmer hit an unbeaten 46 in the reply.

The fifths were dominant over Brentwood Table Tennis Club, but struggled to chase a low total after good work from the bowlers. Alex Bailey (4-34) rolled back the years with an excellent spell and Liam Thrift also showed his class, taking 3-13. Chelmsford lost six wickets chasing a mere 123, but a belligerent 63 from 14-year-old Tom Witham ensured victory.

On Sunday, the first team's quarter-final triumph over Upminster contrasted with a disappointing defeat for the under-16 Matchplay side. An excellent bowling performance was the key for the 1sts, with Mark Drain (3-28), Jack Moss (3-44) and James Arnold (2-27) restricting Upminster to just 141 all out. Duncan Paveling scored 54 and Paul Jones 31 as Chelmsford chased the total for the loss of just three wickets.

The under-16s could have learnt a lesson from the first team, had they not instead been at Clacton-on-Sea, losing a must-win game. A spectacular collapse from 173-3 to 190 all out took the wind from Chelmsford's sails, and after some good batting, Clacton edged a nailbiting encounter. Qualification from the group stages of the Matchplay competition is still possible, but Chelmsford may come to rue this missed chance.

Their juniors, the under-13 side, showed more of a killer instinct against Bishop's Stortford in the Peter Coe Cup. An admirable team effort helped Chelmsford to successfully chase a total of 162 in the last over. Sam Hollingsworth (31), Adi Vohra (27) and Alex Shepherd (23) were the top scorers.

MATCH REPORTS 1st Team Shepherd Neame Essex League Div 1 at Chelmer Park CHELMSFORD I 252-7 HUTTON 209-6 (Match Drawn) Chelmsford remained fourth in the table after drawing with Hutton on Saturday.

A strong batting performance, led by the Prowting brothers, Nick (54) and Chris (58), enabled Chelmsford to post a commanding 252-7 from 52 overs. The pair demonstrated their class with shots all around the wicket as Hutton struggled to contain them.

Duncan Paveling laid the foundations with a handy 43, whilst Lee Gregory smashed a rapid 35 at the end of the innings to maximise the last few overs.

Hutton's reply began well with a partnership of 50 for the first wicket, while Neil Fergus had very little luck in an excellent spell. James Arnold was re-introduced and bowled a superb second spell to knock over the first three wickets.

Hutton had to re-group and did so effectively with Hayne and Buttleman scoring freely. With the rate required at nearly 8 an over, the pressure told as Fergus' luck changed - he claimed three wickets in quick succession.

Chelmsford tried to press for the win but Hutton's batsmen held firm, content to settle for the draw and the bonus points for passing 200. The game petered out with Hutton on 204-6, Hayne finishing on 64 not out. Fergus claimed 3-85 from 20 overs, and Arnold finished with 3-55.

The 10 points gained from this match will no doubt help Chelmsford's push for promotion as the season wears on.

2nd Team Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division at Oakfield Playing Fields, Frenford CHELMSFORD II 209-9 HAINAULT & CLAYHALL 210-6 (Chelmsford lost by 4 wickets) Chelmsford squandered a strong position with the bat and were fairly comfortably beaten at Hainault & Clayhall.

David Thrift was in superlative form and his partnership with Nick Bailey (28) put Chelmsford well on top. From 99-1 from 19 overs, the rate started to drop and the wickets started to fall with M. Shafiq wreaking havoc.

Thrift continued to play well but only Andy Rycroft (29) was able to give him the support he needed before departing LBW. Thrift also fell in the same fashion, three short of what would have been a deserved century.

The innings closed at 209-9 after Shafiq had gained his sixth wicket for just 40 runs.

Hainault's response got off to a whirlwind start with French launching some big hits. He did become slightly becalmed but the score was past 80 when he was finally out for 57. H. Shafiq (32) joined Hurst at the wicket and their partnership also prospered to put Hainault completely in command.

Mark Drain (2-60) and Nigel Bond conjured up three quick wickets to rally Chelmsford. Hurst stayed at the crease, though, and continued to mix good shots with good fortune. A couple of difficult chances were missed and the scores were brought level.

Bond (3-36) produced a double wicket maiden to gloss the defeat for Chelmsford and gain the point that kept Chelmsford top of the league, but it was too little too late to prevent defeat.

3rd Team Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division Played at Brentwood CHELMSFORD III 200-7 BRENTWOOD 77 all out (Chelmsford won by 123 runs) A strong team performance was the key factor in a good win for the third eleven.

Brentwood's opening bowlers did well and Davies (2-18) helped reduce Chelmsford to 20 for three. Darren Thompson (36) led the rebuilding job. Good batting from Imran Akhtar (48) and Craig Thompson (36*) meant Chelmsford reached a respectable 200 for seven.

Brentwood's chase never really got going and the wickets were shared around as they were bundled out for 7. Ken Jones (2-19), Craig Thompson (3-13) and Neal Abhyankar (2-19) put them on the rocks and Akhtar (3-6) tidied up.

4th Team Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division at Chelmer Park BASILDON & PITSEA 186 all out CHELMSFORD IV 87-5 (Chelmsford won by 5 wickets) Eighteen points came Chelmsford's way this weekend, but it was a far from convincing home victory over relegation candidates Basildon & Pitsea.

There were, however, positives to be taken from the performance of Chelmsford's weakened bowling attack. Young medium-pacers Stephen Drain and Ollie Devenish bowled well for economical figures, and Andrew Thurston (2-28) and Anthony Holland led the attack with flair.

Both had to battle a resilient Waterman (65) and a literally appalling fielding display. With the simplest of catches going down, it was no surprise that Basildon made their way to a decent total before Holland struck in the final over. With just three balls remaining, 186-7 became 186 all out as the tail folded and Holland's consistent bowling was rewarded with a hat-trick and figures of 5-48.

A patient innings from Steve Pleasant (29) anchored the reply until Devenish (36) took the helm with a sensible innings. Chelmsford suffered a brief wobble but an excellent partnership between Thurston (20*) and a bullish Lee Cranmer, who had already kept superbly, helped the home side to the target with five wickets to spare. Cranmer finished unbeaten on 46.

Chelmsford's fourth XI have never looked as inconsistent as in this match - varying from tight, pressure-building bowling to pressure-lifting 4 balls, and from inspired ground fielding to woeful attempts at catching. But the game was won, and eighteen points gained. And if nothing else, Chelmsford can take comfort in the fact they won a match with seemingly minimal effort. Whether this will last remains to be seen.

5th Team Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division Played at Chelmer Park BRENTWOOD TTC 122 all out CHELMSFORD V 125-6 (Chelmsford won by 4 wickets) 1st Team Essex League Cup Quarter-Final Played at Upminster Park UPMINSTER 141 CHELMSFORD I 142-3 (Chelmsford won by 7 wickets) A brilliant bowling and fielding performance by a young Chelmsford side set up a superb 7-wicket win against table-topping Upminster on Sunday. Chelmsford now progress to the semi-final stage.

Mark Drain and James Arnold bowled excellent opening spells to reduce Upminster to 28-3; Drain picking up the crucial wicket of Arshad Ali, clean bowled. Jack Moss, making his first team debut, was then introduced and bowled very tidily with some good movement to claim two wickets in his six-over spell. Upminster were reeling on 49-5.

Matt Poole was in no mood to let them off the hook and bowled a terrific spell to claim 1-13 from 9 overs, really putting the pressure on the Upminster batsmen. Rob Hayto followed Poole's example of off-spin, going for only 27 from his 9 overs.

Despite some late hitting, Drain (3-28), Moss (3-44) and Arnold (2-27) all claimed further wickets to bowl Upminster out for 141.

Chelmsford were given the perfect start by Paveling and Jones, who raced to a partnership of 98 for the first wicket. Paveling, showing his aggressive intentions, reached a well-deserved fifty that dampened the spirits of Upminster. Jones fell for 31, before Paveling was caught and bowled for 54.

Chris Prowting (17), Nick Prowting (14 not out) and Matt Thurston saw Chelmsford comfortably home with plenty of overs to spare.

Chelmsford must travel to Chingford in the semi-final.