SHEPHERD NEAME ESSEX LEAGUE, DIVISION THREE

CAPTAIN Aaron Lucas has challenged his Old Southendian & Southchurch team to go on and win the title after beating rivals Oakfield Parkonians.

The Old Boys had been neck and neck with the Ilford team at the top of the table for most of the season but beat them by six wickets on Saturday to open up a 17-point lead.

“It was a really good result,” said Lucas. “It was a big game and I’m really happy with the outcome and how we performed.

“I’m happy for the guys and the other results went our way, so it all went in our favour.

“Now we have this result out of the way we have to make sure we go on and win the title.”

Parkonians opted to bat but saw their top three batsmen go cheaply. Rana Muhammed Arslan (74) offered resistance with the middle order but eventually he ran out of partners.

The visitors were bowled out for 184 in 38.5 overs, with Jamie Robinson (4-45), Matthew Austin (3-35), Adam Rendall (2-37) and Michael Bunce (1-32) doing the damage.

Opener Rob Johnston went for a duck but Chris Bunce (48) and Max Craddock (41) batted sensibly to get the Old Boys back on track.

Robinson (29), Lucas (22no) and Matt Wilson (19no) got the hosts over the line with 188-4, with Jobran Azam taking 2-35.

Westcliff on Sea and Basildon & Pitsea went into Saturday’s games looking to capitalise on the top two’s result, but their hopes were dented by defeats to Walthamstow and Old Brentwoods.

Third-placed Westcliff saw their six-match winning streak halted by a five-wicket defeat at Walthamstow.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Bull (33), captain Chris Gladwin (26), Peter Barnes (21) and Charlie Lockhart (14) were the only batsmen into double figures as they were bowled out for 135 runs in 41 overs.

Shahbaz Sattar (2-25) led the Westcliff attack and Graham Cox, Alex Hatton and Duncan Paveling took a wicket each, but opener Deepan Kandeepan achored the Walthamstow reply of 136-5 in 31.1 overs.

“All we can say about Saturday is that we started about an hour and a half too early and one end of the wicket was wet,” said Gladwin.

“It was not an over-bad performance, it was a bad wicket and 135 was not really a bad score on it. Winning the toss was vital and we lost it. It was one of those games which could have gone either way.”

Basildon & Pitsea captain Michael Gray was left frustrated by his side’s four-wicket defeat at Epping.

The visitors were 80-1 thanks to Rob Davies (44) before a batting collapse was only rescued by Jon Bonnett (50) as Basildon were bowled out for 175 in 39.3 overs, with Salim Mithani (3-43) their main tormentor.

Dean Bedford claimed 4-43 and Ben Munday and Liam Rouse took a wicket each but it was not enough as Sachin Bawa (37no) helped Epping to 179-6 in 31.5 overs.

“It’s so frustrating at the moment because we win one game and then lose the next one, and I can’t work out why,” said Gray.

“Rob opened the batting and we were flying and Jon also batted well but the rest of us were a shambles. Dean bowled really well but we didn’t have enough runs on the board and couldn’t quite get them out.”

Benfleet are five points adrift of Basildon following their fine eight-wicket win at Old Brentwoods.

Paul Frensham continued his form with the ball by claiming 4-41 and Callum Wheeler took 3-17 and John Bull 2-26 as the hosts were skittled out for 117 in 31 overs, with Awais Sadaqat (26) faring best with the bat.

Wicketkeeper James Wilkins, who was captaining the side in place of the holidaying Gareth Steed, opened the reply with 40 runs and found support from Rob Zammit(26) and Joshua Brady (19no) as Benfleet posted a winning 118-2 in 18.5 overs.