CANVEY Island are sitting pretty at the top of the T-Rippon Mid-Essex Cricket League after a narrow 11 run win over Springfield seconds.

On an overcast day and on a very soft pitch, Springfield won the toss and unsurprisingly inserted Canvey to bat.

The first wicket fell in the second over of the game, with Springfield reducing Canvey to 52-5 before a match-saving partnership between skipper Ross Casson and wicket keeper J Avery took Canvey towards a competitive score.

A couple of lower order contributions and 32 wides took Canvey to 153 all out with an over left of their innings.

Springfield started their chase but were soon in trouble at 6-2 and then 20-4 with some superb opening bowling from Jamie Casson and the in-form Casum Tiffin, who would end with another five wicket haul.

Springfield were in further trouble when they were reduced to 80-6 but prudence took Springfield close with a very good innings until they were run out after colliding with his partner at the same end.

The game was taken to within 11 runs until Canvey took the final wicket and took the spoils in a low scoring thriller.

The seconds climbed into fourth place in division nine after holding off the challenge of leaders St Andrews in thrilling fashion.

With St Andrews closing on 182-7, Canvey surpassed the target in the final over with just two balls remaining and one wicket in hand.

Selected results: Premier Division: Rayleigh 157-9 beat Great Baddow 156-10 by one run. Division One: Canvey Island 153-10 (R Casson, J Avery 32, C Tiffin 5-26, R Casson 2-22) beat Springfield 152-10 by 11 runs. Division Two: Tillingham 36-2 beat Rayleigh II 35-10 (Wratten 10) by eight wickets, Hornchurch Athletic 104-4 beat Rayleigh Fairview 103-1010 (J Lawson 37) by six wickets. Division Three: Eastwood 170-10 (Deeming 46 not out) beat Great Baddow II 163-10 by seven runs, Broomfield 208-7 beat Noak Hill Taverners 189-9 (Raza 63). Division Four: East Hanningfield & Great Burstead 180-9 (Grainger 72, Rickett 4-23) beat Willow Herbs 101-10 by 79 runs, Great Totham II 173-4 beat South Woodham Ferrers 88-10 (Kendall 4-15) by 85 runs. Division 5: Rayleigh III 209-9 (Williams 77, Verrinder 32, Sweatenham 3-29) beat Brookweald II 181-8 by 28 runs, Rankins 141-4 (Ives 38, Albon 22, Shinde 3-32) beat Marconi 140-10 by six wickets, St Johns Billericay 185-10 (Atkinson 78, Hadgraft 36, Griffifths 21, Andrew 4-29, Fell 3-33) beat Little Waltham II 121-10 by 64 runs. Division Six: Great Wakering 246-8 (Holman 118, Overall 60, Vincent 3-34) beat Writtle II 160-10 by 86 runs, Havering Atte-Bower II 225-10 beat Herongate 111-10 (Gilbert 28) by 114 runs. Division 7: Eastwood II 185-8 (Leonard 55, K Singh 3-27) beat Danbury 92-10, Rayleigh Fairview II 163-3 (C McLean 104 not out, J Putney 1-26) beat Noak Hill Taverners II 159-8 (French 35, L Hayward 3-15, R Lowe 2-35), Rayleigh IV 187-7 (M Sanderson 85, B Walker 45) beat Boreham 183-8. Division Eight: Willow Herbs 178-8 beat East Hanningfield & Great Burstead II 169-10 (J Fowler 40, M Smith 36, H Keys 3-28) by nine runs, Woodham Mortimer II 93-2 beat Old Southendian and Southchurch 88-10 (Preston 3-17, G Cook 3-24, S Collins 3-27) by eight wickets. Division Nine: Canvey Island II 183-9 Foot 48 beat St Andrews 182-7 by one wicket, Rankins II 161-10 (S Jaitly 72, J Coulson 3-20) beat South Woodham Ferrers 81-10 (Martin Hatcher 22, Jamie Hatcher 3-22) by 80 runs. Division 10: Rayne II 177-6 beat Eastwood III 152-0 (D Boswell 62) by 25 runs, Rayleigh V 73-2 beat Wickham 71-10 by eight wickets. Division 11: Galleywood III 246-3 beat Rayleigh Fairview III 81-10 (Saunders 34) by 165 runs, St Johns Billericay II 143-9 (R Taylor 21 & 3-25, C Cronin 56, V Ravi 20, P Bowerman 14 not out, J Fairclough 2-18, P Bowerman 2-13) beat Boreham II 118-9 by 25 runs, South Woodham Ferrers 98-0 (P Michel 51 not out, R Sheridan 6-19) beat Hornchurch IV 94-10 by 10 wickets, Rankins III 187-9, Rankins III 187-9 (Billy Carter 55, Frankie Toomey 35) beat Oaklands 102-10 by 85 runs win, Goresbrook IV 191-3 beat Rayleigh VI 114-10.