WESTCLIFF captain Chris Gladwin has admitted that he does not want to start thinking about the possibility of promotion from Shepherd Neame Division Three despite his side still being unbeaten this season.

A 68 run win over local rivals Stanford le Hope ensured that Westcliff have begun the campaign with three consecutive wins.

But Gladwin thinks it is too early in the season to already be targeting promotion.

The former Essex batsman said: “Promotion would be lovely but we will go about week by week and game by game.

“If you can nick nine or 10 wins out of 13 then I think we would be on our way to promotion.

“But we do have a strong unit that has matured and we are playing well together.”

Gladwin led by example for Westcliff, as he top scored with 53 not out.

And the number eight batsman also hit three sixes during his innings, while none of his team mates could match him in scoring a maximum.

Openers Charlie Lockhart and Matt Renvoize were out for nine and 14 to leave Westcliff on 27/2.

Meanwhile, Peter Barnes and Alex Hatton were out for single figures.

Jonathan Pratt and wicketkeeper Lewis Groves impressed with the bat, as they notched 47 and 20 runs respectively.

But Gladwin reserved praise for 19-year-old Jack Stead, who contributed 30 to the total before being bowled by Greg Barr.

Gladwin added: “Jack came in when we were five or six down and batted near enough through the rest of our innings.

“For a 19-year-old who has only played at a high level for about three years, he was excellent.

“He held our innings to together and didn’t do anything rash.

“Jack got 40 last time out as well, which is lovely.

“He has taken to dropped down from opening the batting to number six really well.”

Gladwin closed the innings with Sherwin Stanley, who ended on 53 and two unbeaten respectively, as Westcliff finished on 192/7.

It was Stanley who was to do a lot of the damage with the ball, as he ended the day with bowling figures of 4-49.

Stanley sent Stanford le Hope’s Thomas Willats, Kevin Smith, Michael Gray and Mathew Church back to the pavilion, with only Gray able to add any runs to the total.

Stanford le Hope struggled to deal with the impressive bowling of Stanley, with Smith and Church both being dismissed first ball.

The hosts started their innings brightly, but Alex Ellis was bowled by Hatton with the opening pair just four runs short of registering a 50 partnership.

While Stanford le Hope were on 46 without loss and seemingly confident, they soon collapsed to 65/7.

Jack Carter also found himself bowled for nought, this time by Hatton.

Captain Matthew Page and Greg Barr, who claimed two of Westcliff’s wickets, offered some resistance to get Stanford le Hope past 100 runs.

But Tom Baker claimed the wicket of Page, who contributed 32 to the total, to leave the home side on 115/8.

Adam Knight added a solitary run, while Daryl Woodford was out lbw to John Stanley, who finished with figures of 2-9 from just 2.2 overs.

That resulted in Westcliff sealing a 68 run win, with five Stanford le Hope batsmen departing for a duck and three of those out first ball.

Echo:

Important - Tom Baker took the wicket of Matthew Page

Elsewhere, Leigh also remain unbeaten this term after securing a 52 run victory over Walthamstow.

Captain Joe Sexton won the toss and elected to bat and his decision paid off as Leigh’s opening batsmen put Walthamstow to the sword.

Karen Fry and Paul Humphries recorded a 50 partnership, but Fry was bowled by Vijitharan Anandgrajah for 34 soon after to leave Leigh on 61/1.

However, Sexton came in and added a further 36 to help put Leigh on course for a good total.

Humphries was just seven short of his half-century before he was dismissed, while Dean Waller was out for 21.

Leigh ended on 195 all out and were in the ascendancy when Theodore Foley notched the first wicket with Walthamstow having only three runs on the board.

Sexton took four wickets, while Humphries and Alex Camp claimed two scalps apiece.

Only four Walthamstow batsmen were able to get into double figures as they were all out for 143, to hand Leigh a 52 run win.

Benfleet opened their campaign with a defeat, but have now claimed two triumphs in the trot after getting the better of Epping by 15 runs.

But the visitors got off to a poor start as opening batsmen Samuel Coelho and Jamie Critchell were out for five runs each.

Matters did not get any better as Stephen Reeve was dismissed for a solitary run.

But skipper Gavin Blowes, who missed last week’s victory, and Rob Zammit came in and steadied the ship.

Blowes was out for 12 but Zammit went on to hit an all-important 60 runs.

Ben Munday also contributed as he struck 24, but no other Benfleet batsmen were able to get into double figures.

Benfleet were all out for 145, but Epping struggled at the crease themselves.

Munday followed up his pivotal role with the bat by taking the opening wicket of Salim Mithani.

Leo Dolan top scored for Epping with 31.

Munday and Muhammad Asif took two wickets each, while Chris Hammond sent four Epping batsmen back to the pavilion.

Paul Frensham took the other wicket as Epping were all out for 130 and allow Benfleet to come away victorious by 15 runs.