Division Two: Last-ball win ensures crown for Hadleigh (From Echo)

Division Two: Last-ball win ensures crown for Hadleigh

4:10pm Tuesday 8th September 2009 in

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HADLEIGH and Thundersley made sure of the Division Two title on Saturday in the most dramatic circumstances possible.

Adam Fleming’s side needed a win at bottom of the table Billericay to make sure of the championship.

And they did it off the very last ball of the innings.

“For any neutral watching it was probably an entertaining and incredibly exciting game of cricket,” said Fleming. “But for me it was just horrible.

“Watching on from the side was excruciating, but we got there in the end and we’re delighted.

“We have been top for most of the season so to finish second would have been hard to take,” Flemming added.

“However by hook or by crook we got there in the end and we’re really thrilled.”

Hadleigh needed one run off the last ball of the innings to grab victory and they managed just that as Tim Lowes and Nigel Holmes scrambled a bye to the keeper.

Billericay, who were relegated due to the defeat, had earlier made 190 in their innings.

Stuart Hynes top scored with 71, while Chris Horton (37) and Paul Southgate (36) also batted well.

Holmes took three wickets for Hadleigh and he had help from Charlie Gibbons (2-20) and Dan Jackson (2-54) His side then impressed early on with the bat with openers Paul Tibbenham (64) and Joe Robbins (40) both impressing.

But no other player scored more than 17 and that set up the dramatic conclusion to the game.

Billericay would have been safe had they won, but their skipper Stewart Rutland can take heart at how his side fought for survival against the champions.

Walthamstow were relegated alongside Billericay, meaning Leigh on Sea survived despite losing by five wickets at Harold Wood.

Leigh made 135 in their innings and that was not enough to trouble their opponents.

Horndon on the Hill were also smiling as they grabbed third place after a five wicket win over Old Southendian and Southchurch.

Old Southendian batted first and made 197 all out.

Qasim Khurshid took five wickets for Horndon who then had batsmen Mike Canavon (55) and Jeff West Jnr (50) to thank for the win.

The defeat meant Old Southendian finished fifth in the final standings.