4:00pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010
SOUTHEND-on-Sea moved to the top of Southend Indoor League Division One with an emphatic five-wicket victory over Bluehouse.
Despite stubborn resistance from the ever reliable Simon Cooper, who scored 30, Bluehouse were dismissed for only 74 in this six-a-side competition, thanks to some smart Southend fielding that saw four of the six wickets fall to run outs.
That score was never going to be enough against a powerful Southend batting line up that raced to 78-1 in only 5.4 overs with Wayne Spear (28 not out), Tom Kenton (24) and John Horne (17 no) leading the way.
The league title will be decided next week in the final match between Southend and third-placed Rayleigh Fairview.
But Southend look favourites as they have opened a lead of eight points at the top of the table.
Hadleigh & Thundersley B moved in to second place in the table with a comfortable win over Eastwood B in their final game of the season.
Hadleigh scored 104-3 with Mathew Wagstaff (40no) and John Snelling (29no) scoring the bulk of the runs.
Brett Deeming (28) was Eastwood’s top scorer but they never threatened the target and were all out at 75-6 to leave Hadleigh the winners by 29 runs.
Spartans who represent Southend Police were involved in two exciting games with close finishes. In the first Eastwood B made 122-1 thanks to Cameron Hill (27), Kevin Robinson (25) and Brett Deeming (25) who all posted not out scores.
In reply Paul McArthur (48) and Andy Coles (28) put Spartans in pole position and they needed only eight runs of the last over with two wickets remaining.
But skipper Robinson held his nerve to bowl a tight final over which featured a run out and a sharp stumping by wicketkeeper Deeming, and Spartans were all out for 118 with two balls left to give Eastwood their first win of the season by four runs.
Spartans’ next game against Hockley was even closer and went down to the last ball.
Hockley batted soundly to score 118-1 with contributions from Neil Foster (27no), Alex Warren (27no), Chris Hale (25no) and Stuart Whiter (23no).
As in their previous game, Spartans kept up with the required run rate but on this occasion timed their chase to perfection with the winning run coming off the last ball as Phil Gray (37no) and Luke Gammon (29no) took them to 119-3 and victory by three wickets.
Full results l Bluehouse: 74-6 (Simon Cooper 30), Southend-on-Sea 78-1 (Wayne Spear 28no, Tom Kenton 24, John Horne 17no). Eastwood B: 122-1 ( Cameron Hill 27no, Kevin Robinson 25no, Brett Deeming 25no), Spartans 118-6 (Paul Mcarthur 48, Andy Coles 28) l Eastwood B: 75-6 (Brett Deeming 28), Hadleigh & Thundersley B 104-3 (Mathew Wagstaff 40no, John Snelling 29no). Spartans: 119 – 3 (Phil Gray 37no, Luke Gammon 29 no, James Baker 1-16), Hockley 118-1 (Neil Foster 27 n.o., Warren 27no, Hale 25no, Whiter 23no).
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