Basildon & Pitsea skipper Danny Gray was happy to get the season off to a good start with a six-wicket win over hosts Epping.

The new towners were relegated last season and were anxious to get the new term off to a winning start.

Epping won the toss and opted to bat but probably wished they had not.

David Stokie (16), San Sly (13) and Geoff Maynard (10) added some early runs before falling foul of Ben Munday (3-32) and Lee Lewis (2-50).

But wickets then started tumbling at regular intervals, with only Alex Merritt (12) and Ben Marks (10) reaching double figures before the hosts were bowled out for 127 in 36.3 overs.

Chris Clarke-Irons took 2-14, AnandKumar Ganesan (2-13) and Luke Daw (1-17) took the other wickets.

Jamie White went for a duck, one of David Stokoe’s three victims, but Gray was 65 not out.

And although Stokie also claimed Liam Rouse for a duck, Ganesan (11) and Ashley Browne (27no) saw Basildon to 128-4 off 33.2 overs, with Carl Ginn (1-28) taking the other wicket.

“It’s a tough place to go and play and it always has been,” Gray said. “It was important that we get off to a good start, and our bowling and fielding was superb on the day.

“We chased it down but we were 7-3 at one stage in our reply and had to do some grafting to dig it out. But I was pleased with my unbeaten 65 and Ashley did well too with an unbeaten 27.

“It was a sticky wicket to play on but our batsmen should have known that because they had bowled on it.

“But it was nice to get a win under out belt.”

Billericay welcomed Belhus to Blunts Wall Road and defeated them by four wickets.

Belhus skipper Wayne Read opted to bat after winning the toss.

And it looked a good decision as openers Gavin Jefferies (66) and Martin Guilbert (29) piled on the runs before Gary Hynes caught Jefferies off Stuart Hynes’ bowling and Paul Walter bowled Guilbert.

Read (8) and Joe Joyce (0) both fell victim to Stuart Hynes, caught by Paul Southgate and Mike Smith respectively, before skipper Stewart Rutland caught Billy Winter (0) off a Phillip Reynolds delivery.

Belhus stalwart Richard Day (14), Michael Fogg (32) and Dale Kenyon (32) added much-needed runs before the tail went for 12 runs as Belhus were bowled out for 245 off 50 overs.

Stuart Hynes took 3-34, Charlie Crassbourne 2-45, Walter 2-39, Reynolds 1-14 and Dominic Kempster 1-21, but Rutland will be concerned that his bowlers gave away 52 extras, including 39 wides.

Mike Smith (52) and Southgate (33) made early inroads before being bowled and caught by Guilbert (1-33).

Stuart Hynes went lbw for 12 but Daniel Harford (36) and Andrew Smith (61 not out) further reduced the arrears. Rutland (6), Walter (21) and Gary Hynes (6no) kept Smith company as Billericay replied with 249-6 off 49.1 overs.

“I’m disappointed to lose but it’s a learning curve for me as I have only just come back to Belhus after 10 years at Orsett,” said Read.

“We have a really young side and thought we posted a defendable total. The two innings mirrored each other because they with the runs being added quickly before slowing down.

“It was the penultimate over that killed us as they hit a six and that left them one to win. Other than that it was a great game between two good sides.”