LEIGH and Wickford enjoyed positive starts to the 50 over period of the Shepherd Neame Essex League season with emphatic victories.

Wickford were impressive against struggling Harlow - winning by 135 runs at the Patmore Memorial Ground.

Dean Etchells was unbeaten on 108 as Wickford posted 279/6 having been put into bat first.

And although Harlow made a positive start with the bat, the middle order crumbled thanks to the heroics of David Cole and Chirag Desai.

Cole took 6-20 in 10 overs, including four maidens, and Desai claimed three wickets for the loss of just six runs from his 4.3 overs.

And captain Andy Baker said it was a great performance all around from his team.

“We are starting to click,” he said. “Dean was very good again and you can’t ask for more than what he did with the bat. Two weeks ago he couldn’t buy a run but he is on fire now.

“We had a good start and Chris [Westwood] did well at the top of the order, scoring 35.

“Once Dean was in we asked the boys to play around him. We were able to defend our score and we kept it relatively tight, although it took a while to get the first wicket.

“Dave bowled tight for us and waited for mistakes and Chirag did well at the other end. It was a good day all around.”

Joe Sexton returned to captain Leigh to a 138 run win against Horndon-on-the-Hill in Division Two.

The outstanding innings of Jon Edwards (109 not out) saw Leigh post 262/7 on a batting pitch, while Stuart Elliott also contributed well (53) as the openers put on 100 for the first wicket.

And the efforts of Elliott - who took a superb 5-16 off 10 overs, including four maidens - and Paul Humphries - who claimed 3-19 from his 10 overs - with the ball eased Leigh across the finish line.

It was not such a good afternoon for Old Southendian & Southchurch as they took just three points from their home match against an on-song South Woodford side.

The Old Boys scored 232/9 at Garon Park, with Ahmed Khawaja falling two runs short of his century.

But the failure of the rest of the order proved to be key as they polished off the total in 40 overs and for the loss of not a single wicket.

Controlled batting from Henry Blackwell (109 not out) and Bradley Copper (113 not out) was enough for a comfortable victory.