Wanstead & Snaresbrook failed to make it three wins from three after drawing with Ilford on Saturday

Wanstead and Snaresbrook’s 100 per cent start to the season was ended with a draw at home to Ilford on Saturday.

The home side made a wobbly start with the bat. John Chambers scored 38 but there was little support around him as partner Arfan Akram (11) fell cheaply. Saurav Prabhakar (0) followed almost immediately to leave Wanstead at 26 for two.

However, when Hassan Chowdhury (29) came to the crease the hosts finally picked up before an unbeaten 50 from Joe Ellis-Grewal and a further 37 from Mohammed Fayyaz Khan boosted their total to 211 for seven.

Hendro Puchert had proved a thorn in Wanstead’s side, returning figures of four for 57.

In reply, Mehad Khan (two for 46) made an early breakthrough by dismissing opener Muhammed Hafeez (8) to leave Ilford on 16 for one.

They gradually recovered and 55 from Saf Imtiaz helped steady the ship but the visitors could only make 174 for eight, holding on to draw.

Buckhurst Hill breezed past Loughton by six wickets thanks largely to 93 from Willem Scholtz.

Put into bat, visitors Loughton recovered from a stuttering period to reach 159 for four, with Bilal Butt (67) and Rishi Patel (47) making invaluable contributions.

The run rate slowed and the away side closed on 246 for nine as Mohib Shah (three for 66) and Scholtz (four for 76) undid the Loughton line-up.

In reply, Scholtz was again the protagonist, making 93 from just 59 balls. Hermes Michael Solomonides (59) was also at the forefront of the response as Hill hit 247 with six wickets to spare.

South Woodford are still searching for their first victory of the season after a four-wicket defeat at Colchester and East Essex.

Limping along on 14 for two following the losses of Michael Browne (0) and Richard Browne (6), South Woodford found their feet thanks to the pairing of Harry Neicho (35) and James Swash (67).

Dane Watson chipped in with an unbeaten 51 to help boost the visitors’ total to 215 for nine.

But Colchester were able to get home with four wickets in hand, despite the best efforts of Harry Shirt (two for 14).

The union of Joe Austin (53) and Tom Ullyott (51) proved critical as Colchester made it to 219 in 45.2 overs.

Chingford lost by six wickets in a rain-reduced overs clash with Brentwood after failing to restrict their visitors’ flow with the bat.

Having won the toss and opted to open the batting, Chingford looked on for an imposing total as Jack Preddey (38) and Daniel Lawrence (43) got going.

However, the run-rate dropped off once the openers had been accounted for by Joe Buttleman (three for 76) and although Andrew MacGregor made an unbeaten 46, they could only reach 207 for eight.

With seven less overs to work with Brentwood knew they would have to score at a steady rate and did just that; Aaron West (62) and Tom Oakley (43) laying on the key runs as they made it to 208 with six wickets in the bank.

Mo Shah sends a delivery down the track for Buckhurst Hill. Picture: Dave Loveday

Division One

Rory Ellison claimed six wickets to help Woodford Wells brush aside Upminster by six wickets.

Hosts Upminster made 240 for nine before declaration but were left ruining their failure to put runs on the board more quickly.

Steve Wright (40), Farid Butt (38) and James Evans (38) were the key men in that total, although Ellison’s six for 69 went a long way to preventing a far more imposing total.

And a big 94 from Brenton Thompson provided the backbone of Woodford Wells’ reply, with Maurice Chambers (54) and Rehan Iqbal (33) driving the visitors to 241 with five wickets in hand.

Division Two

Sarfaraz Ahmed took four for 46 to help Fives and Heronians to a three-wicket success at Billericay.

Ahmed (four for 46), Greg Summers (three for 29) and Gamindu Kanishka (three for 30) were at the centre of a dangerous Fives attack which had hosts Billericay all out for 169.

The home side were on five for two at one stage but recovered to post a very achievable total. Terry Ballard (64) got the Fives response off to a good start before Kanishka (60) joined him at the crease to help push the visitors on.

And Gary Edwards (12 not out) and Selvam Ramasamy (4 not out) nudged Fives over the line with a total of 172 for seven.

Division Three

Woodford Green made light work of getting past ten-man West Essex, cruising to a seven-wicket win.

Inserted, West Essex looked to have overcome a slow start when Julian Joy (43), Riz Akbar (33) and Hijaz Baig (30) put together some runs.

However, the tail offered little in the way of support and the hosts eased to a comfortable margin of victory after Jack Cossey (55), Anthony Palmer (41) and Hamza Hussain (26) helped put up 171 for three in reply.

Nomaan Shah claimed two for 27 but Woodford were never under threat.

Epping were unable to bowl out Basildon and Pitsea and were thus held to a draw, despite Asif Iqbal’s return of four for 52.

Batting first, Epping built gradually and a big knock from Tapan Patel (78), batting at eight, helped push the visitors’ total to 260 all out.

Earlier knocks from Amir Khan (53) and Rakesh Bagga (41) had been important in putting up that total before Basildon started strongly in reply.

Kalal Selven (56) and Liam Rouse (68) had the visitors off on a sure footing only for Iqbal (four for 52) and Ramiz Miah (two for 30) to take charge.

But Basildon clung on and closed on 250 for nine to split the spoils.

A big 85 from Jibran Azam helped Oakfield Parkonians hold out for a draw at home to Old Southendian and Southchurch.

Muhammed Arslan (two for 48) took the early wicket of Rob Johnston (4) to leave the visitors reeling on five for one but the recovery was soon underway and they declared on 256 for eight.

Baldeep Mann (two for 43) returned the best figures but Parks were always likely to be up against it in their run chase.

And with openers Glenn Sasikaren (27) and Faisal Bhatti (22) removed early, it fell to Taaha Naqvi (33) and Azam (85 not out) to steady the ship en route to their closing total of 200 for seven.